why has vista stopped automatic updates?

VZ -

You gave a series of 5 downloads to be entered manually to correct the problem of Vista Update doing nothing but searching.  Not one of the downloads would take.  All failed.  I noticed peggybeggs asked if Microsoft has simply stopped updating Vista and that 25 people have this same question.  Do you think this is the case?  A lot of people having the same problem and I have tried everything my limited knowledge of computers has allowed!  If Microsoft is listening please answer the question...Are you no longer updating Vista?  If not what is the problem?  I can't download individual updates and my Windows Update will not stop searching.  Help please.  I may not use the computer that Vista is on but I thought it would, at the very least, continue to be a valid OS.

Five manual downloads and installs??  Really?  Why not just build or improve upon the Win Update troubleshooter and let it do what's necessary for updates to work properly.

I found several more neighborhood PCs with Vista and Windows 7 that lost their ability to update (stuck at 0%).  But as one writer indicated, Microsoft couldn't care less.

Thanks Volume Z - THIS WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had been looking at the other threat about this issue since July trying several of the proposed solutions.

Nothing worked for me but this did.

You saved my life!!!!

It worked on my PC and laptop (still running 60updates as I am posting)

Now to those here before:

Five manual updates!!!!! - This is not as hard as it looks.

I first downloaded all to a Map in my downloads

I installed them one by one on the first PC but on the the second I installed them all together (except the Internet explorer update - I did that last).

If it does not work:

Volume Z said:

"Set automatic updates to "Never check for updates" and reboot prior to manual installation."

After reboot however I discovered that Windows Update service was still running.

So I stopped Windows Update Service .

Note : You need to do that again after restart if you update seperately.

Also : You still need to wait some time for updates to appear (it took about 15 minutes on the laptop)

Now - how is it with Windows 7.

I have the same issue there now