Windows update dialog question

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

"Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install everything;

I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I don't know how

to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or even an API I can

call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that dialog?

[Guest Gerry]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

Jeff

 

Not sure about this.

 

Try right clicking on the Start button and select Properties, Taskbar,

Customise ( Hide Inactive Icons) and change the Icon using the Scroll

bar to Always Show.

 

Another approach, which I use. In Start, Control Panel, Automatic

Updates uncheck Automatic and check "Notify me but don't automatically

download or install". When notified commence the process by selecting

Start, Help and Support, Keep your computer up-to-date with Windows

Update and opt for a Custom install.

 

 

--

 

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Gerry

~~~~

FCA

Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

Jeff Johnson wrote:

> I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes

> Windows will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield

> icon in the tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut

> down and get the "Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER

> blindly install everything; I always review what's there. But without

> the shield icon, I don't know how to invoke the dialog. Is there a

> command I can issue (or even an API I can call; I'm a programmer) to

> force Windows to display that dialog?

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

[i should have cross-posted this to microsoft.public.windowsupdate in the

first place, so now I'm fixing that error.]

>I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

>will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

>tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

>"Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install everything;

>I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I don't know how

>to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or even an API I can

>call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that dialog?

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

"Jeff Johnson" <i.get@enough.spam> wrote in message

news:bJGdndIj7Zw6bKPVnZ2dnUVZ_v7inZ2d@posted.datapex...

> [i should have cross-posted this to microsoft.public.windowsupdate in the

> first place, so now I'm fixing that error.]

>

>>I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

>>will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

>>tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

>>"Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install

>>everything; I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I

>>don't know how to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or

>>even an API I can call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that

>>dialog?

 

Argh, and now that I'm not only in the XP group and my OS is therefore not

clear from context, I'll state for the record that this is XP SP2.

[Guest MowGreen [MVP]]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

Try this tool, Jeff: AU Client and WindowsUpdate Reset Tool (v76)

http://www.codeplex.com/aureset/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=13656

 

Did that resolve the issue ?

 

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]

===============

*-343-* FDNY

Never Forgotten

===============

 

 

Jeff Johnson wrote:

> "Jeff Johnson" <i.get@enough.spam> wrote in message

> news:bJGdndIj7Zw6bKPVnZ2dnUVZ_v7inZ2d@posted.datapex...

>

>

>>[i should have cross-posted this to microsoft.public.windowsupdate in the

>>first place, so now I'm fixing that error.]

>>

>>

>>>I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

>>>will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

>>>tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

>>>"Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install

>>>everything; I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I

>>>don't know how to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or

>>>even an API I can call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that

>>>dialog?

>

>

> Argh, and now that I'm not only in the XP group and my OS is therefore not

> clear from context, I'll state for the record that this is XP SP2.

>

>

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

Absent any Errors in your WindowsUpdate.log, you may be seeing a delay

caused by excessive demand on the servers. It can take up to 7 days for all

Automatic Update users to get new updates when so many have been released.

 

You can try downloading/installing the updates via Windows/Microsoft Update:

Understand that by doing so, you're pushing all the Automatic Updates users

further back in the queue (which may explain, at least in part, why

Automatic Updates hasn't brought them in for you yet).

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

 

 

Jeff Johnson wrote:

> [i should have cross-posted this to microsoft.public.windowsupdate in the

> first place, so now I'm fixing that error.]

>

>> I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

>> will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

>> tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

>> "Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install

>> everything;

>> I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I don't know

>> how

>> to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or even an API I

>> can

>> call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that dialog?

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:eFccsucwIHA.552@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

> Absent any Errors in your WindowsUpdate.log, you may be seeing a delay

> caused by excessive demand on the servers. It can take up to 7 days for

> all Automatic Update users to get new updates when so many have been

> released.

>

> You can try downloading/installing the updates via Windows/Microsoft

> Update: Understand that by doing so, you're pushing all the Automatic

> Updates users further back in the queue (which may explain, at least in

> part, why Automatic Updates hasn't brought them in for you yet).

 

You didn't understand the question. I HAVE the updates; they've already been

downloaded. It's just that the ICON doesn't appear in the system tray, so I

can't click it and get the dialog where I can choose to do a custom install

