Windows 7: background downloads

I have ie8/Windows 7. I use a dial-up connection. When unidentified programs automatically download/upgrade, my computer slows to the point where it is hard to get anything done (gave up on tdamermitrade account the other day). 30 Mb. download taking 4+ hours, I did not even know what it was.

How do I find out what is downloading (automatically), in the background and how do I stop it so I can get some work done?

A couple of places you might start - Task Manager (Updates Services. Eg jusched), and Notification icons (like adobe's).

How you stop it depends on what program is doing the download. If you have Windows Auto update turned on, you would disable that in Control Panel. Otherwise, the applications that are downloading typically have options available to enable/disable updates.

Dial up connection,!!!!!!!!!!! and you complain at it being slow.

Comodo firewall (free) in place of Windows firewall will ask you if you want to allow attempted dial-outs each time something tries to phone home.

Some programs have Options -> preferences -> auto update enable/disable.

Tanyam is a Student and may not have access to Broadband!

Don't really know how to check in windows what exactly is using bandwidth but i know there's a nice gadget for monitoring network usage - click.

Windows Auto update is turned off. No apparent option to enable/disable updates. No notification icons.

Given the speed of your dial-up, it wouldn't take much. I would seriously consider some kind of broadband. Today's computers are designed and meant to have an always on connection. That's why you'll notice most new laptops don't come with modems anymore. My parents are in to day trading, and they gave up on dial-up almost a decade ago. I can't even imagine trying to use a current system on dial-up.

Live in the out in sticks (no cable, no close-by phone high speed). Retired (cannot afford satelite).
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This helps me, how?