Windows updates not installing!

GobdGobd Seattle, WA
edited December 2003 in Science & Tech
Ok, i really hate windows update, it's supposed to update the damn computer not be filled with bugs!

So i go to windowsupdate and scan for updates, it finds a few i click to install them, they install, i restart, i go to windowsupdate again and scan for updates and it finds the exact same ones daying they haven't been installed yet! What is wrong here? How can i make the updates install so that windowsupdate notices them installing. This problem just started happening with the last 3 or 4 updates, before that they always installed perfectly without any problems at all. This couldn't becaused by a bad CD key since i've installed many updates before with this CD key and it worked fine.

Wow... my second thread asking for help in two days, i'm on a roll here.

Comments

  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    First things first, clear out your temp folders, including your Windows Update download folder. If that doesn't help post back.

    Cheers
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    Where is the windows update download folder? I clear out my temp folders often but i'm not sure where that one is. I usually just use a program to delete all temp files and then empty some temp folders myself.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    Forgive my use of the term 'Windows Update Folder', I think that's something I picked up from a previous Windows OS, I say that because I can't actually find a Windows Update folder on my XP machine. Nevertheless, look at the image below and clear out the folders I've highlighted, restart, try Windows Update again, and if no joy still, post back and I'll work you through some more full on troubleshooting.

    Cheers

    Also, when the updates appear to install, upon restart do they appear in the Add/remove programs list, e.g 'Windows XP Hotfix (SP2) xxxxxx' ?
    1.jpg 51.2K
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    That didn't work spinner, and yes they are listed in add/remove programs (at least the two i checked were) but they still come up when i scan for updates
  • profdlpprofdlp The Holy City Of Westlake, Ohio
    edited December 2003
    Gobd had this to say
    That didn't work spinner, and yes they are listed in add/remove programs (at least the two i checked were) but they still come up when i scan for updates
    Try uninstalling them via add/remove programs. Reboot, and try running Windows Update again.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    I'm about to go to bed now, but here are a few things to keep you churning over.

    Have you tried this? If I recall you've had to use this fix before? Give it another go:

    1. Click "Start," and then click "Run."

    2. Type regsvr32 msscript.ocx in the "Open" box and click "OK."

    3. Repeat for dispex.dll,vbscript.dll, and scrrun.dll.

    Next, make sure file (open) type .JS is properly
    associated:

    1. In Control Panel, click "Folder Options," and then
    click "File Types."

    2. Locate the .JS extension and click "Advanced."

    3. Make sure the "Application to perform action" field contains:

    C:\WINDOWS\System32\WScript.exe "%1" %*
    This is for a Windows XP computer.

    For Windows 2000 substitute the C:\WINDOWS\ with C:\Winnt\.

    For Windows 98 and Windows Millenium Edition substitute this: C:\WINDOWS\System\

    Also, I forgot to mention this, try clearing your cookies. You can do this in Internet Explorer. You should also remove any of the updates (which keep wanting to be installed) off your system and start a fresh (EDIT: like Prof' suggested). It might also be a good idea to download 'Regcleaner' from the downloads section and run its automated regestry cleanup routines to see if that helps.

    If after you've tried all of the above, post back, and then once again, we'll try something else.
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    Looks like un-installing the updates then re-installing them worked, thanks for the help guys! Now all i have to do is un-install and re-install all of the other updates.

    Yes, i have had to use that other fix before but that is when your downloads won't start, they just hang out the download screen.

    Just another 5 minutes or so and we'll know if it worked for every update or not.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    Gobd had this to say
    Yes, i have had to use that other fix before but that is when your downloads won't start, they just hang out the download screen.

    Yea, that's what I thought, that particular fix is quite handy for a number of Window Update solutions, but looks like Prof' hit the nail on the head with this one.

    Eitherway, to me, it sounds like your system needs a good cleanup session. So perhaps grabbing yourself a copy of 'Regcleaner' might not be such a bad idea after all.

    Glad we could help.

    Cheers
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    I clean the registry about once a week or so using JV16 power tools, RegScrub XP, and System Mechanic, each program seems to catch different things in the registry.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    Gobd had this to say
    I clean the registry about once a week or so using JV16 power tools, RegScrub XP, and System Mechanic, each program seems to catch different things in the registry.

