constant updates !!!!!!??????????

[mbrad]

hi all,
I have a dell inspiron 1525, its 3and half years old and is giving me some grief. Basically as i turn on the laptop it says "configuring updates 3 of 3 0% complete. Then it shuts down and restarts again and will do this for over 2 hours until i give up. The reason i have tried waiting is that a fortnight ago it did the same thing but completed the updates but took 2 hours plus to load the next page. I then used my "IOLO" malware proetection, that i paid for last year (3 years proetction) to scan clean and defrag etc. All was working well until it decided to startr all this again.
I dont have a clue what to do, i have tried F2, f12and f6 on start up but nothing simple jumps out at me and dont want to alter fields and make matters worse.
I am not experienced in computers at all so any advice you could offer is massively appreciated. Thanks

 

[JohnD]

do you mean Microsoft Windows update? there is probably an update that doesn't work on your machine. Microsoft is like that.

On mine I would (from Internet Explorer) go Tools/Windows Update/Custom
and see what updates it offers (write them down) then try to install them and you will probably find one or more fails. If you look at Update History you will probably see it has tried to install it numerous times before. Write down the error message.

There may be a workround to get it in, or it may be one you can hide and live without.

 

[mbrad]

Thamks for the reply, the screen just says "Configuring updates stage 3 of 3 0% completed DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR COMPUTER"
It says windows vista home premium underneath, thats all.
i cant get past this screen, there is no way of accessing anything at all, the screen with the start menu doesnt come on.
I have tried pressing f8 on start up and selecting repair mode , it asks me for an administrator name and password, of which i know neither.
Does any one have any other options i can try? Thanks again

 

[mbrad]

AHA,
Mnanaged to get it sorted, figured out that my user name and password were the answers to administrator and password , then just did a system restore and i am going to turn off windows updates now. I hope that won't cause me any bother also, advice on that would be appreciated. Many thanks again.

 

[AronSearle]

Now that it is working, make a restore point then let it try to install the updates.

In the short term it won't matter much if you don't keep windows updated, but long term it will cause issues, some rare programmes won't properly work, and of course you will be more prone to viruses.

Home users should not buy malware protection or antivirus, leave that to the corporations. AVG, malwarebytes (free) and windows built in firewall should be enough.

Use windows own programmes to defrag or scan the drives, Use "C cleaner" to generally clean up programmes, though most home users shouldn't need to bother doing this.

If you have Microsoft security essentials (likely if you have a shop bought laptop), IOLO conflicts with it and has been known to **** up registry's.

IOLO isnt a very good programme but you have already paid for it.....

 

[Astra99]

Get rid of Vista! It is a resurrection of Windows Me! That was a real piece of released-too-soon-software and, like Windows B. Vista only lasted a short time. If you do decide to downgrade to XP (better for slower processors and/or machines with small amounts of RAM) or upgrade to Windows 7, make sure you know what bits are inside your PC. Go into Device Manager and *write down* the makes and models of each device. Go to the individual manufacturers websites and download the drivers for the chosen operating system. Now, and only now (assuming you have found all the drivers you need) format and reinstall (after backing up any data you want to keep)

HTH