Question about windows updates

[Gilhelmi]

About 4 months ago, my old laptop gave up the ghost. I stripped her hard drive and RAM and donated the rest to a local tech who wanted to disassemble it for training. (like a doctor )

So I "inherited" my fathers laptop he never used. 3 years old (at least) barely used, replaced its nearly none existent RAM with my older RAM. It was rarely used.

For the last 4 months, the automated Windows update has given me another install ALMOST EVERY DAY. I am well over 90 updates.

Is that a normal amount for 3 years of inactivity? Or is it just "installing" the same update over and over?

[Gizmo]

I did about 50 after having the updates switched off for about 6 months. I haven't done any for about 2 months and I have another 14 to do....

[notalwaysright]

Microsoft releases updates on Tuesdays, so I don't think you should be needing to update more often than that. Windows Update should have a "view update history" option, and you could see what's going on.

[EricKei]

It could be that a specific update is not installing successfully for some reason, and it keeps trying over and over. Which version of Windows are you on?

[greek_jester]

If it hasn't been used for 3 years, you could be running into that security patch mania Windows went in for last year. IIRC there were about 60 over about a three or four weeks (they'd found a pretty massive security issue and were frantically running around trying to patch it; my computer once had to be restarted three times in one evening!)

From the top of my head, I'd say that the past 6 months have led to about 30 or 40 updates as well. Since some updates can't be installed until others have been (they're amendments to existing code rather than new) it's going to take a while.

As was previously mentioned, though, please check your update history. With mass downloads it is possible for something to be missed or corrupt, leading to problems if it is the base for a later download. Otherwise, it might be better to designate one evening your "download night", sitting by with a book while you wait for it to download, restart, download, restart... Easier to get it over in one go.

[EricKei]

You can also see about snagging the latest Service Pack for the version you're using, which will take care of most of those all at once.

[Gilhelmi]

I am using Windows 7 Home Premium; Service pack 1

Looking at the update history. Sh**, It fails about 50-60% of the time.

But, it is always the same update.

Security Update for Windows 7 for x64 based systems (KB2667402)

Error Details: code 8024200D

I will see what happens when I click the troubleshooting button

[Gizmo]

See here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/richin/archi...-80004005.aspx

[Gilhelmi]

The system walked me through updating it manually (and installing the 'optional' updates first. One did not look that 'optional'.)

Thank you, hopefully that fixes the issue.

(ps: I have been out of the computer game too long if I forgot to check Windows update screen first. *facepalm*)

So much for that, it happened again. I am now trying the blog Gizmo posted.

[Gilhelmi]

Sorry Gizmo, there is no way I am willing to try to 'hack' my registry.

If I was 10 years younger and more familiar with the Operating System (like I am with 98' or XP), then I might.

[RichS]

Might have found the fix in this post here.

If that doesn't work, or it doesn't show to be installed, I'd manually install the update, which you can download here. Be sure to download the x64 version; that is what the error message you posted lists.

[Gizmo]

No worries. Seems like Rich has found a way round.

[TheSHAD0W]

For the last 4 months, the automated Windows update has given me another install ALMOST EVERY DAY. I am well over 90 updates.

I think I know what's going on. Windows provides updates for Windows Defender through their normal update system, but most people have it set up to automatically download updates; yours may have it turned off, or you may be leaving the computer off during the time when Defender is trying to update.

To fix this, open Windows Defender in the Control Panel (you may have to switch the view to icons to find it). Click Tools, Options, Automatic scanning, enable that and pick a good time for it, then check the box for "check for updated definitions".