Even when it finally stops it takes a few hours before my bandwidth is relieved and I'm back to normal. Needless to say when this happens I can't work and it's really affecting my work performance and my paycheck. 
RP, you lost me at Windows Key?
I turn it on, and let it go... That's the extent of my computer knowledge
I have a problem with WinXP sp2. The auto update tries to run and gets gummed up. In the meantime it hogs my bandwidth (satellite) at which time my fair access threshold gets exceeded which then slows me down to the point where I can't load my web-based platform or voice files that I need to use to work (I work from home). I've turned off the auto update from the systems properties as well as ignoring it through Norton but the bastage still wants to run from time to time. I can see it running on the task manger processes but it won't let me shut it down from there. Apparently it doesn't know what HELL NO means.
Any ideas for a fix besides the obvious of going back to Win2000?
Right Click "My Computer" go to "Properties" - click the "Automatic Update" tab - ensure Turn off Automatic Updates is selected... you can also select "Notify me but don't automatically download or install them"
Just double check the settings and let me know what you see.
So you see the process wuauclt.exe running in the Task Manager - correct? If so, try this;
Navigate to Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services:
Right click the "Automatic Updates service" and stop it. You can also do the same thing at the command line by typing: "net stop wuauserv"
-NEXT-
Right click the "Automatic Updates service" (again) and go to "Properties" - set startup type to "Disabled"
See if this takes care of it.
We'll see if that doesn't work. 
Done!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!
Let us know in a day or so, or however long it takes.