CCleaner’s Possible Effect On Windows Update

[hlewton]

Yesterday when MS notified my computers of the monthly security updates there were 15 critical ones available for one of my machines. These 15 updates were found by the machine without my intervention. I told it to download and install. It installed only 2 of them and gave me the red line indicating and stating that there were updates that failed to install. I rebooted thinking I’d try again to see if I could get them to install. As I watched the screen it took longer to reboot and showed that it was installing all of the 15 updates as it rebooted. When it was booted back up I checked and sure enough it showed all 15 updates were installed.

I wanted to check to see if it still showed any critical updates still available so went to the Windows Update site and manually told it to check for updates. It continually gave me a red warning and an error code every time I tried to check. I finally saw the link to get help with the error code and it said a program was blocking the site from doing its job and it was probably an anti-virus program. I never had this problem before but after shutting down Malawarebytes and CCleaner I was able to do a successful check for updates. Not knowing which program was causing the problem and remembering the last version of CCleaner indicated it was doing active monitoring I found the “Enable Active Monitoring” option and unchecked it. Today with CCleaner not doing its Active Monitoring I once more checked the Windows Update site and all seemed well again. I am leaving that option of CCleaner disabled and hope it doesn’t somehow get enabled again with the next version of CCleaner. I’ll just have to make sure I check that out.

BTW my other 2 Win 7 machines that did not have the above option enabled installed the updates with no problems at all.

I was wondering if anyone else has come across this problem?

[viking33]

I have both System Monitoring and Active Monitoring enabled and have not had any trouble with MS Updates. I have update set to tell me if here are new updates and I install them at my early convenience.
I don't think CCleaner is the culprit here.

[stuck]

I turned off Ccleaner's Active monitoring as soon as it appeared as a feature so I don't know if it interferes with MS Update or not.

As for this month's MS updates. If the updates that were applied to my work PC are this months crop of patches then I can say that they have not been without 'issues'. However, our IT guys tend to be cautious and not install stuff the instant MS releases it so perhaps the 'issues' I saw are to do with the March updates.

Personally, I take Woody's line and have automatic updates turned off. I then manually check for and apply only important updates the weekend before the next months updates are released. I realise that this approach is overkill for my extremely modest PC set up but it works for me.

Ken

[hlewton]

Thank you both for the replies. I only have my machines set to tell me when updates are available and then I have to allow them to be installed. However, I have always installed them but maybe I shouldn't be so quick to do so especially after reading that link's information. The only thing I am real sure of is I have not installed any new anti-virus or malware programs and I have not had any trouble with installing updates until the most recent ones I opened this thread about with and the only change being that setting within CCleaner so hopefully that was the problem.

[stuck]

...I only have my machines set to tell me when updates are available and then I have to allow them to be installed. However, I have always installed them but maybe I shouldn't be so quick to do so...

That's the key to Woody's approach. Be aware when updates become available but let others find the bugs and suffer the pain and only download and install them after MS have patched them.

However, there will be many people who say that caution like that is not really necessary for home use and the hassle of it not being fully automatic means there is more risk of it not getting done and either way, install asap or wait awhile, the important thing is that you do install them and stay up to date.

Ken

[hlewton]

Thanks again. I think I'll give future updates a few days or maybe a week or two before installing them.

[stuck]

If you check Woody's site regularly you'll see when he reckons the dust has settled on the patches and it's 'safe' to apply them.

Ken

[StuartR]

How quickly you install the updates depends on how risky your behaviour is. If you regularly use public WiFi, or visit web sites of dubious reputation, then you need to get the patches in quite fast. If you keep your PC at home and only visit reputable web sites then you can afford to leave some time before you install them.

[hlewton]

If you check Woody's site regularly you'll see when he reckons the dust has settled on the patches and it's 'safe' to apply them.

Ken

Thank I'll have to check that out.

[hlewton]

How quickly you install the updates depends on how risky your behaviour is. If you regularly use public WiFi, or visit web sites of dubious reputation, then you need to get the patches in quite fast. If you keep your PC at home and only visit reputable web sites then you can afford to leave some time before you install them.

Thanks.

I think all the sites I visit are reputable. I don't do any suffering except when using google to find something for me. I know that isn't always safe but I don't think anything is really all that safe anymore.

[StuartR]

I travel a lot, and regularly use WiFi in airports, hotels and cafes, so I install the patches as soon as I can - but I NEVER install patches when I'm connected to someone else's WiFi.