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Problem installing Update for Windows XP KB898461

Discussion in 'Windows XP' started by poetink, 2009/02/07.

  1. 2009/02/07
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Hi,

    A friend of mine recently gave me his old computer. It's running windows xp home edition with service pack 3 ( I installed SP3 when I got it).

    The only annoying problem I'm having is with Microsoft update. The Update for Windows XP KB898461 fails to install.

    According to the update history, my friend seems to have had the same problem with this update as far back as December 2007. Other updates on the list installed successfully, so I can't understand what could be wrong?

    The only answer I may have come up with is when I downloaded this update from the Microsoft catalog and tried installing it manually. while it was installing, it stopped with an error that the spuninst.exe file wouldn't install, and asked me to choose another possible location to put the file in or just skip it and continue (I didn't do either and just canceled the install).

    I tried googling the spuninst file, and couldn't find any clear answers anywhere on what to do.

    Thanks for any help. :)
     
  2. 2009/02/08
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    The update was released on 6/27/2005...And from what I understand, you can't do updates via the normal update site with out it...Will the pc do updates?
     

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  4. 2009/02/08
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Is Windows Update offering this?
     
    Arie,
    #3
  5. 2009/02/08
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Yeah, I know what you're talking about. This update puts a permanent version of installer on your computer which enables the updates to download at a smaller size.

    As for it doing updates. Well, sort of. As I said in my original post, a couple of updates installed successfully for me when I first started using the computer.


    Yes. This is definitely the real windows/Microsoft update site offering this if that's what you mean Arie.

    Here's a list (copied from the update history page) of the updates that did install successfully from the earliest to the latest....


    Update for Windows XP (KB942763) Thursday, February 07, 2008 Automatic Updates

    (This update above installed successfully when my friend still owned this computer. And from the point of the one above to the next one below, the update that's giving me problems came up and failed to install a total of 14 times, from Feb. 11 2008 to Jan. 26 2009)


    Windows Update Agent 7.2.6001.788 Monday, January 26, 2009 Automatic Updates

    (The one above is the first one that installed successfully after I got the computer. And the update that came in prior to this is the one that's failing to install)

    Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130) Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Windows Update

    (above is the second)

    Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - January 2009 (KB890830) - IE Version Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Other Source

    (This one above I obviously must have gotten when I installed IE 7 which would explain why it came from "other source ". The same will go for the next 3 below)...


    Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 Dynamic Installer for Windows XP (KB956390) Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Other Source

    Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 7 Dynamic Installer for Windows XP (KB958215) Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Other Source

    Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - January 2009 (KB890830) - IE Version Tuesday, January 27, 2009 Other Source

    Hope this helps you to help me with this problem. Thanks
     
    Last edited: 2009/02/08
  6. 2009/02/08
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Just a side note to let you know.

    The first time the update failed, the computer had service pack 2 installed. That's what prompted me to try putting in SP3, I thought this would solve the problem, but it obviously didn't.
     
  7. 2009/02/09
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Find error codes associated with the failing update in the WindowsUpdate.log.

    To open this log, go to Start > Run and type

    %windir%/WindowsUpdate.log

    and press OK.

    Post relevant info here.

    For more information see: How to read the Windowsupdate.log file
     
    Arie,
    #6
  8. 2009/02/09
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Ok, if I'm reading the log file correctly Arie, there seem to be 2 error codes associated with this. the first one shows up like this:

    2009-02-08 19:55:51:953 2560 510 Handler : Install completed: result type = 0x2, installer error = False, error = 0x8007f00d, disabled until reboot = No, reboot required = No

    And here is the second on the line directly below the one I posted above:

    2009-02-08 19:55:51:953 2560 510 Handler FATAL: UH: 0x80242008: HandleSingleUpdate failed in CUHWindowsPatchHandler::HandleMultipleUpdates
     
  9. 2009/02/10
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Is there AV scanning software running on the PC? If so, stop it, and try updating again.

     
    Arie,
    #8
  10. 2009/02/10
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Yes. I'm using the free version of Avast anti-virus.

    And unfortunately, I already did disable it and tried WU again with no luck.

