I didn't have any issues with my internet shutting off, but I have had my anti-virus (and windows) telling me nightly my computer is not protected for some random reason. I don't let updates auto-install just download and tell me to install them.

Oh Tech Guy...the most important thing I have learned over the years to save many headaches is this...SAVE frequently!! Actually I do this all the time because my part of town has a tendency to have sudden second-long power outages due to transformers blowing I suppose. You just hear a big bang and the power goes out and comes back on. Who knows the reason.

Fortunately for you such an option is available. You have to go to windows security (start..control panel..security center)and tell it to download but do not install until told to. You reward will be a little yellow shield in the taskbar letting you know there's an update to install. The problem with one of the other posters response regarding only updating when you want or picking the ones you want is not knowing what is really important. They call it security for a reason.
My recent experience with the ZoneAlarm conflict just taught me how to deal with a glitch and how to use System Restore effectively.

I've been putting this off since I checked it out and it was over 50 mb. I'm on dial-up here and that is going to take forever. Plus with what everyone is saying, I'm nervous about installing this one. I'll probably do it tomorrow if I'm up early since it's going to take all day.

So far I'm not seeing any problems. You may want to restore it back a day or two before you did the upload and then try again. It may have been corrupted some how during the install.

Chris

Turns out the problemn was a conflict with Zonealarm.. The workaround offered at the outset was turning down the security levels.. HAH!
Zonealarm didn't recommend that. System restore got me up and running again, shutting off security updates kept me up until zonealarm sent out the patch that allowed me to turn on security updates again. Took a total of tree days.

I just had an update the other day for some Vista stuff and it seems like it took forever and a day. I am not too keen on it telling me that it needs to reboot right away and then when it does it seems to take even longer to reboot.