I like the concept of Windows Updates and think it should automatically update for most people. I have mine set to manual updates.
I've never used Ask nor installed Yahoo toolbar. But you may want to look at WinPatrol (
www.winpatrol.com). It detects when programs want to install into auto run, change file associations and lots of other good things. I'm not sure if it will help resolved you Ask/Yahoo issues, but it's worth a try.
>This is probably halfway off the subject but I am so sick of software apps trying to take care of me. It isn't just Windows Update, although it is definitely one of the leading offenders. ask.com, which I continue to try eradicating without success, keeps installing itself as my default search agent. I keep telling Windows no, I want to use Google, and boo, there ask.com is again. Yahoo keeps thinking it has all the information I will ever need and reinstalling itself as a toolbar. It's enough to drive a person to the Mac.
Craig Berntson
MCSD, Microsoft .Net MVP, Grape City Community Influencer