Windows Vista have a System Tray Indicator for Windows Updates? (RESOLVED)

[Chim]

Does Windows Vista display a System Tray Indicator Icon when Windows Updates are being downloaded like Windows XP does?

This computer that I have been using for the past 3 or so weeks had not been used before that for a year and a half.  One of my sisters had had it in storage all that time.

As far as I can see, the Automatic Windows Updates are enabled.  I have yet to see any System Tray indication that any Windows Updates have been downloaded all this time.  If Automatic Windows Updates are enabled, wouldn't they have started downloading from my 1st connection to the Net ... after it having been in storage for a year and a half?

Anyway, I also ask because the last several days, there had been some sluggishness in Net Navigation.  It was like when clicking to access ANY website, there was always an unusually long delay before any attempt to access the website.  Then the loading speed would be slow at that.

Today things appear to be better.  I wondered ... maybe it was downloading Windows Updates all that time.  But, I have never seen anything like the Windows XP Yellow Shield indicator that Windows Updates are being downloaded.

[marc-d-l]

Just go to windows update and look up windows history.

[essexboy]

If there is an update available or downloaded the following icon should appear in the taskbar area...  It will have an arrow if it is downloading

[Chim]

Thanks, Essexboy.  I'll be looking out for that Icon now that I know what it looks like.

Marc, since I have not seen that Icon down there in the short period that I've had the computer, I'm gonna assume that no Windows Updates have been downloaded in the 3 or so weeks that I've had it ... despite that the computer is behind a year and a half's worth of Updates.

Out of curiosity, IF I go and click on that Windows Update ... it won't immediately go into launching the downloading of the Windows Updates, will it?  Are you saying it'll first give me options of what I want to do, like looking into that history that you mentioned.

Since I have Dial Up, I don't necessarily want to engage in downloading a year and a half's worth of Windows Updates at this time.
I'd be downloading Windows Updates for the rest of the year. 

I might have to perform a Windows Reinstall anyway at sometime in the near future.
The computer experiences intermittent Boot Up problems.  But, that's another story.

[marc-d-l]

No it won't go into auto update . Go to control panel then security then update. on the left hand side 3rd line down you will see update history click on it. It will show the updates that were downloaded and the dates.

[Chim]

I tried it, Marc, but things got hung up when I clicked on Windows Update.
I finally got out of that hung up state via Task Manager.  It said there was some problem with IE.

It's probably the same problem that prevented me from finishing accessing the avast website yesterday when I was trying that with Opera, Chrome, Firefox and IE.  Yeah, IE gave me some error yesterday with that as well.

Thanks for the Info anyway, Marc.

[essexboy]

You might want to run windows repair on the system to clear any windows problems

Download  Windows Repair (all in one)  from this site

Install the programme then run



Go to step 3 and allow it to run SFC



On the start repairs tab click start


Select any of the areas you are having problems with  and tick restart system when finished

[Chim]

Essexboy, I download, installed and ran that Windows Repair App just like you explained it.

Verdict?  Heyyyyy!  It worked!
On the SFC Scan it informed me that it found some corrupt Files, but that it couldn't repair some of them.  I sure hope it repaired some of the ones that cause me intermittent Boot Failures.  I'll find out tomorrow morning if that was fixed.

Anyway, for now, since I had some trepidation over giving it carte blanche to try and repair ALL the items that were selected by default ... I only selected to repair Internet Explorer on my 1st shot.  After the repair, I was now able to access the avast website with IE without getting an error like yesterday.  So the IE Repair appears to have worked.  YES!

I then tried to access the Windows Updates History like Marc suggested.  That still didn't work.  So, I then let Windows Repair take a shot at repairing the Windows Updates function.  After the repair, I was now able to access the Windows Updates History function!  YAY!  Success!  It showed no history.  It said I had not attempted to download any Updates.  But, the repair appears to have worked.  YES!

I have no idea how long that Windows Update function had been broken when my brother-in-law had this computer.

Thanks for the very helpful Tip regarding the use of this Windows Repair App, Essexboy!

[Chim]

Since the Windows Repair App worked so well, I'll now also download the Portable version.

[Chim]

It's quite possible that the reason that Windows Updates function and IE were corrupt was because my brother-in-law probably gave full authority to one of those PC Tuning Apps to remove ALL the "Problems" it found.

I know he did that on their Laptop last year because my sister told me he did that.  I gave her the advice to not be doing that again.  Not surprisingly, they ended up having to take that Laptop in for repair in December to have Windows Reinstalled ... or possibly upgraded to a newer / higher Windows because they were having problems with it there at the end of the year.  So, very likely that PC Tuning App being given full authority to remove all alleged problems it found ... mostly likely removed and / or changed things it shouldn't have.

[essexboy]

There are very, very few tuneup type programmes that I would use.  If you look at the tweaking.com site you will find a lot of tools there that do exactly what they say http://www.tweaking.com/content/overview/default.html

The tweaking programmes are good with a fallback option.. But you do need to know what you are trying to achieve

[Chim]

I have bookmarked the link.  Good stuff.
Thanks, Essexboy!