Uninstalled updates - how to restore

[Alison]

I had a bit of a problem with a whole pile of updates going onto my external
hard drive instead of my Windows internal drive.

In my infinite wisdom, I decided to uninstall the updates so that I could
switch off my external drive and force them to reinstall back onto my
internal drive.

My problem is - I can't get the updates to update! I uninstalled SP3, .NET
Framework, Windows Live Sign in Assistant and I can't get any of them back.
When I check for updates, none of them are showing. I've tried searching for
the updates on Microsoft but I'm not getting a Download button. Just a list
of files to download at the bottom of the page. Do I need to download all of
them before I can get back to a point that I was at before?

I even tried System Restore to go back to before I uninstalled the updates
but my System Restore isn't working - it's not restoring back.

Any help gratefully received.

Alison

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

While Windows Update may have located the installers for the updates on the
external drive, there's no way the updates were "installed" on that drive.

Right-click on My Computer & select Properties. What WinXP version is
displayed in the resulting General tab?

See...

How to determine which versions of the .NET Framework are installed and
whether service packs have been applied
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318785

What .NET Framework version and SPs do you find when you follow those
instructions?

What version of Windows Live Messenger is installed (see Help | About tab)?

> I even tried System Restore to go back to before I uninstalled the updates
> but my System Restore isn't working - it's not restoring back.

Well, you do NOT want use System Restore to "undo" an update, Service Pack,
or IE upgrade. That being said, the fact that System Restore "isn't
working" is NOT a good sign.

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)? Were any of these applications running
in the background when you installed or uninstalled SP3?

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

[Alison]

> .
>

The Windows XP version is Home Edition Service Pack 3 - though if I look at
my Add/Remove Programmes, service Pack 3 isn't showing at all.

Windows Live is Version 2009 Build 14.0.8089.726

.NET Framework shows as:

.NET Framework 1.1
.NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 2
.NET Framework 3.0 Service Pack 2
.NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1

I've also got :
Visual C++ 2005 ATL Update kb973925 x86 8.0.50727.4053
Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable
Visual C++ 2008 ATL Update kb973924 x86 9.0.30729.4148
Visual C++ 2008 Redistributable x86 9.0.30729.17

My Antivirus is Avira Premium Security Suite and is current and up to date

I also run a current full version of Malwarebytes

They were both running at all times during updates and uninstalling.

The firewall is built into Avira

I don't believe I'm running Defender - not to my knowledge anyway.

I've also got:

Windows Live Essentials
Windows Live Sync
Windows Live Upload Tool

I've never had Norton or McAfee on this computer

Looking at my Add/Remove Programmes, I don't appear to have any XP updates
showing.

I think I've made a bit of a mess.................................:(

Many thanks for your help.

Alison

[to restore system@discussions.microsoft.com tried to restore system]

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Alison wrote:
>>> I had a bit of a problem with a whole pile of updates going onto my
>>> external
>>> hard drive instead of my Windows internal drive.
>>>
>>> In my infinite wisdom, I decided to uninstall the updates so that I
>>> could
>>> switch off my external drive and force them to reinstall back onto my
>>> internal drive.
>>>
>>> My problem is - I can't get the updates to update! I uninstalled SP3,
>>> .NET
>>> Framework, Windows Live Sign in Assistant and I can't get any of them
>>> back.
>>> When I check for updates, none of them are showing. I've tried
>>> searching
>>> for the updates on Microsoft but I'm not getting a Download button.
>>> Just
>>> a
>>> list of files to download at the bottom of the page. Do I need to
>>> download
>>> all of them before I can get back to a point that I was at before?
>>>
>>> I even tried System Restore to go back to before I uninstalled the
>>> updates
>>> but my System Restore isn't working - it's not restoring back.
>>

> Many thanks for your help.

[OK, we'll bottom-post...]

I'm afraid you've made a BIG ol' mess, one that may require you to format
and do a clean install of WinXP.

