Lots of Updates!

[#1]

My wife has a Toshiba Laptop running Windows7.
Practically every time she switches it on, up comes a notice saying that it is downloading between two thousand and fifteen thousand Microsoft updates. It takes about 5-6 minutes before it says that they are all downloaded. It's nothing like the normal monthly updates screen and there is just the statement as to how many "updates" it has done. No details of them, no percentage bar or anything . Just the text belting through the update number.
Then she can start using the computer normally.
I've never heard of this before and certainly have never encountered it on my Windows7 desktop.
Has anyone any idea what could be causing this to happen, please?
Many thanks for any help.
Keith.

[#2]

It may say that it is installing the updates (not downloading them) - worth having a look in your update settings and history and see if there are any failed downloads or updates.

[#3]

Or you may just try to turn auto update Off 

[#4]

go through the procedure here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
it will fix the problem with the windows update service that is apparently corrupted

[#5]

Hi deekay
Good news - Mrs deekay is not alone.  I have a Toshiba laptop & my wife has a Samsung, both of which run Windows 7.  I have definitely seen the update you describe on one, if not both, laptops on several occasions.  The text on the screen is fastmoving but I think there is some reference to updating the Registry; as such I don't think its anything to do with the monthly Windows update, so I would probably suggest leaving Windows update on automatic.
Hope this helps
Jon

[#6]

These registry updates normally happen after a Windows update and reboot.
If the updates are set to automatic, often you'll see the "Installing update 1 of 12" or similar when you shutdown the machine. When the machine is powered back up, any updates that couldn't be installed while Windows was running are then installed and the registry updated before you can log on and see the desktop.
Most of our machines here do it on a regular basis.

[#7]

Thank you all for your replies and help.
Sorry for the delay in sending this, but I have had two very hectic days, including two lengthy medical appointments. However all is quiet today!
@DomS. I have checked and all updates have been installed. Similar to my computer, my wife gets the usual 15 or so updates in the middle of each month, not the hundreds which her laptop says that it is installing practically every day. It was well worth checking, though.
@Jon. I'm probably wrong, but as you have seen it with your Toshiba, I am wondering if it is more of a problem with the combination of that make of computer and Windows7, rather than just with the OS. Just wondering!
@nanotm. Thanks for the link, I'll definitely try it and see if it cures the frustration of watching the very fast moving "updates" practically every time my wife switches her laptop on.
 
@rongtw. I will try switching auto-update off as part of my experiments. All updates (Windows and programs) are manually updated on my machine, as I like to see what is happening.
Again, thank you all for your help and sorry for the delay.
Keith.