    Well that's good then:D. Just keep it up!;D I don't want to see you back here with another Windows Update problem for at least 3 months.;)
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    I hope i can last three months without a windowsupdate problem, it seems to hate me, i've also had this problem where updates don't install because your clock is ahead by a full year. Synchronization doesn't catch that and the updates will never start downloading if your clock is off by that much, something to do with ActiveX controls i can't remeber exactly why.
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    Hmmm, looks like i've got one update thats being stubborn, it still isn't installing :( Oh well, you can go to sleep now at least i got some of them to install, i'll try the other thing you mentioned and see if that will help this last update install.
  • GobdGobd Seattle, WA
    edited December 2003
    3. Make sure the "Application to perform action" field contains:

    Is this for the "Open" option?

    Assuming it is, there is still one update that won't install, the specific update is KB826939. I think i'll go to sleep myself now, i only got 3 hours of sleep last night so i'm getting really tired right now.
  • Straight_ManStraight_Man Geeky, in my own way Naples, FL Icrontian
    edited December 2003
    Second thing-- for windows update to know you installed, you need to stay online long ehough for the new updater to pass a success signal to Windows update, then for the updater locally to try to commit the changes. Also, some of the updates were rereleased as soem, on some boxes, do not install as parts of packages. Third, it is possible to get things corrupted in transit through the web, which is why this is done this way and why you might get some of the "same" things, though you wshould not get ALL of them unless you did not wait for the WindowsUpdate site to verify with your box that the update did complete. For XP, sometimes you need to disable automatic rollback during update for some of the updates, and to be logged in as administrator if you have XP, 2000 Pro, or a XP home with multiple IDs is something XP and 2000 favor very much. Admin can change a lot of system files that are secured when you are online as an ordinary user, and same protection is NOT lifted when you try to update as an ordinary user. So XP will happily either undo or prevent updates if you are an ordinary user, and Windows update will not log updates right if the software has not been authed in some cases.

    IF you get all the same updates offered more than 3 times in a row, dig into what I said as well as clearing the things in IE area mentioned above, and ask about what you do not understand, please. If some go in each time, let it have up to three times to install what looks like the same update number, there are subversions of some of them and later versions and rereleases. Some could have partly went in, Microsoft knows by the result codes, and the codes are complex enough that Microsoft can rerelease what does not go in and even replace.

    The site itself can offer a couple versions of some patches sometimes, depending on what happens, and you could be hitting a different server each time also, within the Windowsupdate network-- so if the result codes never were passed back the other server does not know you have them. Not always are new IDs used for fixes on Windows update, and oldest are passed first until pulled, then newer ones, unless older ones are completely pulled. Newer one might get installed while older one of same base ID might fail, on your one box.

    I would also scan for wormn type viruses, and hybrids, soemtimes well seated worms on a box can effectively delete some update files very fast (not the archive passed to your box over the web, the individual files after they are copied). Sometimes what Windows thinks is a delete is in fact a move plus rename, which is one reason not to run your box as admin all the time onb the web, but WindowsUpdate IS an exception and sometimes a virus fix\remover run is also an exception. SCAN and detect should not be an exception, fix might be. And some virus fixers SAY to disable rollback and to run as admin or in safe mode.

    When that happens (request to disable rollback and run as admin), I manually make a rollback point first (called a recovery point, system state plus everything else it normally stores), THEN disable rollback as admin, and then run WindowsUpdate or the virus fixer. That protects me from a corrupt download, as Windows XP and 2000 Pro will auto-rollback on boot (while loading, about halfway into full O\S load) if core things are corrupt (and can happily reinstall viruses that hang out in Windows's core file system areas that way also, which is one reason WHY this pair of things is needed sometimes and needed and required only on some boxes).

    John.
  • SpinnerSpinner Birmingham, UK
    edited December 2003
    Gobd had this to say
    I hope i can last three months without a windowsupdate problem, it seems to hate me, i've also had this problem where updates don't install because your clock is ahead by a full year. Synchronization doesn't catch that and the updates will never start downloading if your clock is off by that much, something to do with ActiveX controls i can't remeber exactly why.

    I've had that problem before, easy to fix though... just set the clock to the right date. he he;)
    Gobd had this to say
    3. Make sure the Application to perform action field contains:

    Is this for the Open option?

    I think so. But that's only my best guess.

    Ageek has made some great points, things you should try if you are still having trouble. Really informative post there John', great stuff.:thumbsup:

    EDIT: John as I said, I found your post very informative, so to make that information more easily accessable I've added your post (in edited form) to the Tweak and Tricks Thread. Well done!

    Cheers
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