What's with all these updates????

I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now it's every
day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and since the
beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of them are
listed as:

"Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable
Package (KB2538242)"

Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important under the
Importance column.

Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, which was
installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows 7 wasn't
even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft doing? I
really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone know what's
up? Thanks.

On 22 Jul 2011, wrote in alt.windows7.general:

> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows.
> Now it's every day, and more than once a day. I just checked the
> update log and since the beginning of the month, I've received
> more than 75 updates. Most of them are listed as:
>
> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1
> Redistributable Package (KB2538242)"
>
> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important
> under the Importance column.
>
> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit,
> which was installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in
> 2010. Windows 7 wasn't even around in 2005 that I'm aware of.

The update isn't for Windows 7, it's for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2005
Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package", just as it says. The
Redistributable Package is a set of support files for programs written
in Visual C++. You must have installed such a program on your computer.

I have no idea why there are so many updates. I would have thought they
would all have had different Knowledge Base numbers (the KB number,)
but sometimes they don't. They're marked "Important" because they're
security updates.

On 7/22/2011 2:47 PM, wrote:
> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now it's every
> day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and since the
> beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of them are
> listed as:
>
> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable
> Package (KB2538242)"
>
> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important under the
> Importance column.
>
> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, which was
> installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows 7 wasn't
> even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft doing? I
> really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone know what's
> up? Thanks.

Running win7 pro 64 and going back to March 3 of 2010 I only have 7 of
these updates so something sounds a little weird. machine is fully
updated with all software updates.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:07:28 -0400, Nil wrote:

> On 22 Jul 2011, wrote in alt.windows7.general:
>
>> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows.
>> Now it's every day, and more than once a day. I just checked the
>> update log and since the beginning of the month, I've received
>> more than 75 updates. Most of them are listed as:
>>
>> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1
>> Redistributable Package (KB2538242)"
>>
>> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important
>> under the Importance column.
>>
>> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit,
>> which was installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in
>> 2010. Windows 7 wasn't even around in 2005 that I'm aware of.
>
> The update isn't for Windows 7, it's for "Microsoft Visual C++ 2005
> Service Pack 1 Redistributable Package", just as it says. The
> Redistributable Package is a set of support files for programs written
> in Visual C++. You must have installed such a program on your computer.
>
> I have no idea why there are so many updates. I would have thought they
> would all have had different Knowledge Base numbers (the KB number,)
> but sometimes they don't. They're marked "Important" because they're
> security updates.

That flood of updates seems anomalous to me...

I have software that uses some version(s) of Visual C++ Redistributable,
but I sure don't see updates every 22.31 hours.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:47:52 -0400, wrote:

> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now it's every
> day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and since the
> beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of them are
> listed as:
>
> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable
> Package (KB2538242)"
>
> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important under the
> Importance column.
>
> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, which was
> installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows 7 wasn't
> even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft doing? I
> really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone know what's
> up? Thanks.

C++ is a programming language and if you look in programs and features you
will find it listed.

There's only one reason for so much activity on updates.
They want to know what's on your machine and what you're doing.
I got fed up with the multitude of updates and just turned the damn
updating thing off.

Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:31:25 -0400, richard wrote:

> On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:47:52 -0400, wrote:
>
>> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now it's every
>> day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and since the
>> beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of them are
>> listed as:
>>
>> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1 Redistributable
>> Package (KB2538242)"
>>
>> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important under the
>> Importance column.
>>
>> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, which was
>> installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows 7 wasn't
>> even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft doing? I
>> really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone know what's
>> up? Thanks.
>
> C++ is a programming language and if you look in programs and features you
> will find it listed.

Not so, unless the OP has installed, not the language, but a development
system or compiler. Then he would see, not C++, but the development
system or compiler...

> There's only one reason for so much activity on updates.
> They want to know what's on your machine and what you're doing.
> I got fed up with the multitude of updates and just turned the damn
> updating thing off.

Not at all. If that were so, the OP's experience would be universal, and
as you can see from the other posts in this thread, it is quite unusual.

More likely is some corruption of his system, perhaps even some malware,
triggering the phenomenon.

Or perhaps the updates are failing in a very subtle way, causing them to
be redone.

> Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
> But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.

Time to buy a tinfoil hat.

If there is spyware (or a worm or virus), it is not the C++
Redistributable or Windows, but something alien that the OP let into his
system.

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

On 22 Jul 2011, richard <> wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

> Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
> But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.

