I'm glad that you figured out why your updates were not being "installed
automatically", but let me take an opportunity to clear up some information
about how the program works.
First, by default, Automatic Updates is configured to install updates at 3am -
provided that you leave your computer powered on. If you don't leave it
powered on, AU will install the updates the next time you power up your
system. This is all the /default/ configuation of AU.
If you've changed that -- configured AU /not/ to automatically install
updates, e.g. your note that you have configured it to "Download and wait for
installation", then.. yep... you need to /install/ the updates yourself!
Second, as for the installation at shutdown, that is a 'feature' of the new
Windows Update Agent, available only on XP SP2 systems. It is triggered by a
shutdown /option/, called "Install Updates and Shutdown", which is presented
by default, but can be easily overridden by choosing "Shutdown", "Restart", or
"Log Off" from the shutdown dialog box. If the updates started installing at
shutdown, it's because you chose to shutdown the system -and- you left that
(default) option selected when you shutdown the system.
As for not being warned to "not turn off your computer" during the update
process... maybe you should read the screens a bit closer, because the WUA
most definitely /does/ display a dialog box stating exactly that: "Do not turn
off the computer. Updates are being installed. The system will shutdown
automatically" -- or words very close to that.
Third, the methodology by which a user would "choose to install" the updates
after they have downloaded, is to click on the Windows Update Agent
notification icon contained in the notification area of your taskbar. Doing
so initiates the WUA User Interface, which is the same interface you'd see if
you went directly to Windows Update. There you can choose which updates, or
all, you wish to install. You can monitor the installation, and following the
installation, the system will prompt you to restart your system.
Since you've made the change, now, to "Notify for download...", then you'll
need to be even more acutely aware of the presence of the WUA icon in the
notification area that updates are available for /download/. Because, now,
that is the /only/ notification you will receive if the WUA detects updates
available for your system.
"Alias" <Alias@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:FBBF3F57-F458-453F-8B73-BE95521B5766@microsoft.com...
> Lawrence,
>
> Everything's fine now and here's what happened. If Automatic Updates is
> configured to "Download updates for me, but let me choose when to install
> them" then the files will be downloaded and nothing happens until you shut
> down the computer.
>
> Once you choose Shut Down, Windows decides this is a good time to start
> installing your updates. So in reality, the user doesn't really decide when
> to install the updates at all because Windows does it without warning upon
> Shut Down, like it or not.
>
> To further complicate things, you are warned not to turn off your computer
> during the update process. I was really pissed about this because I had to
> leave home with my computer still running.
>
> I have since re-configured Automatic Updates to "Notify me but don't
> automatically download or install them". This way I control when things get
> downloaded and updated.
>
> -Alias
>
> "Lawrence Garvin [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> You must be logged in with a local administrator account to install
>> updates.
>>
>> What says your %windir%\WindowsUpdate.log file?
>>
>> How did you determine that the updates are actually downloaded, if you have
>> no
>> notification icon?
>>
>>
>> "Alias" <Alias@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:F47ADD9C-7B78-404B-8E79-661D5D16AC4C@microsoft.com...
>> > Hello,
>> >
>> > I have Automatic Update configured to "Download updates for me, but let
>> > me
>> > choose when to install them."
>> >
>> > After the updates are downloaded nothing happens after that. I get no
>> > prompt
>> > to install the downloaded updates at all.
>> >
>> > Also when I review my "Installation Results" page on the microsoft
>> > website I
>> > get a list of Remaining High Priority Updates but they don't show up in
>> > the
>> > list to be downloaded. Here's the list, but I can't find where to
>> > download
>> > or
>> > install them:
>> >
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB873339)
>> > Critical Update for Windows XP (KB886185)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB885836)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB888302)
>> > Security Update for Windows Messenger (KB887472)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB891781)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB888113)
>> > Update for Windows XP (KB887742)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB885835)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB885250)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB890046)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB896422)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB896428)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB893066)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB901214)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB890859)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB896358)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB893756)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB899591)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB899587)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB896423)
>> > Update for Windows XP (KB894391)
>> > Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework, Version 1.1 Service Pack 1
>> > (KB886903)
>> > Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB902400)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB899589)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB901017)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB905414)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB904706)
>> > Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer for Windows XP
>> > (KB896688)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB905749)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB900725)
>> > Security Update for Windows XP (KB896424)
>> > Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - November 2005 (KB890830)
>>
>>
>>