@roger,
Thank you for your prompt response.
I do Start buton, then Control Panel, then All Control Panel Items, and finally WINDOWS UPDATE. From there I select Check for updates. Then the "checking" begins... and then Preparing to install commences.... and it goes on and on for hours if I let it.... until finally I have had enough and shut down. This behaviour has been going on for several weeks. I am supposed to have "3 important updates" that need to be installed but it never happens.