Do you know why the updates failed?  If it was just a problem connecting to the server to download the updates (a frequent problem with Windows updates), then nothing was installed and you have nothing to worry about except that the updates usually fix critical security flaws.  Normally when Windows updates fails, everything reverts back to the way it was before you attempted to update.  Restart your computer and try to do the updates again.

 

Steve

Thanks for the information.

 

Right now I have not attempted to double click the update

failure messages or explore any "more info" that might

explain why these failed.

 

When I ran the manual Express Updates the Validation

Tool was applied cleanly and ran to gather the updates

that appeared on the list. Then I installed the updates

and noted on paper the ones that failed.

 

This Inspiron system was "right out of the box" and in

a state of semi-completed setup-- things like most of

the "Works Suite" were on the pc but had not been

opened nor their setup finalized. Only the programs

I mentioned in the first message were finished and

ready to use. Everything else was "dormant but on

the pc as shipped".

 

The internet connection was dsl thru a Netgear router

and was running fine.

---

edean65 wrote:

Thanks for the information.

 

Right now I have not attempted to double click the update

failure messages or explore any "more info" that might

explain why these failed.

 

When I ran the manual Express Updates the Validation

Tool was applied cleanly and ran to gather the updates

that appeared on the list. Then I installed the updates

and noted on paper the ones that failed.

 

This Inspiron system was "right out of the box" and in

a state of semi-completed setup-- things like most of

the "Works Suite" were on the pc but had not been

opened nor their setup finalized. Only the programs

I mentioned in the first message were finished and

ready to use. Everything else was "dormant but on

the pc as shipped".

 

The internet connection was dsl thru a Netgear router

and was running fine.

 

Run Windows Update manually again.

Comments -

Why turn off Auto Updates, you can do manual updates with Auto Update on.

When doing manual updates, there are generally conflicting updates which require several update executions to complete the update process

 

Thanks to all of you. I ran Windows Update again last night

and all updates installed ok. I continued to run it repeatedly

until the update list purged itself clean. Now I plan to create

a system restore point at the advice of a Microsoft Windows

Update technichian I wrote to via email.

 

In re: the latest posting, I guess I thought that Windows

Automatic Updates might start in the middle of a manual

update process. I was being pretty cautious, maybe a bit

too much so.

 

Everything looks great on the computer right now, with all

the shipped programs' setup process finalized. I've been

really impressed by your help, and by the help of the Dell

and Microsoft technicians.

 

Season's Greetings,

 

Earl P. Dean