and review what WU is wanting to install. I'm looking for a way to force

that dialog to appear even if the icon is unavailable.

 

I know I can always go out to the WU site but it's been my experience that I

might as well go out and wash the car while I wait for the ActiveX control

to determine what updates I need, so I avoid using the page as much as

possible.

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

"MowGreen [MVP]" <mowgreen@nowandzen.com> wrote in message

news:%23irjItbwIHA.4916@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

> Try this tool, Jeff: AU Client and WindowsUpdate Reset Tool (v76)

> http://www.codeplex.com/aureset/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=13656

>

> Did that resolve the issue ?

 

If I use that tool it'll be difficult to say if the issue is solved for

quite some time because this is a sporadic problem. It's not like the icon

NEVER appears, it's that SOMETIMES it doesn't. Sometimes I can force it to

reappear by turning off updates and then turning them back on again. The

point is I want to get around relying on whether it's there or not and just

invoke the dialog manually.

[Guest Harry Johnston [MVP]]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

Jeff Johnson wrote:

> You didn't understand the question. I HAVE the updates; they've already been

> downloaded. It's just that the ICON doesn't appear in the system tray, so I

> can't click it and get the dialog where I can choose to do a custom install

> and review what WU is wanting to install. I'm looking for a way to force

> that dialog to appear even if the icon is unavailable.

 

Please reboot your machine, run this command:

 

wuauclt /detectnow

 

wait twenty minutes and then (assuming the icon still isn't appearing) post the

contents of windowsupdate.log (usually found in c:\windows) starting from the

time you rebooted.

 

You are logged in with an administrative account, I assume?

 

Harry.

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

 

"Harry Johnston [MVP]" <harry@scms.waikato.ac.nz> wrote in message

news:uVEl9vewIHA.5892@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...

>> You didn't understand the question. I HAVE the updates; they've already

>> been downloaded. It's just that the ICON doesn't appear in the system

>> tray, so I can't click it and get the dialog where I can choose to do a

>> custom install and review what WU is wanting to install. I'm looking for

>> a way to force that dialog to appear even if the icon is unavailable.

>

> Please reboot your machine, run this command:

>

> wuauclt /detectnow

>

> wait twenty minutes and then (assuming the icon still isn't appearing)

> post the contents of windowsupdate.log (usually found in c:\windows)

> starting from the time you rebooted.

>

> You are logged in with an administrative account, I assume?

 

I'll have to wait until the next time it happens before I try this.

[Guest PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

Jeff Johnson wrote:

<paste>

> [i should have cross-posted this to microsoft.public.windowsupdate in the

> first place, so now I'm fixing that error.]

>

>> I have Automatic Updates set to "download and notify." Sometimes Windows

>> will download the updates but it won't put the yellow shield icon in the

>> tray. I don't know there are updates until I go to shut down and get the

>> "Install updates and shut down" option. I NEVER blindly install

>> everything;

>> I always review what's there. But without the shield icon, I don't know

>> how

>> to invoke the dialog. Is there a command I can issue (or even an API I

>> can

>> call; I'm a programmer) to force Windows to display that dialog?

</paste>

> PA Bear wrote:

>> Absent any Errors in your WindowsUpdate.log, you may be seeing a delay

>> caused by excessive demand on the servers. It can take up to 7 days for

>> all Automatic Update users to get new updates when so many have been

>> released.

>>

>> You can try downloading/installing the updates via Windows/Microsoft

>> Update: Understand that by doing so, you're pushing all the Automatic

>> Updates users further back in the queue (which may explain, at least in

>> part, why Automatic Updates hasn't brought them in for you yet).

>

> You didn't understand the question. I HAVE the updates; they've already

> been

> downloaded. It's just that the ICON doesn't appear in the system tray, so

> I

> can't click it and get the dialog where I can choose to do a custom

> install

> and review what WU is wanting to install. I'm looking for a way to force

> that dialog to appear even if the icon is unavailable.

>

> I know I can always go out to the WU site but it's been my experience that

> I

> might as well go out and wash the car while I wait for the ActiveX control

> to determine what updates I need, so I avoid using the page as much as

> possible.

 

How have you determined that all of the updates have downloaded if the

Installation Approval prompt hasn't appeared and you haven't check-in at

Windows Update?

 

=====================

 

1a. Check Windowsupdate.log (%windir%\WindowsUpdate.log) to see if all

updates have downloaded successfully, as well as for any errors associated

with the downloads.

 

How to read the WindowsUpdate.log file

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

 

1b. Compare errors to those listed here:

http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1122

and/or go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com > click on Help and Support

link in left pane > Solve problems on your own.

 

Another thing to try: Change your Automatic Updates setting to Notify Only,

reboot, change it back to Download But Notify & reboot again.

 

===========================

 

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:

https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527

 

Support for Windows Update:

http://support.microsoft.com/gp/wusupport

--

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)

MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net

DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

[Guest Jeff Johnson]

Re: Windows update dialog question

 

 

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABearMVP@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:u$PShEgwIHA.1436@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

> How have you determined that all of the updates have downloaded if the

> Installation Approval prompt hasn't appeared and you haven't check-in at

> Windows Update?

 

Because if they hadn't downloaded completely, why would I get the "Install

Updates and Shut Down" prompt when I shut down the computer?