Windows is weird.

Thanks for the thought: a check reveals that two of the three have apparently been installed on every single occasion where the message has appeared - that's to say nearly sixty times now. The third, which is Internet Explorer 11, has failed to install the same number of times.

I don't need Internet Explorer 11 (or any other version come to that) so I suppose I can safely stop it happening by changing the update preferences. It seems an odd thing to be happening, though.

It's probably *uploading* new user data to the intelligence agencies on the pretext of "updating" your system.

Block updates

Exactly what I've now done; thanks for the suggestion. I'm still puzzled as to why this started happening so recently, though - unless, as Cursitor Doom suggests, it's actually nothing to with Windows at all.

I have seen this sort of thing when there is a problem with the copy of the update on your machine.

In Windows 10, they end up in this folder: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Can't for the life of me remember what happens in W7.

A possible W10 answer would be to delete the contents of that folder, restart, and check for updates. But there are bound to be numerous articles around discussing stuck updates.

Despite W7 being unsupported, MS have sometimes issued a patch to older software when they have had a major issue to resolve. Such as the recent SolarWinds hacking. Or possibly, do things which make the copy you have unable to verify itself.

I would be very unwilling to block updates these days. Delay or defer, maybe. Even then, I'd like to know what they are before making up my mind.

Upgrade to win10

Whenever an update has failed Windows has generally told me which ones. It may be worthwhile getting the KBXXXXXXXXXX numbers of the updates and lookup/google the issues associated with them failing.

In message snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, Cursitor Doom snipped-for-privacy@noreply.com writes

There is this one :-

Download size: 205.8 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Optional

Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:

Update for Windows 7 (KB2592687)

Download size: 4.2 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Optional

The Remote Desktop Protocol 8.0 update enables you to use the new Remote Desktop Services features. These features are introduced in Windows 8 and in Windows Server 2012 and are available for computers that are running Windows 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack

1. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:

Probably windows update got its knickers in a twist. If you run the troubleshooter, it has an option for fixing that which works most of the time.

Failing that delete or rename the c:\windows\Software3Distribution folder, and then manually run windows update once again.

Alternatively download the media creation tool for win 10, and let it upgrade the machine to 10:

That's a downgrade.

If you have a genuine Win 7, you can still move to Win 10 without having to pay. You will either need the licence key number on the sticker on the computer case or if you have a mass produced PC that came with Win 7 preinstalled (Dell, HP, Lenovo etc.) then your licence key is built in the BIOS and Windows will find it automatically during the install.

If you have a really old version of IE, something like IE11 needs a DirectX update. THe installer silently starts downloading dependency updates for IE, and it doesn't print anything on the screen while doing so, leaving the user in the dark. If only it had a status, so we could see what was failing or looping.

It might be failing because it is doing those updates and has a problem.

If you can figure out what those update numbers are, to install IE11, then use

You will likely be told an update is already in progress, so double clicking the .msu for each dependency update isn't working.

Breadcrumb. I've never used this article. Have fun :-) They claim this is a list of the guilty parties.

I generally make a backup of C: before descending to that level of repair/rework. There's really nothing there that should break the OS, but you know what software is like.

Paul

LOL!

yes, I'm still running Mint 17.3 ,

Its stable and it works. Cant run skype on it anymore tho.

Not sure why you are seeing "preview quality rollups", those don't normally push through the standard Windows Update - you'd normally see them on enterprise WSUS?

Unless you are paying Microsoft for extended support I wouldn't expect that there are any more worthwhile patches coming in by that channel.

Migrate, or air gap?

On a fully up-to-date Windows 10, never used WSUS or any other update tools than standard Windows Update, I have six installed updates with the word "Cumulative Update Preview" in their names. Most, but not all, .NET.

I find it odd. But it seems legitimate.

To be honest, I'm not at all sure that this computer has *any* version of Internet Explorer: I've only ever used Firefox. Thanks for the thought and the tips.

So is Microsoft still sending out Windows 7 updates, despite the well publicised "lack of support"? Perhaps security upgrades don't count as support?

So far, and on another machine, I've found Windows 10 to be very enticing in some ways and incredibly annoying and unco-operative in others, especially with regard to email.