How does Windows XP know that there are software updates?

[PaulHolland]

How does Windows XP know there are software updates ?. Most people will say. since it contacts the microsoft website and than is looking for them, correct ?. But what if the Windows XP machine is not connected to internet at all, never, ever.. What if I have a windows xp machine which is now asking to download security updates etc.. but this special machine was and is never connected to internet, does not even have network or modem . It seems to me that windows has buildin software update requests otherwise how does it know !!!.. It is now asking, would you like to download the following security updates....... ???.

 

[si14]

Re: Magic Windows XP

I'm not sure about your saying (it has never connected to the Internet).

But notice, some programs have build in schedules, for example some of them has this feature: In a specific time (for example) in every two months, they sends a notice in which you see the update alert.
Cheers.

 

[PaulHolland]

Re: Magic Windows XP

Hi, Its not a program its windows XP asking for service updates to install not some application !. The computer is not and was not connected to internet !

 

[spectrabei]

Re: Magic Windows XP

Go to "start" then go to "control panel" then go to "Automatic Updates" and click on the box that says "Turn Off Automatic Updates"

 

[PaulHolland]

Re: Magic Windows XP

I think you guys do not understand it: I know how tothis function but the problem I have is that windows XP is even giving me the update release codes and asking for it... I want to know HOW windows XP knows this without contacting M$... I am not interested in hearing how to setup windows...

 

[spectrabei]

Re: Magic Windows XP

I think you guys do not understand it: I know how tothis function but the problem I have is that windows XP is even giving me the update release codes and asking for it... I want to know HOW windows XP knows this without contacting M$... I am not interested in hearing how to setup windows...

It's not "Magic" Paul from Holland, its called software revisions. From Windows 2000 /XP (and up) the code for the automatic update portion of the software has a list of all the Security Updates available for download (from the time XP was released to the time your XP disc went out of Microsofts door). It is a construct of the program (Windows Update) to automatically search for those updates.
So you see Paul, it's not magic at all, Just good programming.
If your looking for magic, I met a couple of Au Pair girls from Holland Whilst I was Living in L.A. ----- Now, THAT WAS MAGIC.

 

[PaulHolland]

Re: Magic Windows XP

Hi spectrabei, Thats not what I have ... Its asking for security updates with 2007 date and the Windows XP I have installed is from 2004 !... This is not good programming... never installed a update or connected it to internet either.. BTW: Microsoft is nothing but BAD programming but OK.

Dutch girls and magic.. Hmmm... wondering what is magic about them ))..

 

[spectrabei]

Re: Magic Windows XP

It's a good question for Microsoft, but I suspect that they (Microsoft) have specific number combinations allocated for each year for their security updates. Since Microsoft can't predict the future regarding how many security updates there will be per year (we can forecast that there's going to be at least one security update per year), the program selects the first alocated security update number for each year missing. You bought your XP disc in 2004 and your computer clock has a date of 2007, so the program is searching for the first allocated Security Update number for each missing year - 2005, 2006, and 2007. You can test this by reseting your computer clock date to 2005, you should only see a 2005 security update prompt.