Windoze Update Won't Die?

[chester258]

Hello all,

I'm running WinXP Pro (Devil's Own) w/out SP1. I thought I had disabled Windoze Automatic Updates, but every time I go online, I get a popup telling me there's a new version of Messenger available. Under "System Properties, Automatic Updates", I see the message "The Windows Update Service is unavailable". But every time I go back to Add/Remove Windows Components, the checkbox I unchecked for Automatic Updates is checked again! I would be grateful for any suggestions.............

[billbouncer]

http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml

This little utility blocks anything from putting itself in your start up without your permission . I use it on 98se & XP-sp1

[chester258]

Billbouncer,
thanx for your input. I think I'll leave the StartupMonitor installed for now, though it didn't solve my problem. The checkbox keeps getting re-checked, and the popups continue. Also, the Update item doesn't actually appear in the startup folder, but clearly it's running. Has anyone been able to kill this intrusive pest?

[Beefy]

Are you sure it's Windows Update that is telling you about the Messenger Update? Everytime you log onto Messenger, Messenger itself will tell you about it, even if you don't want to know.

[bigjackusa]

You could try renaming the Windows update executable (just put an X at the begining of the name). It's c:\windows\system32\wupdmgr.exe. I don't know how it might react, but maybe it will error once, and then you can tell it to ignore it in the future. If it causes any real problems, boot into Safe mode and change the name back.

[chester258]

Beefy,
thanx for your response. Seems the deeper I dig into Windoze, the less sure I am of anything...but Messenger is Not in my startup folder, and I haven't opened it in almost two weeks now. I blamed Update because of the reappearing checks in the checkbox I kept clearing (in Add/Remove Windows Components) in my attempts to remove Windows Update from my system.

[Beefy]

Messenger will automatically start up when you open Outlook or check a Hotmail account... And still seems to find a way to open itself when it wants to.

[chester258]

Bigjackusa,
thanks for the help. I tried renaming wupdmgr.exe, and also wuauclt.exe, and then watched as new copies of these files instantly popped up! I did a warm reboot and then got an error message from Norton AV, saying it was unable to start the Instant Messenger scanner.....so I configured it to remove that function, to get rid of the error messages.
When I went back online, I did Not get the popup offering the Messenger upgrade, but they probably only show that so many times before it quits on its own.....
And in Windows Components, the Automatic Updates checkbox is still checked..........

[vegaboo]

"I get a popup telling me there's a new version of Messenger available"

I am pretty sure that is from MSN messenger.

Also, FYI you can disable automatic updates from :
control panel - administrative tools - services - and find automatic updates - disable it.

[chester258]

Thanx, Vegaboo. I'm starting to think that it may be Messenger offering the update....as for disabling Automatic Updates in Control Panel....Services, that's one of the first things I did. And it still shows disabled. Perhaps Updates can be disabled but not removed? Anyway, the popups have stopped for now, so I'll just be waiting to see what it does next. Thanx to all for the help!