    And I also had the firewall disabled too.

    And according to the windows security center, Avast seems to be the only AV program that's running. I don't think my friend had any other AV software installed when he owned the computer. I would assume it would probably show up in the task bar, or maybe even in the start up list in MSCONFIG, but I see nothing there.

    About an hour ago I did a full AV scan with avast and after that I did a full scan for spyware and the like with superantispyware and neither one found anything at all, so I guess spyware or a virus causing this problem is probably out.

    But one thing did happen after avast finished scanning. Even though it reported 0 viruses, a prompt came up that mentioned something about that spunist.exe I mentioned that caused my manual installation of the update to stop. It didn't say it was a virus though. But it was giving me the options to delete it or send it to the virus vault. The repair option was disabled. I took no action at all and just closed the window.

    What is it with this spuninst file? I assume it stands for "service pack uninstall" right?
     
  11. 2009/02/10
    Admin.

    Admin. Administrator Administrator Staff

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    You may want to start a free Windows Update support incident
    request: https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527


    =============================
    Support for Windows Update:
    http://support.microsoft.com/gp/wusupport

    For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY in the United States and in Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary. There is no-charge for support calls that are associated with security updates. When you call, clearly state that your problem is related to a Security Update and cite the update's KB number (e.g., KB123456).

    For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary for security update support issues, visit the International Support Web site: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

    For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through your usual support contacts.


    Yea, suppose.
     
  12. 2009/02/10
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Thanks Arie, I'll get on that ASAP. :)
     
  13. 2009/02/10
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    I just sent out the help request. Now I guess I just have to wait the 8 business days they say it will take for a reply, and see what comes of it. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks for your help Arie.

    I've been a member of this board since 2002, and I'm really glad it's still around. :)
     
  14. 2009/02/11
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Your welcome!

    Yup, we've been around for a while & have no intentions of going anywhere ;)

    As for sending you 'off' to Microsoft, it seems to be some problem with only this specific update, so MS might have additional information that we don't have.
     
  15. 2009/02/11
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Yeah, hopefully they will be able to figure something out. I just got an auto reply from them letting me know that someone will be contacting me within 24 hours. So maybe I won't be waiting 8 days after all! :D

    Again, I will definitely post here what happens in hopes it may help someone else who may be experiencing this problem (If it gets solved of course). LOL
     
  16. 2009/02/17
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Resolved!

    Well, through I guess maybe sheer luck, my problem with Windows Update is finally resolved.

    If you remember, I mentioned in my initial post that when I tried to install the problem update manually, it was halted because of the "spuninst.exe" file.

    What happened was, after I removed a few viruses on my computer (the thread for this is here): http://www.windowsbbs.com/malware-virus-removal/81484-active-all-system-tray-icons-gone.html

    I ran my Avast anti-virus program to make sure there were no more viruses lingering, and when it was done, among the other files it found for removal, the spunist.exe file was on the list. It didn't seem to be listed as a virus threat but instead said something about it not being able to be scanned, (which happened before as I mentioned in one of my other posts in this thread where I took no action) so this time I deleted it. Then on a hunch, I downloaded the problem update and tried again to install it manually and this time it was successful!

    I then went to windows update, scanned, and the flood gates opened! All the latest updates were now there! (33 security updates had to be installed).

    As they were installing, a few of them failed, but I was able to successfully install them manually. So I'm happy to report, that I am now currently up to date with my security updates. (as well as a couple of hardware driver updates that were listed) :)

    Hopefully a resolution like this will be helpful to someone else which is why I'm posting it. I've found that sometimes the most oddball things can happen that will end up fixing a computer problem.

    Thanks to all who posted here trying to help, I really appreciate it. :)
     
    Last edited: 2009/02/17
  17. 2009/02/17
    Arie

    Arie Administrator Administrator Staff

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    Great you got it sorted!
     
  18. 2009/02/17
    poetink

    poetink Inactive Thread Starter

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    Yes. Thankfully. :) I assume that the problem may have been the spunist.exe file was corrupted or something.
     

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