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Windows won't update automatically?

Have had an important message pop up that Windows won't update automatically - no idea why, it looks like it last updated on 15 Dec. Certainly haven't changed anything knowingly on computer since then. Have tried Microsofts website for answers, but no help. Any guidance much appreciated! (Using Windows 7)

Comments

  • Strider590
    Strider590 Posts: 11,874 Forumite
    edited 19 December 2014 at 10:19AM
    Sounds like scare/scam/spy/malware, you can't turn off Windows update accidentally.

    Go to your start menu, right click on "Computer" or "My Computer", select show on desktop. Right click on that desktop icon, select properties, select "Automatic update" tab (XP) OR Windows update (Win7).
    Make sure it's set to auto update, if it is then you have some unwanted malware on your system that is trying to frighten you into downloading something dodgy, or parting with cash to fix a nonexistent problem.

    Hell it might just have been a dodgy popup Window on a website, like the ones that pretend to scan for viruses and then tell you to download malware to fix it.

    Dodgy stuff doesn't just magically install itself from the internet, you have to be tricked into installing it yourself, but they know a lot of people don't understand this, so ironically they trick you by trying convince you there's a problem.
    Nobody wants to admit when they've been tricked, so this myth that dodgy stuff just magically appears is being perpetuated by people whose pride won't let them admit their own fault.
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  • Strider590 wrote: »
    Sounds like scare/scam/spy/malware, you can't turn off Windows update accidentally.

    Go to your start menu, right click on "Computer" or "My Computer", select show on desktop. Right click on that desktop icon, select properties, select "Automatic update" tab (XP) OR Windows update (Win7).
    Make sure it's set to auto update, if it is then you have some unwanted malware on your system that is trying to frighten you into downloading something dodgy, or parting with cash to fix a nonexistent problem.

    Hell it might just have been a dodgy popup Window on a website, like the ones that pretend to scan for viruses and then tell you to download malware to fix it.

    Dodgy stuff doesn't just magically install itself from the internet, you have to be tricked into installing it yourself, but they know a lot of people don't understand this, so ironically they trick you by trying convince you there's a problem.
    Nobody wants to admit when they've been tricked, so this myth that dodgy stuff just magically appears is being perpetuated by people whose pride won't let them admit their own fault.

    Thanks, have done all that and its already set to automatically update - the progress bar looks like its scanning for updates but just seems to get no further.
  • Oblivion
    Oblivion Posts: 20,248 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic
    Thanks, have done all that and its already set to automatically update - the progress bar looks like its scanning for updates but just seems to get no further.


    Maybe if the automatic option has been turned off for a long time there could be hundreds of updates waiting to be downloaded ... the 'search for updates' program may be struggling to analyse them all.

    Have a look in Control Panel ... Programs and Features ... and click on View Installed Updates. When was the last one installed?
    ... Dave
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  • dogmaryxx
    dogmaryxx Posts: 2,446 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Downloading and installing KB3024777 may fix it.

    https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3024777

    Be sure to select correct bit(32/64) download.
  • pioneer
    pioneer Posts: 260 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Photogenic
    I got a similar problem; been plagueing me for days; finally got it going by replacing intel driver.

    Take a look at this

    http://www.infoworld.com/article/2859267/operating-systems/windows-7-hit-by-rash-of-bogus-not-genuine-reports-validation-code-0x8004fe21.html
    "Didn't I try to Warn them I said !"
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  • Oblivion wrote: »
    Maybe if the automatic option has been turned off for a long time there could be hundreds of updates waiting to be downloaded ... the 'search for updates' program may be struggling to analyse them all.

    Have a look in Control Panel ... Programs and Features ... and click on View Installed Updates. When was the last one installed?

    Well that's proved very worrying as its come up with "no updates installed on this computer" - and we've had it years! So I don't understand how the Action Centre is showing a successful update on 15 Dec!
  • dogmaryxx wrote: »
    Downloading and installing KB3024777 may fix it.

    https://support.microsoft.com/kb/3024777

    Be sure to select correct bit(32/64) download.

    Looking at the update history doesn't look like this KB3024777 was installed, all my updates start KB23, 26 & 28, so presume its nothing to do with that
  • dogmaryxx
    dogmaryxx Posts: 2,446 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Do you have Vista SP1 or SP2 installed?

    1. Click on the Start Button.

    2. Right-Click on the Computer.

    3. Click on Properties.

    Properties will show you a lot of useful information. For upgrade purposes what you want to know is the Service Pack version and whether your operating system is 32 bit or 64 bit.
  • dogmaryxx wrote: »
    Do you have Vista SP1 or SP2 installed?

    1. Click on the Start Button.

    2. Right-Click on the Computer.

    3. Click on Properties.

    Properties will show you a lot of useful information. For upgrade purposes what you want to know is the Service Pack version and whether your operating system is 32 bit or 64 bit.

    Its Windows 7 service pack 1, 64 bit
  • dogmaryxx
    dogmaryxx Posts: 2,446 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Install the update, got to be worth a try.

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45305
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