updates for xp

I am running windows xp and every time I start it up it says its downloading updates for ever and ever then it goes away with out anything happening then when I shut it down the computers says it has to install updates and you click yes and it goes into the installing 1 of 3 updates, 2 of 3 updates but then it switchers off and the next time I start it it starts all over. I'm not sure if the 2 are related or just the same.

Have you called Microsoft support?

Go into Control Panel and then Automatic Updates and check your settings there. It could be a simple misconfiguration that definitely doesn't require Microsoft Tech Support.

thanks I will try that.