Windows tries to update despite being disabled

I'm on a dialup connection so I have Windows Automatic Updates turned off, I update manually. About two weeks ago svchost.exe (c:\windows\system32) started trying to access windows update (download.windowsupdate.com). Then about one week ago wuauclt.exe would start running periodically (I would see the windows update icon in the system tray). Is there any reason why this would happen? I have scanned my computer for viruses, malware, and rootkits (I do routine scans anyway). I have done so using my own antivirus software and online scanners, in both normal and safe mode. I'm certain I don't have a virus. Besides, the only worm I know of that would try to do Windows automatic updates is the welchia/nachia worm, and I'm certain I don't have that.

I can tell you exactly what svchost.exe is trying to access:
au.download.windowsupdate.com (208.111.160.16)
au.download.windowsupdate.com (206.33.52.124)
au.download.windowsupdate.com (199.93.63.125)
au.download.windowsupdate.com (4.23.40.123)
download.microsoft.com (68.142.110.112)
download.windowsupdate.com (68.142.110.120)
download.windowsupdate.com (8.12.202.123)
windowsupdate.microsoft.com (207.46.18.94)


Can anyone tell me what might be going on here? No one made any changes to the computer, especially regarding automatic updates. There were no problems until two weeks ago. It's been about two months or more since I last updated Windows (can't remember) because I haven't had time to download the files. I've only had time to get online long enough to check/send emails.

 

Yes. The Windows Update software will periodically update itself. No OS updates will be provided however, when disabled.

 

that and i would also just go ahead and run windows update as well...

 

I'm sorry but I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying (I'm probably explaining poorly). I'll try again.

I have had automatic updates turned off for more than three years, I update manually because I'm on dialup and it's beyond slow. svchost.exe rarely, if ever, tries to contact Microsoft updates. But for the past two weeks, it's been trying like crazy to contact Microsoft updates.

I looked at some of my firewall logs from earlier this year and I went through a whole weeks worth and svchost.exe never tried to contact microsoft updates, depsite being online for a total of about 40 hours (for that week). Just looking at my log for today, there are at least twenty attempts, despite being online for only 10 minutes.

So why all of a sudden is svchost.exe trying to update? That's clearly not normal since it didn't do it before.

And I can't just update whenever I want. I'm on dialup, I only have one phone line, no cell phone, it takes a long time to download the updates. I have to be respectful of the other people in the household. I can't tie up the phone line for an hour or two downloading patches and what not.

 

I understood you just fine. Windows Update will still update itself, whether you have automatic updates turned off or not.