why has vista stopped automatic updates?

Thanks JI. I missed KB3205715, KB3216916, KB3218362, KB4011981 and KB4013867 (Silverlight) in my March 18 Post, also released March 12-14. - Just ran Windows Update manually and got the same updates you did, minus Windows Defender which I don't use. I used my same procedure recommended in a earlier Post, namely, "Hi MM - Suggest you try setting Windows Update to Never Check, restart PC, go to Services and STOP Windows Update Service, then without restart, open Windows Update, manually check for updates and leave on over night if needed to get the last three - might work." I had the current Update list in less than 10 minutes. This procedure also works with my four Windows 7 PCs. One Optional Update I got was KB3217877. I also had VZ's April 1 Post list pre-installed which includes some for Office 2007 - KB3178676 (Excel), KB3178677 (Office Compatibility Pack SP3), KB3178682 (Office Compatibility Pack SP3) and KB3178683 (Word). Everything in my March 18 Post was installed manually from the Microsoft Catalog instead of trying Windows Update.

For those who need to manually download and install these individually, here are the links - haven't found any Office 2007/2010 updates yet. If any of these won't install after download because they endlessly check for updates when Run, try what worked for me in an earlier Post here - go to Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Services and STOP the Windows Update Service. Then try running the Update again immediately.

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3205715

https://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/Search.aspx?q=KB3216916

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/search.aspx?q=kb3218362

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4011981

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=54857- Silverlight

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/search.aspx?q=4012864

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3217877/update-for-windows-server-2008-and-windows-vista-kb3217877- Optional

I do plan to check for updates again Tuesday, April 11.

Thanks OU yourself and others have been a great help, pity the same cannot be said for Microsoft after abandoning its customers. Is gates not made enough money out us?

Micro$oft owes us all an apology. Will it come?... I doubt it :(

I suggest that what has really happened is that Microsoft turned off updates on many Vista and Win 7 systems. I struggled with this problem on both systems as both stopped doing updates last summer. I tried everything- managed to update some manually. Then a few weeks ago, both systems magically did updates when I wasn't even trying- due, I think, to Microsoft turning them back on.

If anyone is interested, I posted some information for Joseph Zorzin about why these slow Windows Updates are likely occurring in Ichabod22's thread Vista Windows update hangs with "checking for updates" on 05-Mar-2017.  German blogger Dalai, who posted the original workaround to pre-install a new Windows kernel-mode driver (Win32K.sys) or graphics component update each Patch Tuesday to speed up Windows Update, has also posted background information at http://wu.krelay.de/en/info.htm.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.0.2 * NIS v22.9.1.12 * MBAM Premium v2.2.1

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

Great White North, now that you mention it- I do recall your other reply to me. I believe I tried all you suggested without much luck. Then, magically, both system "turned on" on the same day. I still don't get it. Maybe I'm getting senile!

Joe