Windows 7: Downloads from Microsoft

If you have multiple computers you could turn off Automatic Updates and just download the standalone patches, then install them on all the machines manually. You'd need to be organized and consistent, though.

Thanks for everyones feedback.
The connection is a microsoft related IP address or one of their many ! so it wont be updates for the likes of Kaspersky.
This morning it connected as follows

LOCAL PORT 49525
EXTERNAL PORT 80
IP 213.199.148.235

It downloaded 45.6mb and did another 50mb tonight

Any thoughts ?

When you open up Windows Updates, what do you see? Mine looks like this:



Do you have anything in your updates screen? When's the last time it says it checked for updates, or installed anything?

Other than updates, I seriously don't see what else from MS that would be downloading. Especially not on a consistent daily basis.

Just to clarify, we're talking about ONE computer here, connecting via a mobile broadband dongle you attach to it, right? You don't happen to be on a network, with other PCs sharing the internet connection?

I have MS updates set to check but then prompt me before downloading so it cannot really be that.
I am beginning to wonder if its the version of office I have which is office starter. I read about a problem with something called click2run which was causing problems with office - I wondered if a download was failing each time meaning I never get past the update itself - leading to daily attempts.

Sorry I should have added its a single PC

Look in you Windows up date history and see if their is a pattern of unsuccessful installs.

I have checked updates - which are switched to only checking anyway so I can see whats happening. I dont see any regular update failures. This very evening my laptop did a 50mb download from Microsoft but who knows of what or why !

Are you using any of the Windows Cloud services?

I know you think the d/l is from Microsoft but have you checked any file/folders to see if there is something you weren't aware of?

I don't think any valid program would need ~100MB daily update. Download and update the 3 security items in my sig, then run full back-to-back scans with each. Although the IP seems to be from MS, they can be spoofed, a common malware trick. someone using a simple proxy could do it.
Someone or something could be using your PC in a botnet for nefarious purposes.
It does seem to be from Microsoft Limited, an ISP in Reading England.