1.How do you determine which updates are good?
2. Secondly, why should you want to choose one update versus another?

I install all important ones and only choose on the optional ones.

I think you might be a lot happier to just let Microsoft decide which you need by turning on automatic updates. That way you can sit back and enjoy the benefits of a modern computer by investigating things you might enjoy.

Just got done trying that. Changed setting to automatic, then clicked okay. Now new question I saw that there was 4 important updates needed and one optional. I clicked on install updates, did that override the automatic cause they installed and failed again so it reverted changes. and if I never click install changes when would l it of been done automatically?

.That's the problem here, an update is failing to install, and windows keeps trying to configuring it and it's stuck in a constant loop. Setting it to automatic is not going to fix a failed windows up date.

Can you tell us what up dates are failing, the kb number of the up date..

Please tell us the exact error message you are getting?

This post was edited by zep516 on Sun, Jan 26, 14 at 13:26

Hi zep516, There was 4 that failed: They are a security update for windows. I had done them all the same time and it is when I restart I get a message saying failure configuring windows update. Reverting changes. Do not turn your computer off.

1. 376 kb
2.346 kb
3. 461 kb
4. 36 kb.

I done the last two first and then it was successful the I done the first two and it was successful.
So why is it I got a failed configuring when I done all 4???

Run the windows up-date trouble shooter first, it's a fix it, just click "run" on the window that pops up at the web page.

There is also additional information at the link.

Good luck !

Here is a link that might be useful: Windows Update Troubleshooter

I just checked again to see if all was still okay. and the one with the 36 kb wasn't successful after all so I tried it again and it had failed. I had the option to search results for this failure. The windows troubleshooter made some changes in my system. It says the problems found windows update components must be repaired then off to the right it says, Fixed, then off to the right of that is a green circle with a check mark in it. which I had also done this the other day too.

So where are we. Still get the error message ?

Well I just retried it again and it failed twice.

36 kb

That does not look right for a kb number, it should look more like this,
(KB2756872) A bigger Number.

Can you clarify that ?

Oh, okay the number I gave you was next to update on the page to select which ones. Here they are again on the view update history page:
1. KB 2863725
2. KB2864202
3. KB2868725
4. KB2871690

# 4 is the one that is giving me the problems I believe.

ok. I'll look into those, in the mean time can you do this, it's a simple download, I want to see the event log and a few things.

Please download MiniToolBox http://download.bleepingcomputer.com/farbar/MiniToolBox.exe and run it. See link below,

Checkmark following boxes:

List last 10 Event Viewer log
List Installed Programs
List Users, Partitions and Memory size
List Restore Points

Click Go and post the result.

Click the link below, then "save" the file to the desktop and "run" it, post the log it creates. This program runs from the desktop, no need to install anything, when we are done we right click on it and delete it.

Here is a link that might be useful: MiniToolBox

Thank you for all your help. That download was not compatible with my computer. I went online to Microsoft and found out all I need to know. So Thank you again.

What version of IE are you running, most security updates are for IE and say if you are running IE 10 and updates are for IE 11 then yes perhaps they will fail (only an example)