What's up with the new Windows Update agent

[goodpuppy]

I regularly update my Windows 2000 OS with any critical updates or driver updates. However last week I was prompted to install the new Windows update agent. I declined. What is Microsoft doing? Does anyone know more about the new update agent? Is it spyware?

Paul :)

[Wayward Clam]

Funny you should say that, I just got a taskbar thingammy telling me yesterday to update my WinME [/me receives obligatory flames]. Funny thing is, I have never used/encouraged Windows Update on this machine in my life...

[crazyman]

it's been like that for a while,I have win2k on 3 of my boxes here and have used WU with no probs,and I have'nt seen any suspect files.

[emr]

To the best of my knowledge it is just an updated version of the engine that verifies what updates your computer needs.

WU is currently at version 4 for W2k, W98 and XP, so this is probably release 4.1 or whatever that fixes bugs, etc. in the detection software. It will ask you to verify that you wish to d/l and run it as part of the standard "security" (that's a joke) built in to IE.

I noticed this a couple of weeks ago when updating several computers; you will also get it the first time you visit the Office Update site. I wouldn't be too worried about it.

If you are worried about spyware go to Lavasoft (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) and d/l their Ad-Aware Standard Edition. This is a free spyware scanning utility.

emr

[crazyman]

Originally posted by Wayward Clam
Funny you should say that, I just got a taskbar thingammy telling me yesterday to update my WinME [/me receives obligatory flames]. Funny thing is, I have never used/encouraged Windows Update on this machine in my life...

lol,,,I have WinME on 2 of my boxes here too! :)



and all I can say is somehow,someway your auto update got turned on.

have a great day.....

[emr]

Originally posted by crazyman
lol,,,I have WinME on 2 of my boxes here too! :)



and all I can say is somehow,someway your auto update got turned on.

have a great day.....

Wayward, you can go in to scheduled tasks and dump the WU task I think, could do in W98 anyway. That should stop it checking automatically.

[crazyman]

Originally posted by Wayward Clam
Funny you should say that, I just got a taskbar thingammy telling me yesterday to update my WinME [/me receives obligatory flames]. Funny thing is, I have never used/encouraged Windows Update on this machine in my life...

hey WC,go to "control panel" and then "automatic updates"
and just turn it off there. :)