Hi,
On my XP Pro, I want to turn off automatic updates and notifications. However, when I do, I keep getting in my Quick launch task bar near the clock in the bottom right of the desktop, their red icons that popup stating my system is unsafe etc. How do I Turn of the updates without being harassed by their constant red icons and warnings?
I will update on my own, when I want to, and am sick of their security warnings and red icon always on my lower right desktop.
What do I need to do?
Anyway most of their updates relate to IE, Active X and WGA. I do not use IE; I use Firefox.
Thank you for any help in removing this security annoyance since I have turned off their updates and continue to be reminded.
Miles
I believe if you disable and stop the service in Control Panel it will turn this off.
Start, Control Panel, Advanced Tools, Services
Look for Automatic Updates and Windows Security Center (you'll want both).
However...you can set AU (Automatic Updates) to download and notify you when they're ready and you can pick and choose which ones you want, and when you want them. I would most definitely recommend this over turning them off completely.
And while I share your disdain for IE, Active X and WGA, keep in mind that IE is such an integrated part of Windows that leaving it unpatched is very dangerous. As well, there are some IE vulnerabilities that have been known to poke holes in Firefox security as well.
If you never ever ever ever ever ever never use Active X you could get by without patching it, but how sure are you that you will never touch an Active X site? Best to keep it patched.
As for WGA....well, that one you're pretty safe in avoiding.
--zig
Thanks Zig,
Sorry for the late reply as I had to go out of town and just returned to read your advice.
I had set AU to to download and notify me and I selected the updates I wanted. However, beginning December, M$ wants me to go through their WGA again before sending further updates. I had a terrible experience with them in the past and I had to call them over a 3 week period to finally re-authenticate my key code. I don't want a repeat of that nightmare!
Is there another source to get the updates? I think I read a post on how one can avoid the M$ hassle and get the selected updates from a different site?
Do you know where this site may be?
Thanks again,
Mesmd
[quote="Ziggie":2ye0ecka]I believe if you disable and stop the service in Control Panel it will turn this off.
Start, Control Panel, Advanced Tools, Services
Look for Automatic Updates and Windows Security Center (you'll want both).
However...you can set AU (Automatic Updates) to download and notify you when they're ready and you can pick and choose which ones you want, and when you want them. I would most definitely recommend this over turning them off completely.
And while I share your disdain for IE, Active X and WGA, keep in mind that IE is such an integrated part of Windows that leaving it unpatched is very dangerous. As well, there are some IE vulnerabilities that have been known to poke holes in Firefox security as well.
If you never ever ever ever ever ever never use Active X you could get by without patching it, but how sure are you that you will never touch an Active X site? Best to keep it patched.
As for WGA....well, that one you're pretty safe in avoiding.
--zig[/quote:2ye0ecka]
Ah...well if it's just a few updates you don't want to see, then you can try the following:
(This is from memory so if I'm wrong, please don't shoot me).
*Click the little yellow icon to bring up AU.
*Choose Advanced
*Unselect the updates you don't want to install. Either here or when you click Next you'll see a box that says "Do not notify me about updates I have not selected". Check this box and it won't bug you for the update again.
As for alternative places to get updates, I saw another thread on that here: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=151 where Dave lists a few, but I've never used them myself.
Hope that helps!
--zig
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