Can't confirm Windows Update is working

Ken wrote:

> Not sure how to do this, but here goes.

> Have a student running XP SP3 who wants to know that she's up to

> date with her updates. Windows settings say automatic updates are

> on. When she tries to run the manual update it fails. Windows

> suggests settings, which we set, but to no avail. Downloaded latest

> WU utility, still nothing. Tried the NJR fix, nothing. Just

> downloaded the REGISTERY.BAT file I found here, and will try it and

> post results here.

> Please let me know what additional information you need and what I

> need to do to allow her to simply click on the Windows Update and

> successfully check her system.

Control Panel --> Add or Remove Programs --> Check the "Show Updates"

box --> Look through the dates for things having been installed, got any

recent ones for the Windows Updates?

Ignore the title and follow the sub-section under

"Advanced Troubleshooting" titled,

"Method 1: Reset the registry and the file permissions"

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377

*will take time

** Ignore the last step (6) - you already have SP3...

You will likely see errors pass by if you watching, even count up. No

worries *at this time*.

*After* that is done, continue on to the next part where you clean off

some excess (unnecessary) files. It only removes those you definitely

do not need, if you follow the directions *as given* and do not deviate.

So reboot (for each of these steps, it is just best to reboot right

before - but I will continue to point that out) and logon as an user with

administrative priviledges.

Download/install the "Windows Installer CleanUp Utility":

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN

(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)

--> type in:

"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!

--> Click OK.

(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

It will flash by *quick*, don't expect much out of this step to get

excited about. But the cleaner your machine is to start with, the

better your luck will be later (not really luck - more like preparedness,

but that's not as fun to think about, eh?)

Reboot again and logon as an user with administrative priviledges.

This time (and this is one of the more time-consuming steps) you will be

running (one at a time with reboots in-between each) three different

anti-spyware/anti-malware applications to ensure you come up clean.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan with the following

(freeware version):

SuperAntiSpyware

http://www.superantispyware.com/

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan with the following

(freeware version):

MalwareBytes

http://www.malwarebytes.com/

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download and run the MSRT manually:

http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

You may find nothing, you may find only cookies, you may think it is a

waste of time - but if you do all this and report back here with what you

do/don't find as you are doing all of it - you are adding more pieces to

the puzzle and the entire picture just may become clearer and your

problem resolved.

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):

( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )

http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?familyid=5A58B56F-60B6-4412-95B9-54D056D6F9F4&displaylang=en

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237

.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the

root of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:

%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE

--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on

NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot and logon as administrative user.

Repeat this step again, Visit this web page (in Internet Explorer):

How do I reset Windows Update components?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

.... and click on the "Microsoft Fix it" icon. When asked, select "RUN",

both times. Check the "I agree" box and click on "Next". Check the box

for "Run aggressive options (not recommended)" and click "Next". Let

it finish up and follow the prompts until it is done. Close/exit and

reboot when it is.

You should now perform a full CHKDSK on your system drive (C:)...

How to scan your disks for errors

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265

* will take time and a reboot

You should now perform a full Defragment on your system drive (C:)...

How to Defragment your hard drives

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848

* will take time

Uninstall any and all third-party firewall applications (ZoneAlarm, etc)

and utilize the built-in Windows Firewall only.

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer

and visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a

CUSTOM scan...

Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -

first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can

release the CTRL key after clicking each time.

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates

(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a

time. Rebooting as needed.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend

against the "Windows Search" one and any of the "Office Live" ones or

"Windows Live" ones for now. I would completely avoid the

Optional Hardware updates. Also - I do not see any urgent need to

install Internet Explorer 8 at this time.

Seriously - do all that. This is like antibiotics - don't skip a single

step, don't quit because you think things will be okay now - go through

until the end, until you have done everything given in the order given. If

you have a problem with a step come ask and let someone here get you

through that step. If you don't understand how to do a step, come back

and ask here about that step and let someone walk you through it.

Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if

you have more issues.

--

Shenan Stanley

MS-MVP

--

How To Ask Questions The Smart Way

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html