Automtic Updates icon disappears on XP SP3

[Moha]

I have a Windows XP with SP3. Whenever there is an update available for my
system, the Automatic Updates icon notifies me. When I open it and select the
updates required and clikc Ok, the window closes and the icon disappears. No
action follows and no updates are downaloaded nor installed. I have to go to
http://update.microsoft.com/ to download and install required updates.

I need your help in the following:
1. How can I troubleshoot/fix the Autoamtic Updates icon problem?
2. Normally the Automatic Updates notifies about high priority updates only,
can I configure it to notify me about optional downloads as well?

Thanks for your help

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Open your WindowsUpdate.log and scroll to the very bottom of it:

How to read the WindowsUpdate.log file
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

Now scroll upwards. If you see one or more entries that say "Update is not
allowed to download due to regulation," nothing's wrong. Automatic Updates
is just taking a while to download the updates, so try being a little more
patient. See this related KB article:

Updates are not downloaded or the “Automatic Updates” icon does not display
the status of downloads when you enable the Automatic Updates service:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910340

Or you can download/install the updates manually via Windows Update
(webpage): Understand that by doing so, you're pushing all the Automatic
Updates users further back in the queue (which may explain, at least in
part, why Automatic Updates hadn't brought them in for you yet).
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

[Moha]

Well, thank you very much for the useful information.

Do you have any advice for my 2nd q:

2. Normally the Automatic Updates notifies about high priority updates only,
can I configure it to notify me about optional downloads as well?

Appreciate your help.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

No, AU cannot be configured to offer Optional updates.