Window update messing up computers?

There is a computer tech here in my town that has a weekly radio show and was saying that he's had a number of his customers that ran Windows Update and it either downloaded the wrong files or completely messed up computers after rebooting. This guy isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to actual computer repair, so I was wondering if anyone else has heard of this or had any problems running update? :confused: He claims it's recently happened to systems running 95, 98, ME, and XP.

I've only read about it one other time on this board and if I'm not mistaken, a number of people tried to get some more info but the original poster never responded back. I have personally never had a problem with the auto update feature in windows of any version.

There was a flawed security update a few months ago that indeed screwed things up on some of the systems that downloaded it. It was fixed within a few days and I haven't experienced any problems since....

I concur with the guy. [Posted a couple of threads on this within the last couple of months or so...]

After using the windows update interface/page, on every occasion since say, January, I've had everything from slow/no boots, black screens, input device failures...

After a while it was obviously more than coincidence, I contacted MS...and they sent back one e-mail acknowledging "issues with some updates." And that was the sum of the reply.

The work around for me, and now the only way I update, was suggested by Sowulo [*hats off*]

After scanning for available updates on the "update" page and noting which are available and needed, I download the actual files via MS technet downloads. It's not quite as convenient, but I haven't had a problem with it since then. Which makes me suspect the windows update site rather than the PC's.

Still, I would really like to find out why this happens...and it seems to be a machine specific issue...it's a problem with one of my notebooks and my desktop, but not my personal laptop!

What brand of laptop and computer did that to you? He sells homemade OEM computers. We sell Compaqs (I know......don't start it), Dells and HP's and haven't had any problems with this. :)

Desktop=HP Pavilion 8705 CTO
Biz Laptop=Compaq
Trouble free...Sony Vaio Laptop