This is really bugging me. Every time I boot up, Windows tries to contact "windowsupdate.microsoft.com". I can't work out where it gets the instruction from, so I can't kill it.

But it's getting sneakier. I've set up a firewall rule to block the connection, and the logs show that it tries about 40 different ports before it gives up. The worrying thing is that it is gradually trying to get out on more and more ports. Initially it was betweenm 35-40. Now it's trying nearly 50 different ports!

Anyone know where in the registry (or wherever) I can kill this thing? (service pack 2, by the way!)

Cheers!

Dan.