Update for XP

[Joe]

My XP service pack 3 computer has stopped updating. Automatic updates are on
but nothing has shown since an update in September for Silverlight. Have
gone to Update and update comes back with no new updates. There are no error
messeges. Belarc Advisor says that I am missing 50 updates. My other XP
computers are updating fine.
Please advise.

--
Joe

[Shenan Stanley]

Time to cleanup and verify your update system is working as intended. ;-)

First - please state your full Windows XP edition and version.

Start button --> RUN
(no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
--> type in:
winver
--> Click OK.

The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
(Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version"
will give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this
message verbatim. ;-)

Now - continuing with the cleanup...

Download/install this:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

After installing, do the following:

Start button --> RUN --> type in:
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows Installer Clean Up\msizap.exe" g!
--> Click OK.
(The quotation marks and percentage signs and spacing should be exact.)

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Download and run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx

Reboot.

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...

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.

Then follow the instructions here:

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Reboot.

CHKDSK
How to scan your disks for errors
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
* will take time and a reboot

Defragment
How to Defragment your hard drives
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
* will take time

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

[Ǝиçεl]

Hello Joe,

Go ahead and download Dial-ª-Fix.

<http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix> (Download near bottom)

Click the green checkmark and click Go.

After it has finished, Reboot

Try Windows Update and see if you can get your updates installed.
<http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/>

Let us know what hªppens.

I hope this post is helpful.

Ǝиçεl
©¿©¬
-=-

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Can you reach and do a CUSTOM scan here? =>
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002
www.banthecheck.com

[Joe]

--
Joe

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

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

> .
> Thank you for trying to help me.
I am running Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp.080212-0005: Service Pack 3, v3311.
I have been using Avast Anti-virus since day 1 of this machine.
I followed your answer and the other two replies with no relieve.
Any time I go to Microsoft Update I get a "no updates are available for your
computer" be it High Priority, software, hardware, etc.
If I manually download a missing update it installs fine.

Is there maybe a registry key to look at for this.

Thanks,
Joe

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

TIP: If you're going to bottom-post replies, don't automatically add a
signature.

[Shenan Stanley]

Joe wrote:
> My XP service pack 3 computer has stopped updating. Automatic updates are
> on
> but nothing has shown since an update in September for Silverlight. Have
> gone to Update and update comes back with no new updates. There are no
> error
> messeges. Belarc Advisor says that I am missing 50 updates. My other XP
> computers are updating fine.
> Please advise.

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> Time to cleanup and verify your update system is working as intended. ;-)
>
> First - please state your full Windows XP edition and version.
>
> Start button --> RUN
> (no "RUN"? Press the "Windows Key" + R on your keyboard)
> --> type in:
> winver
> --> Click OK.
>
> The picture at the top of the window that opens will give you the general
> (Operating System name) while the line starting with the word "version"
> will give you the rest of the story. Post _both_ in response to this
> message verbatim. ;-)
>
> Now - continuing with the cleanup...

<snipped>

> Then - when done - let everyone here know if it worked for you - or if you
> have more issues.

Joe wrote:
> I am running Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp.080212-0005: Service Pack 3,
> v3311.
> I have been using Avast Anti-virus since day 1 of this machine.
> I followed your answer and the other two replies with no relieve.
> Any time I go to Microsoft Update I get a "no updates are available for
> your
> computer" be it High Priority, software, hardware, etc.
> If I manually download a missing update it installs fine.
>
> Is there maybe a registry key to look at for this.

Answering your direct question - no.

Looking at your version - that seems wrong - double-check that.

First - you never gave the edition. I asked for "both" components - the
picture and the version line.

Second - did you install a pre-release SP3? A release candidate or beta
maybe? Because if you had the full release of SP3, your version line would
look more like this:

Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435 : Service Pack 3)

You are missing some vital parts there. Could be you installed a
pre-release SP3 and never uninstalled it to install the full version.

Assuming that is incorrect (although sure looks like it.)...

So you can go to Windows Update web page (
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ ) and actually do a custom scan?

Then Belarc is - as I hinted at - not correct. You most likely have all the
updates you need. It would not be the first time some third party
application was installed on WIndows to do something Windows already does
and the third party application was wrong.

Uninstall Belarc. Either stop using it or download/install the latest
version after you uninstall the version you are using and rebooted.

If you scan with it again and it says you need an update - look through your
Add or Remove Programs control panel (with "Show Updates" checked) to make
sure the ones it is telling you that you need are not there. If they are
not - list some (if not all) of the ones it is telling you here.

Then run an actual Microsoft tool against your Microsoft system to check for
security updates:
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/cc184923.aspx

Download, install (next, accept, next, next, install, OK) and run it from
the start menu.

Scan a computer, uncheck everything but:
- Check for security updates

Under that make sure the following is checked/selected:
- Configure computers for Microsoft Update and scanning prerequisites
- Advanced Update Services Options:
- Scan using Microsoft Update only

Then click on "Start Scan" (Will take a few minutes.)

What - if anything - does it say you are missing?

[Shenan Stanley]

Shenan Stanley wrote:
<snipped>

> Looking at your version - that seems wrong - double-check that.
>
> First - you never gave the edition. I asked for "both" components - the
> picture and the version line.
>
> Second - did you install a pre-release SP3? A release candidate or beta
> maybe? Because if you had the full release of SP3, your version line
> would look more like this:
>
> Version 5.1 (Build 2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435 : Service Pack 3)
>
> You are missing some vital parts there. Could be you installed a
> pre-release SP3 and never uninstalled it to install the full version.

<snipped>

You can ignore all other suggestions made so far except what is above. You
have Release Candidate 2 of Service Pack 3 installed. Essentially - other
than manual updates - you have received practically nothing since you
installed the release candidate version of SP3 and never uninstalled it and
installed the actual full version of Windows XP SP3.

Uninstall (through control panel) the Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release
Candidate 2 and then download and install the full SP3. Then try your
updates again.

[Joe]

Your fix is right on.
Thanks for taking your time to help me.
--
Joe

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> .
>

[Shenan Stanley]

<snipped>

Shenan Stanley wrote:
> You can ignore all other suggestions made so far except what is
> above. You have Release Candidate 2 of Service Pack 3 installed.
> Essentially - other than manual updates - you have received
> practically nothing since you installed the release candidate
> version of SP3 and never uninstalled it and installed the actual
> full version of Windows XP SP3.
>
> Uninstall (through control panel) the Windows XP Service Pack 3
> Release Candidate 2 and then download and install the full SP3.
> Then try your updates again.

Joe wrote:
> Your fix is right on.
> Thanks for taking your time to help me.

Glad to help you get it sorted.

Thank you for coming back to let me know it helped and for your patience in
answering my queries!