I had two updates, on two separate days below ;;;;
One did seem to leave me black screen for a bit longer than normal.. but then painted the desk just fine. But I dont think it was a full five minute pause. I usually watch how the hard drive light blinks and can guess that it its working.

Look in control pane.. and window updates, history.. see if these two show success.?

Update for Windows Vista (KB2505189)
Installation date: �3/�23/�2011 10:01 AM
Installation status: Successful
Update type: Recommended

Install this update to resolve issues in Windows. For a complete listing of the issues that are included in this update, see the associated Microsoft Knowledge Base article for more information. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2505189

!~

Update for Windows Vista (KB2524375)
Installation date: �3/�24/�2011 1:28 AM
Installation status: Successful
Update type: Important

Install this update to resolve an issue which requires an update to the certificate revocation list on Windows systems and to keep your systems certificate list up to date. After you install this update, you may have to restart your system.

More information:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=214214

My Vista update offerings came Tuesday.

Two reasons why I do not recommend or use automatic update on any system:

I control the when and how of the installation process. Thus, never do I interfere with the update process or allow it to interfere with my tasks at hand.

I do not install every non-critical update. In the case of the certificate update I made note of its presence, and goal then hid it for any potential future need.

DA

I know this goes against the grain here, but I do not do these updates. I started doing updates when I found out about them a two or 3 years after I got my first PC, I had no problems before the updates or after doing them. Now the updates seem to be more of a problem than the problem we MAY have down the line. I read in this forum daily, there are very knowledgeable people here and I thank you for being here. But if you have a bad update, you know how to repair the damage from an update, I do not, I have to do a restore.

Certiicate update might be very important asap .. some comodo false security certificates are - in the news.

Susan Bradley puts out a patch watch list which tells which ones to install which to wait a while on and which are ok I always check that list and read the forums especially right after a patch day to see what problems start popping up. I never let it do the updates automatically I do them when I am ready to and know I will not have interruptions.
Patch Watch adds problem-patch update chart

There is significant danger in not doing updates, the holes they patch are definitely real and are definitely being exploited which leaves you vulnerable if not patching. If you don't remember the dreaded Blaster worm that hit and infected thousands of computers that had not done their updates well let me tell you it was a mess. Your AV programs can not help you in many of those cases because sometimes they are just too new for the AV to have definitions for them or like blaster it had to be a patch put in place to stop it.
so even though some patches do cause issues not doing them is like walking through a mine field blindfolded, not if but when.

mikie-
I checked and those two updates were listed as successfully installed...thanks.

damccoy-
I thought I was set up to only download, but not automatically install, updates because I don't install most of the optional ones, so it surprised me when I got the message about the install. It looks like that setting got changed to fully automatic somehow, so I've put it back to my usual setting that allows me to choose.

raven-
I completely agree about the danger in not doing updates. This is the first time I have had a slight problem in 20 years of patches and it's not going to keep me from trying to keep my computer safe and functioning by installing important patches.

K9,

Good that you caught the reset. Also, I forgot to mention I always recommend limiting updates to three per install, and then waiting a day or two before installing more.

V,

If a user is having reoccurring concerns following updates there has to be more to it than the updates. My first thoughts are user protocol, reboots and properly directed updates.

An update should be reviewed for content and user understanding before installing. A blind install is risky to say the least.

I recently reworked a laptop for a friend with XP SP3. besides the busy work after I was finished it identified forty-four required updates. Of those I installed thirty-four, and made note of the rest. Over the days I did three at a time. On occasion I did some twice a day as they were unrelated. There were absolutely no concerns.

Remember most, but not all, updates can be removed by using the Programs and Features utility located on the Control Panel.

DA

damccoy-
Thanks for all your advice...