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Updates on every shutdown?

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The Brown Rock

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Posted April 9, 2011 at 11:52PM

For more than two weeks now on each and every log-off (shutdown) I'm advised not to "disconnect or power off your computer, installing updates 1 of 1." As it's the same instructions on all occasions I'm wondering if the same 'update' is being installed over and over again. Can anyone offer advice as to what could be happening and how I should proceed please.

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lotvic

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Posted April 9, 2011 at 11:56PM

What OS? XP, Vista or W7?

Certainly sounds as if one update has got 'stuck'

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lotvic

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Posted April 10, 2011 at 12:28AM

Found this fix from Microsoft:

Empty the software distribution folder

  1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.

    Note On a Windows Vista-based computer, click Start, type services.msc in the Start Search box, right-click services.msc, and then click Run as administrator.

  2. In the Services (Local) pane, right-click Automatic Updates, and then click Stop.

  3. Minimize the Services (local) window.

  4. Select all the contents of the Windows distribution folder, and then delete them.

    Note By default, the Windows distribution folder is located in the drive:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder. In this location, drive is a placeholder for the drive where Windows is installed.

  5. Make sure that the Windows distribution folder is empty, and then maximize the Services (local) window.

  6. In the Services (Local) pane, right-click Automatic Updates, and then click Start.

  7. Restart the computer, and then run Windows Update again.

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The Brown Rock

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Posted April 10, 2011 at 8:33PM

I got to no. 4 on the list and was unable to find Windows/software/ distrabution folder, just could not locaate it. Running Windows 7.

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lotvic

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Posted April 10, 2011 at 9:13PM

If W7 is installed on drive C then full path is C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder

If you are nervous of deleting any of contents then instead just rename the SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution folderOLD

When you restart the computer (Step 7) Windows will create a new SoftwareDistribution folder and ignore the OLD one

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lotvic

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Posted April 10, 2011 at 9:20PM

or as 124 says, C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

rename it to SoftwareDistributionOLD

Don't know why I put 'folder' at the end :)

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The Brown Rock

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Posted April 10, 2011 at 11:04PM

I have just performed the "Automatic Fix" without success, although it did say it fixed something - but the "Update" continues. Will I bring up the necessary C: files if I type in the search line? Forgive my stupidity (OAP with sight loss) Thanks for your help so far

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lotvic

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Posted April 11, 2011 at 12:14AM

Yes it should, please make sure that the folder you get is

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

and not C:\Windows\system**\SoftwareDistribution

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buteman

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Posted April 11, 2011 at 9:07AM

Just go to Windows Update and run it manually when the Update appears click on it or double click it and a box will appear underneath just tick don't show this update again.

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The Brown Rock

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Posted April 11, 2011 at 11:08PM

Six files waiting to be installed on Windows Update and as I have not identified the offending update I had to abandon this route to fixing my problem. Can you say if the folder for deletion or renaming contain the following files and if the answer is yes, can I safely delete the entire contents of the folder as recommended in 1-7 steps above: Auto Cabs. Data Store. Download. Event Cache, etc., etc., etc., etc.

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woodchip

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Posted April 11, 2011 at 11:14PM

yes

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