Automatic Updates

November 1, 2006 3:05 PM

Does anyone know how to eliminate the annoying MS automatic update icon in the taskbar? I turned off the automatic update option, but continue to get this red shield looking thingy with a white "X" on it in the taskbar right near the clock. How can I get rid of the @#^%& thing?
posted by JackO23 to Computers & Internet (11 answers total)

in addition to automatic updates the security center monitors if you have av software installed and are running the windows firewall. if you double click on the shield i believe it will let you know why it is warning you. if not go to the security center in the control panel and turn everything off.
posted by phil at 3:11 PM on November 1, 2006

Best answer: Open regedit and go to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Security Center

Switch the appropriate (*DisableNotify) entries from 0 to 1.

I highly suggest you backup your registry before making any changes.
posted by blind.wombat at 3:11 PM on November 1, 2006

Win-R (Run dialog), services.msc, right-click Security Center -> Properties -> Startup Type: Disabled. Or edit the registry.
posted by aye at 3:15 PM on November 1, 2006

Start - Control Panel - Security Center - Under Resources, select "Change the way Security Center alerts me." Uncheck all.

Worked for me.
posted by Diskeater at 3:24 PM on November 1, 2006

XP Antispy for all sorts of point-and-click goodness.
posted by quiet at 3:40 PM on November 1, 2006

Before you get all worked up, RTFM?
posted by mphuie at 3:46 PM on November 1, 2006

You do the updates via WindizUpdate -- they puport to strip away stuff you don't need, and will also update MS Office and a few other things that regular windows update won't.
posted by Extopalopaketle at 4:40 PM on November 1, 2006

Diskeaters got it right.

That will clear the red shield and you won't have to make any dangerous registry editing.
posted by doomtop at 5:02 PM on November 1, 2006

No, mphuie got it right.

And if your machine ends up running some spam zombie against my domain, I'm going to be mad.
posted by Merdryn at 5:05 PM on November 1, 2006 [1 favorite]

Diskeater's solution is the safest way to do it.
posted by Malor at 5:06 PM on November 1, 2006

Response by poster: What final worked for me was blind.wombat's suggestion. BTW, to backup the registry, I found a good article here that explains how to do it step-by-step.

Thanks!
posted by JackO23 at 2:08 AM on November 2, 2006