Re: Automatic Updates/SP3 Question

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

[X-post to Windows Update NG]

Get the rest of the updates installed and eventually the contents of the
SoftwareDistribution folder will reduce markedly in size.

Can you install the remaining (post-SP3) updates via
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

Daave wrote:
> My co-worker's wife asked me to look at her Dell Inspiron 5100 laptop.
> It turns out her brother was messing with the Dial-Up settings for some
> reason, but I fixed them.
>
> However, I noticed that this Dell, which is at SP level 2 had the yellow
> shield with the exclamation point in the systray. Apparently, SP3 had
> been downloaded and was ready to be installed. My friend, knowing I'd
> probably have better luck than he or his wife would have, asked me if I
> would mind installing it, and I agreed to do so. I ran into an odd, but
> unfortunately common problem (the stupid "cannot copy the Beethov9.wma
> file" issue). It was too much effort to force the square peg into the
> round hole, so I figured I'd just install the usual way from my Service
> Pack 3 CD, which went smoothly.
>
> But I'm still getting the Windows Update alert. I noticed also that the
> Download folder (I'm pretty sure that's where the *other* SP3
> installation file is located) in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution is
> quite large (521 MB). What is best practice in this situation? I'd like
> to simply delete the contents of this folder, but are there any other
> steps? I don't want to badly bork any future Windows Updates!

[Daave]

Thanks for cross-posting, by the way, PA Bear.

To my knowledge, there are no other updates in the SoftwareDistribution
folder. It's just the SP3 update, which of course is not necessary now
since I installed it using the CD. But the alert is still telling me it
needs to be installed! I suppose, I could image the hard drive and go
ahead with the update to see what might happen. But frankly, I'm in no
mood to experiment. I just want to know what standard operating
procedure is in a situation like this. Bottom line: What's the proper
way to eliminate this incorrect alert?

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:OEs%23c0oQ...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Ignore the SoftwareDistribution folder for now, please. Assuming updates
are available at Windows Update, can you successfully install them?

Right-click on My Computer | Properties: Does the General tab confirm that
WinXP SP3 has installed?

[Daave]

SP3 indeed had been installed (that was never in doubt).

I just visited the WU site. There was only one high-priority update to
be installed: KB951978 (the other six software updates were optional).
The update required a reboot. After the reboot, all was well: the update
had been installed and the pesky notification icon did *not* appear.
However, the Software Distribution folder is still quite large. But
perhaps it's supposed to be.

I suppose everything worked out fine. I was just concerned about a
potential conflict, but it looks like that won't be happening. Thank for
your input.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:esu$eErQJH...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[MowGreen [MVP]]

> However, the Software Distribution folder is still quite large. But
> perhaps it's supposed to be.

IF Automatic Updates is functioning properly then the downloaded updates
should be cycled off of the system in time.
If you do not want to wait for this to occur, stop the update service
and BITS service
Start > Run > type in the following and then click OK or press Enter

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits

Show hidden files, folders, and system files
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial62.html#winxp

and then navigate to WINDOWS\SofwareDistribution\Download and manually
delete all of the subfolder's content.
Either restart the system now to start the stopped services or

Start > Run >

net start bits
net start wuauserv

NOTE: BITS is not always set to Automatic on Startup and may not need to
be stopped. Automatic updating can be done when it's set to Manual on
Startup.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2009]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

[Daave]

"MowGreen [MVP]" <mowg...@nowandzen.com> wrote in message
news:uKYhUX2Q...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

>> However, the Software Distribution folder is still quite large. But
>> perhaps it's supposed to be.
>
> IF Automatic Updates is functioning properly then the downloaded
> updates should be cycled off of the system in time.
> If you do not want to wait for this to occur, stop the update service
> and BITS service
> Start > Run > type in the following and then click OK or press Enter
>
> net stop wuauserv
> net stop bits
>
> Show hidden files, folders, and system files
> http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial62.html#winxp
>
> and then navigate to WINDOWS\SofwareDistribution\Download and manually
> delete all of the subfolder's content.
> Either restart the system now to start the stopped services or
>
> Start > Run >
>
> net start bits
> net start wuauserv
>
> NOTE: BITS is not always set to Automatic on Startup and may not need
> to be stopped. Automatic updating can be done when it's set to Manual
> on Startup.

Excellent. Thanks, Mow!

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Very good. The size of SoftwareDistribution folder should decrease
automatically over time. That being said, here's a variation on Mow's last
post:

1. Stop the Automatic Updates service:

Start > Run > (type in) services.msc > [OK]
Double-click Automatic Updates > Click on Stop
(Stopping the service will take a moment)

2. Delete the contents of the Download folder:

Start > Run > (type in) %windir%\SoftwareDistribution > [OK]
Open the Download folder and delete its contents
Close the window.

3. Start the Automatic Updates service:

Start > Run > (type in) services.msc > [OK]
Double-click Automatic Updates > Click on Start
(Starting the service will take a moment)