I can download but can't install Windows XP Updates

Anyone else having problems installing XP updates? I recently formatted my Dell hard drive and reinstalled XP. I can install the Windows 3.1 installer. When I reboot i'm requested to install another/new Windows Installer.

When I go back to download my updates I can download everyone one of them. But it fails when trying to install them.

I tried rebooting and tried to download and install them again and they all fail repeatedly. I even did a reformat and reinstall and no luck. Is this Microsoft's way of getting everybody to use Vista?, LOL.

I may have to fall back on Vista, LOL. Please somebody, save me from that OS.

 

Any chance you can just download Windows XP SP3 directly from Microsoft and let that install? You may have better luck installing updates after that. Make sure you're either going through a NAT router or you don't connect any networking until after you've logged into Windows. Pre-SP2 XP starts up the networking before bringing up the firewall, which unfortunately gives enough time for it to get infected. I've seen it happen firsthand You can't download anything fast enough to block it.

 

I had exactly the same problem several weeks ago on my XP Pro installation, and this is the solution I got from MS that worked for me - mind you, your mileage may vary!

On my system, the problem was a corrupted Win Update Agent, which was fixed by:

If that doesn't work, the second possible fix I was given (which I didn't need to use, so I don't know if it'll help, but I'll pass it along anyways) was reregistering some of the .dll files, as follows:

Give those a try - #1 first - reinstalling Update Agent, and then #2, and see if that doesn't help anything.

 

If it's the same problem I had, then the answer is probably "no" because you're still getting messed up with a corrupted Update Agent.

 

Quite possible. But it'll at least get him most of the recent patches in one shot.

 

Thanks fellas.

I do tend to feel it's a corrupted Win Update Agent as Shyster stated because everything is fine until MS forces me to download the new windows update installer. I think this new windows updater is relatively new.

Right after that it requires a reboot. I then proceed to do my downloads and everything downloads but basically aborts when attemting to install the patches.

I remember having similar problems when Win SP3 was released. After SP3 was installed you could not install any subsequent updates. You could download them but was unable to install them. Afterward MS figured out the problem.

 

I was unable to get SP3 via the Windows Update but I was able to download and install.

 

Rodknee -

Any success? I'm having the EXACT same issue. I did a clean install on my Dell Latitude, tried doing the updates - they download but won't install. So I reimaged AGAIN, and AGAIN will download but won't install. I tried Shyster's fix (both of them) but neither worked. I've resorted to manually installing all the updates that have downloaded (all 99 of them!).

It's driving me CRAZY.

Thanks.

 

Nope it didn't work for me either. I decided to downgrade to Vista until Microsoft fixes the problem. I'm sure they're getting tons of hate mail over this.

 

Well there is a manual way around it - make a note of the KB numbers next to the updates (most of the M$ ones have them or make a note of the name if they don't) and then search the M$ site for them.

I had 25 updates, after installing SP3, that wouldn't install, sounds like a similar problem to what you've been experiencing. Anyway long story short I thought F this and just dl'd each update manually and installed them manually.

 

There's a series of about 15 steps you can follow to repair most windows update issues--fortunately, this fellow made a program to run the them all from a nice little gui

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144

as other fourm post here kb on update not work after windows install

as other fourm member said reinstall windows update agent be sure you use command line switch /wuforce

 

I actually had some issues with this a weekend ago. I decided to reinstall XP on my 9-year old HP. When the time came to install updates, they all just failed. After following MS's useless instructions, I just downloaded all the updates by hand...Painful to say the least.

 

Thanks Gerry! I will definitely try the dial-a-fix app...hopefully it will work.

Unfortunately it will have to be on the next machine.

I have since installed SP3 (which I really hated to do b/c I've had issues with it on other machines) and after doing so updates are downloading & installing without any issues.

I wonder if this is an attempt to "force" SP3 installation?

 

Well here's my conclusion. MS somehow has a broken Windows Updater with a new update to Windows Installer 3.1 which by the way takes place after you are required to install Windows Installer 3.1

The problem is basically you can't download and install batch updates as jedavisii pointed out. OTOH you can just download and install each individual update until MS realizes they borked Windows Updater for XP.

 

It can't be just as simple as that. Since I got my issue with the Update Agent fixed several weeks ago, I haven't had a lick of trouble with updating.

 

Me too!

There was another thread going around regarding something similar, when the windows updater was updated... but I have never had a problem with any updates, to be honest, before or after.... even the update agent update went on well.. had a notification, just clicked yes and it was done.

 

It's interesting because I went ahead and installed SP3 first.t did not force me to install Windows Installer 3.1

I was able to install SP3 and the subsequent updates after SP3.

 

I quite agree that it's interesting; I figured that my problem was just due to the fact that I had just upgraded from OEM XP Home to Retail XP Pro using a retail upgrade shrink-wrap, and that because I did it on top of a well-used installation of OEM Home, and because I actually had to uninstall SP3 before I could get the upgrade CD to work, and then had to go back and reinstall SP3 after I did the upgrade, that there was just a lot of clutter and mess in the system files that finally did in the Update Agent.