> Looking at my Add/Remove Programmes, I don't appear to have any XP updates
> showing.

1. Look again, this time making sure that the SHOW UPDATES box at the top is
checked.

2. Enable 'Show Hidden Files and Folders' per this tutorial:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial62.html

3. Now open Windows Explorer to C:\WINDOWS <=this folder and tell me if you
see any folders with a name similar to this=> $NtUninstallKB987654$

TIP: When Automatic Updates is installing an update, it will use the
available drive with the most free space. As such, it is NOT a wise idea to
keep an external drive (including flash drives) permanently connected to
your computer.

[Alison]

> .
>

I've checked again and checked the "show updates" box and I do have Windows
XP Updates - dozens of them!!! I'm no expert, but to me they look like SP2
updates because they're all dated for last year (apart from a few where I've
tried to update a few days ago). Do you need me to list them all?

I've also checked on Windows Explorer as instructed and I have unbelievable
amounts of files that start similarly to the one you named but none of that
exact name. Did it have to be that exact folder name?

I didn't realise about having an external hard drive permanently attached
too. Lesson learned - I'll be disconnecting it unless I'm going to be using
it!

Thanks again for your help - it is much appreciated.

Alison

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

> I've checked again and checked the "show updates" box and I do have
> Windows
> XP Updates - dozens of them!!! I'm no expert, but to me they look like
> SP2
> updates because they're all dated for last year (apart from a few where
> I've
> tried to update a few days ago). Do you need me to list them all?
>
> I've also checked on Windows Explorer as instructed and I have
> unbelievable
> amounts of files that start similarly to the one you named but none of
> that
> exact name. Did it have to be that exact folder name?
>
> I didn't realise about having an external hard drive permanently attached
> too. Lesson learned - I'll be disconnecting it unless I'm going to be
> using
> it!
>
> Thanks again for your help - it is much appreciated.

You're welcome.

No, I don't need you to list all of the updates found in Add/Remove
Programs. But I would like to know if "Windows XP Service Pack 3" is one of
them? Look at the very bottom of the list.

No, I don't need to know anymore about the files named $NtUninstallKBnnnnnn$
(where n = a number). Everything's OK.

Right-click on MY COMPUTER then click on PROPERTIES: What WinXP version is
listed on the resulting General tab?

[Alison]

> .
>

It's Service Pack 3 that's showing when I get the properties for my computer.

However, Service Pack 3 isn't showing up at all on my Add/Remove programmes
- that looks like it's just SP2 and related updates on there - they're all
quite old - last year.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

> It's Service Pack 3 that's showing when I get the properties for my
> computer.
>
> However, Service Pack 3 isn't showing up at all on my Add/Remove
> programmes
> - that looks like it's just SP2 and related updates on there - they're all
> quite old - last year.

SP3 isn't displayed kos the requisite files to uninstall it were on the
external drive. In the highly-unlikely event that you'd need to uninstall
SP3, you wouldn't be able to do so.

The above notwithstanding, everything /appears/ to be in order but we'll
only know for sure when the next batch of updates are released two weeks
from today on 10 Nov-09 (assuming the batch includes updates for WinXP).

FYI, you can regain quite a bit of space on your HDD now that SP3's been
installed (and especially since you wouldn't be able to uninstall it). See
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=33827

[Alison]

> .
>

Thank you so much for your help. I'll await the next batch of updates.
Everything seems to be OK - apart from my Windows Live - it's not storing my
ID and I have to sign in every time, but I can live with that.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Alison wrote:
<snip>

> Thank you so much for your help. I'll await the next batch of updates.
> Everything seems to be OK - apart from my Windows Live - it's not storing
> my
> ID and I have to sign in every time, but I can live with that.

YW. If you select the "remember me" option, your Live ID username should be
prepopulated in the log-on window but no matter what you do, your password
will not (despite the "remember my password" option).