Windows update never finishes searching for updates. It will search for hours if I let it. Someone said I might have spyware, but Lavasoft. AVG, and spybot all found nothing.. as did McAfee.. sooo.. any suggestions?

First WELCOME to SAF.

I would suggest some on line Virus/Trojan tests. I don't have a site location but will come back to post what I can find. You also could use google to locate several.

Pit-stop is one I use to use. You have to register if I recall correctly.

GRC has several tests. Not sure they have an one for virus testing. But the port test to see if you have open ports is a value to know. www.GRC.com and you need not register. This site has a lot so do check it all out. They have several free downloads you might want to check out. But do read first.
Once the page loads scroll down to "hot spots" to start. I suggest before anything put the site in your Favorites.

Sorry somebody didn't get to your problem sooner. I will try to locate several more sites for you. But my abilities to help people with their PC's is very limited. Others here are great at that.
Also when your done do come back and check out the "Members Lounge" just below this topic area.
On the top of this page under XP is a list of questions one is New PC. In there I posted a review on firewalls and Anti Virus , you might want ot read it. Plus in the different posts is several helpful links and also some pinned topics which migh help you. yes a few more words to read but if you don't then you won't get knowledge to secure your machine yourself.
Here is the link so you don't have to search.
http://www.suggestafix.com/index.php?showtopic=26355 please read each post and check out the links. The one by Richard has 46 best utilities and you might just get some great tools here. But also listed is info and link to the pinned items. The link is here.
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Starting_With_A_Clean_Machine again read the info before doing anything. Don't let the name decide the importants of this site as italso has help for a older machine down a bit to the left.
And for free security scans pick your choice. Good luck.
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=ie7&...curity+scanners
Sorry to have taken so long. I got a PC PitStop newsletter so here is the home page U will need to register. But they can scan for many things and check out you machine.
http://www.pcpitstop.com/default.asp

I wonder if any of the above might have helped you. I did add PC Pit Stops url just a bit ago. But a reply would be nice no matter the results of the help. Thanks in advance for any reply.

go directly to windows update your active x control might be outdated!

Hello and Welcome to the board axellexa. I am not sure but just asumed from the request that he/she was at the windows update site. But as you can see there was little info to work with. So many ask for help without filling in the blanks.
Thanks for your info and offer to help.
Hope to see you in the Lounge & Games.

I ran all the updates on my XP recently - around 96 of them - and gave it three weeks of trial. The system ran so poorly that I finally restored my system backup prior to the updates. XP with SP2, and no additonal updates except for the DST fix.