I think you're letting your paranoia get the best of you. If "they"
want to spy on you, there are plenty of more transparent ways of doing
it.

On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:31:25 -0400, richard wrote:
>
> Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
> But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.

I agree that it's annoying. But calling it spyware is just silly.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

"Gene E. Bloch" <not-> wrote in message
news:dusfl2a3zz31$....
> On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:31:25 -0400, richard wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:47:52 -0400, wrote:
>>
>>> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now it's
>>> every
>>> day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and since
>>> the
>>> beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of them
>>> are
>>> listed as:
>>>
>>> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1
>>> Redistributable
>>> Package (KB2538242)"
>>>
>>> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important under
>>> the
>>> Importance column.
>>>
>>> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit, which
>>> was
>>> installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows 7
>>> wasn't
>>> even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft doing?
>>> I
>>> really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone know
>>> what's
>>> up? Thanks.
>>
>> C++ is a programming language and if you look in programs and features
>> you
>> will find it listed.
>
> Not so, unless the OP has installed, not the language, but a development
> system or compiler. Then he would see, not C++, but the development
> system or compiler...
>
>> There's only one reason for so much activity on updates.
>> They want to know what's on your machine and what you're doing.
>> I got fed up with the multitude of updates and just turned the damn
>> updating thing off.
>
> Not at all. If that were so, the OP's experience would be universal, and
> as you can see from the other posts in this thread, it is quite unusual.
>
> More likely is some corruption of his system, perhaps even some malware,
> triggering the phenomenon.
>
> Or perhaps the updates are failing in a very subtle way, causing them to
> be redone.
>
>> Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
>> But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.
>
> Time to buy a tinfoil hat.

http://zapatopi.net/afdb/

You have to make your own. Retail ones are totally untrustworthy.
Even paranoids have enemies, you know. . .
--
SC Tom

>
> If there is spyware (or a worm or virus), it is not the C++
> Redistributable or Windows, but something alien that the OP let into his
> system.
>
> --
> Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)

SC Tom wrote:
>
> "Gene E. Bloch" <not-> wrote in message
> news:dusfl2a3zz31$....
>> On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 19:31:25 -0400, richard wrote:
>>
>>> On Fri, 22 Jul 2011 17:47:52 -0400, wrote:
>>>
>>>> I remember when once in a while, I'd get an update for Windows. Now
>>>> it's every
>>>> day, and more than once a day. I just checked the update log and
>>>> since the
>>>> beginning of the month, I've received more than 75 updates. Most of
>>>> them are
>>>> listed as:
>>>>
>>>> "Security Update for Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Service Pack 1
>>>> Redistributable
>>>> Package (KB2538242)"
>>>>
>>>> Each one says Successful under the Status column, and Important
>>>> under the
>>>> Importance column.
>>>>
>>>> Why so many? And 2005?? I'm using Windows 7 Professional, 64bit,
>>>> which was
>>>> installed on a new system a little over a year ago, in 2010. Windows
>>>> 7 wasn't
>>>> even around in 2005 that I'm aware of. What the hell is Microsoft
>>>> doing? I
>>>> really don't like them constantly downloading to my machine. Anyone
>>>> know what's
>>>> up? Thanks.
>>>
>>> C++ is a programming language and if you look in programs and
>>> features you
>>> will find it listed.
>>
>> Not so, unless the OP has installed, not the language, but a development
>> system or compiler. Then he would see, not C++, but the development
>> system or compiler...
>>
>>> There's only one reason for so much activity on updates.
>>> They want to know what's on your machine and what you're doing.
>>> I got fed up with the multitude of updates and just turned the damn
>>> updating thing off.
>>
>> Not at all. If that were so, the OP's experience would be universal, and
>> as you can see from the other posts in this thread, it is quite unusual.
>>
>> More likely is some corruption of his system, perhaps even some malware,
>> triggering the phenomenon.
>>
>> Or perhaps the updates are failing in a very subtle way, causing them to
>> be redone.
>>
>>> Monthly updates would be fine. Even quarterly.
>>> But 4 times a day? IMO, that is spyware at work.
>>
>> Time to buy a tinfoil hat.
>
> http://zapatopi.net/afdb/
>
> You have to make your own. Retail ones are totally untrustworthy.
> Even paranoids have enemies, you know. . .

Three things I never trust to a third party:
1) Building my computer
2) Folding my foil hat
3) Fathering my children
--
Crash

"Something there is that doesn't love a wall, that wants it down."
~ Robert Frost ~