"outlook_user" <outlookuser@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:213E9F59-C7C3-439C-92BC-48184FCC100A@microsoft.com
....
> My wife has set XP to update Windows automatically. Last night, she was
> shutting down and XP said it was updating her computer and would shut down
> automatically. This morning, her computer was still running and stuck on a
> screen which said, ""Do not turn off or unplug your computer; it will turn
> off automstically. Installing update 2 of 2..."
>
> I've got my laptop set to alert me of updates. I went to work and
> downloaded and installed the latest updates, but now it's stuck on
> "Installing Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - November 2005
> (KB890830) (update 2 of 2)..."
>
> My wife hasn't shut down her computer yet and I haven't canceled out of the
> update window on my laptop.
>
> Any suggestions?


Yes. Look in your WindowsUpdate.log to see what is happening.

E.g., is it installing or still downloading?

There have been cases of loops during downloading
(perhaps due to packaging problems) which might be avoided by
getting prompted for the download and doing one at a time.
More simply it could also be that the servers are busy
and you could just try again later.


Another useful diagnostic especially for a downloading phase
is (e.g., from a cmd window):

bitsadmin /monitor /allusers

E.g. a loop in the packaging could be dramatically evident that way.

FYI bitsadmin is available on the Support Tools and an update
to it for XPsp2 may also be available by download:

<title>KB838079 - Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools</title>


If it is actually in an install phase don't forget to check any
install logs. Since the names of these logs are often obscure
what I do is a search for all files changed on that date,
sorted by Date Modified; then you can narrow it down even further
to the minutes that the update was running. Also I would use
Task Manager's Processes tab to find out exactly what was
still running. Etc.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
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