Each time I shut down, it has 70-80 updates. The Automatic Updates dialog 
shows these to be consistently the same each time. Running XP 5.1 SP 3.

Yerkey wrote:
> Each time I shut down, it has 70-80 updates. The Automatic Updates
> dialog shows these to be consistently the same each time. Running
> XP 5.1 SP 3.

Cleanup that machine...

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under "Advanced Troubleshooting"
titled, "Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377
*will take time
(** Ignore the last step - you said you *have* SP3 already...)

Reboot and ...

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
  "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Reboot.

and...

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive.  After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
   %SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Then follow the instructions here:

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
 How to scan your disks for errors
 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
 * will take time and a reboot

Defragment
 How to Defragment your hard drives
 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
 * will take time

Ensure your hardware drivers are up to date (from the hardware
manufacturer's respective web pages.)  Never get hardware drivers
for hardware that was not created/sold by Microsoft from Microsoft.

Reboot...

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer
and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a
CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it.  You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time.  Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or
"Windows Live" ones for now.  I would completely avoid the
Optional Hardware updates.

Seriously - do all that.  This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single
step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through
until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given.  If
you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you
through that step.  If you don't understand how to do a step, come back and
ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.

Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
have more issues.

-- 
Shenan Stanley
     MS-MVP
-- 
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html 

Back-up any personal data (none of which should be considered 100% 
trustworthy at this point) then do a format & clean install of Windows. 
Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT fix this!

     cf. http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so 
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting 
the machine to the internet or a network and before using a USB key that 
isn't brand-new or hasn't been freshly formatted:

     5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
     http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx

Other helpful references include:

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched 
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a 
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx
-- 
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com


Yerkey wrote:
> Each time I shut down, it has 70-80 updates. The Automatic Updates dialog
> shows these to be consistently the same each time. Running XP 5.1 SP 3.