Windows 7: Win7 Updates changes settings to Never Check for Updates

Hi,



For a while now I have been experiencing a strange problem. My laptop keeps changing the Windows Updates without my consent. I know this has been raised in the past but my problem is slightly different.

I prefer to choose "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download or install them", however periodically the settings change without my consent to "Never check for updates".

This is very frustrating as I am constantly having to keep an eye on this, and change the settings back to what they were in order to receive critical updates, or indeed any other update.

The laptop was bought new just under 12 months ago and came with Windows 7 Home Premium 64Bit pre-installed.

Has anyone else experienced this, or can anyone advise on a fix?

Many thanks for any help offered.

Regards

Paul

First off IMHO constantly doing updates isn't always the best thing to do. MS is not infallible and sometimes puts out updates that cause problems.

If your system is running fine why bother doing updates all the time.

If you want all the updates then set it to check, download and install Auto. then you don't have to worry about it at all.

If the problem continues, the setting being changed to Never Check then more then likely you have some malware, of some type, on your system. Windows does not do that by itself. If anything it would change it to Always check, DL and install Auto, not the other way.

First off I recommend getting Windows Updates. The only updates I don't take is updates to drivers I don't want. I my case that is a new Nvidia driver. If a security program on my computer changes and I don't know why I run security scans.
Many infection will muck for your security programs. Three things I recommend using.
MSE, MAM and WDO
-----------------
Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Antivirus for Windows
-----------------
Malwarebytes : Malwarebytes Anti-Malware removes malware including viruses, spyware, worms and trojans, plus it protects your computer
----------------
Windows Defender Offline
If any of them find a infection please let us know what it finds.

Thank you for your advice, I prefer to choose what updates are either downloaded or installed personally.

I will carry out a full check now with Malwarebytes and also Windows Defender Offline.

With regards to antivirus I choose to use Avast! Free, is MS Essentials better?

Many thanks

Paul

Choosing Updates is also what I do. Some optional updates I don't take but do take all important and security updates. My self and millions of people all over the world use MSE. MSE and the built in Windows 7 Firewall are made by Microsoft for Microsoft Windows. Many other brands of anti virus and Firewalls will protect you just as good; they just at times don't play well with Windows 7 and cause all kinds of problems. These products I suggest I also use and have very good luck with. Of course it's your computer so you can choose what you desire.

Malwarebytes full scan has completed with no problems, I will now do a full Defender scan and might try MSE in place of Avast! and see if that picks anything up. Really bizarre that something is changing my settings without me knowing anything about it until I have a look.

You might not fine any thing but piece of mind knowing your computer is clean.
When you are done checking with the anti programs I would recommend running SFC /SCANNOW from the command prompt.
----------
SFC /SCANNOW Command - System File Checker

Hi pauljscott2003, welcome to 7F!

Take a look at this thread: Why does Windows 7 constantly update without asking me, regardless of - Microsoft Community It hints at some other MS products that may be affecting your settings.
Do you have any that are listed installed on your machine?

And in accordance with Susan Bradley's suggestion at the above link: You can post them here, I can't read them efficiently, but we might be able to get NoelDP to.

Just copy/paste windowsupdate.log into the Start/Search box, if you see two, attach them both as .zip files to your next post, and we will see what we can find out.

Me? - windowsupdate logs? we're strangers!
I have enough problems trying to read simple things like MGADiag and CheckSUR logs - making sense of a WU log requires a degree in twisted logic.

That's why I thought you would be the perfect man for the job!

Well...At least I got your attention... I'll look around to see if there are any tutorials on how to read 'em..