Vista - Windows Update not automatic

I seem unable to get my PC to download and install MS updates automatically. My system is set to download and install automatically, all the required Services are showing automatic and are running. Windows Defender is updated automatically. Each month I check manually in Contgrol Panel/Windows Updates and I see that there are updates to download and install. I am having to manually carry out this action. They are all then downloaded and installed correctly. Any help would be appreciated please.

I have Windows Vista Home Premium, 2GB RAM, Avast AntiVirus and use Windows Firewall with Vista Firewall Control.

"Kathandbrian" <guest@xxxxxx-email.com> wrote in message
news:ddb1e9903079f45d3fdb3d2e29ecf7ca@xxxxxx-gateway.com...
Setting "Automatic Updates" to be fully automatic is a BAD, BAD, BAD
idea!!!!
Set them this way:
Select the radio button beside "Download updates but let me choose whether
to install them."
That way, if an update will break something on your machine, it will not be
installed without your intervention.
IF there are updates, the Windows Update icon will show up in your
Notification Area (System Tray) and allow you to CHOOSE the updates you
actually want, and reject the ones you don't want.

Believe me, you DON'T want Windows Update automatically installing every
update which is supposedly for your machine, especially hardware updates,
which CAN EASILY break your System.

Keep current in these newsgroups if one shows up which breaks systems.
The updates aren't coming on your schedule, but Microsoft's schedule. JUST
WAIT a little longer, and they will be delivered automatically.

--

Donald L McDaniel
Please reply to the original thread and Newsgroup
=====================================

Donald McDaniel wrote:The setting may not do what it is intended in terms of user intervention
per an upcoming ms update. Time will tell if the following is correct.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?p=2413&tag=nl.e539

August 14th, 2008
Microsoft to push another Windows Update to users … whether you want it
or not.

Who will get this update automatically?
It depends on your Windows Update settings. Under Windows Vista there
are four possible settings for Windows Update:
* Install updates automatically (recommended)
* Download updates but let me choose whether to install them
* Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and
install them
* Never check for updates (not recommended)

This update to the Windows Update agent will be updated automatically on
both Windows Vista and Windows XP systems unless Windows Update has been
switched off. That is, set to Never check for updates (not recommended)
under Vista or Turn off Automatic Updates under XP. All tghe other
settings will be taken by Microsoft has an indication that you want
these updates to the Windows Update mechanism to come in and be installed.

--
norm

"Donald McDaniel" <orthocross@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23HGzkFLAJHA.5884@xxxxxxI've always wondered about this "don't do it" approach. Always allowed the
automatic updates through the entire time I had XP, and never had a problem.
Now allow them under Vista; same thing. Perhaps if a person tweaks their
machine, it's a bad idea, but for those of us who are running 'standard'
equipment, the automatic approach doesn't seem to create problems. (Not a
neophyte; got my first computer in 83; took my first computer lessons in
72.)
LesleyO

Thanks for the advice guys. I am going to leave the automatic setting until any September updates and then wait and see how long afterwards I have to wait before it possibly activates the automatic way. If that does not work I will take up your suggestions of setting it to download and let me decide what to install.

Okay, the September updates were all downloaded and installed automatically. I was asked to download a Hotfix, KB942288 by another Forum previously. This appears to have worked for me.

Many thanks for your efforts.