Windows Update problems - you may be affected too

I set my computers to notify me of Microsoft updates. I realised after a while that I hadn't been receiving notifications.

I've used a few computers that are SP1 or SP2 to do the manual Windows Update - all of them find updates and can download them, yet none of my computers can install anything - nothing at all, not even minor updates. Everything Microsoft are offering me is failing to install.


Anybody else getting this? Anyone know how to resolve it - Microsoft seem unaware?

Try checking for updates manually - coz your PC may not be doing it itself.

This has happened to me and the only way I managed to fix it was to reinstall windows. Try a windows repair.

A viru may be messing up exe files on your machine. This will often cause installers to fail because they are unable to extract data properly (since the virus has altered it).

If you go to the windowsupdate.microsoft.com and try to run a manual update, does it give you any errors?

Some time ago Microsoft added a 'genuine advantage' check, to verify that people had an original copy of XP. Does your PC pass this test if you try a manual update?
Another thing: Make sure that you have sufficient free spac eon your C: drive. Many updates will fail without error if you are low on drivespace.

Also clean out every temp file dir. I've had old MS installers for things lying around before and it's screwed up the new ones.

I had a piece of MALware on my system called Windows. AdawareSE found it... the latest update managed to remove it... before that it caused my system to crash after it had been scanned.

This is a real notice... not making fun of WINDOWS... Most people would see that in a summary and think the program CRAZY for asking to delete Windows...

Sniffing-nora.

This would seem to be due to the 'Windows Genuine Advantage Validation' thing.

Now when I go to Windows Updates - instead of getting a list of updates to install, it tells me I have to install Windows Genuine Advantage Validation - however, as per my initital problem - it will download it but won't install it.

I'm going to try a few "puki"-tricks to bypass this problem though.


Those people who have yet to validate their copy of Windows should do so now to avoid Microsoft slamming the door in your face.

Sounds to me that it's a case of not being able to run MS installers, since you can't even install the WGA dlls.

Not that there aren't ways around that anyway.

I've also run into a couple of perfectly legal Windows installs where I can run the updates manually, and the genuine advantage check completes succesfully, but when going to control panel -> automatic updates everything is greyed out... so can't schedule anything.

Any thoughts on that?

format your c: drive!

done.

Now what? ;-)

xlsior I have a better idea. Automatic Updates options are greyed out if, and this is just one example, au options are set in group/local policies. Or, or a network with WinServer dishing out group policies...

Just don't update XP, except the vital patches. I've never had a problem :o) SP1 and 2 just don't seem appealing to me. Don't fix, what ain't broke.

You realise of course they stopped releasing vital patches for XPSP0 after SP2 was released... =] Can't complain about what you aren't receiving I suppose...

No group policy that prohibit them is in place -- the vast majority of other workstations loggin in to the same domain have no problems running the updates automatically.



...Except MS now has a minimum requirement of SP1 to run any security updates on XP, critical or otherwise. If you didn't install any servicepacks, you aren't getting any updates.

(And there are tons -- I just did an XP install, applied SP2, and Windows Update served another 39 critical updates after that.)

I assume noone set any local policies either then =] Just asking, cuz I remember around the time MS switched from Windows Update to MS update, there was software/one or two updates distributed by them that actually tampered with those settings... Also, I've seen programs that grey out Windows Firewall settings, so it's probably possible that programs could do the same for automatic updates. But it's probably a MS thing...