WU freezes at "preparing for download"

I have about 1/2 dozen computers that will not install the last TWO months of Windows Updates. Tried several internet search solutions with no success. Finally frustrated with all the suggested solutions, I called Microsoft (with update issued it's free) and they have not fixed problem either.

Has/Does anyone else experience this and/or what solutions do you suggest??

 

Hello Suzette,

Go to WU and use the Administrative Options (left panel) > Windows Update Catalog.

Then go to the appropriate category, ie, Home - Pro SP1/2 and > search, then look for KB #'s and download. These are stand alone setup files for the updates. Then you can use them on all the machines.

Regards - Charles

 

Forgot to mention the 3rd category - XP SP2 (not specific to Home/Pro). If you don't find the KB's you're looking for in the other two, that's where they will be.

Regards - Charles

 

one down-seven to go

Hi Charles:

Thanks for the tid-bit. I will give this approach a try on the other seven computers that are having WU problems. This one worked after I downloaded manually, all 9 updates, installed and rebooted/rebooted and rebooted.

Seems that has to be an easier way to do this. I don't think all my users will be very happy with this solution if it has to be done monthly.

Thanks again!

 

Hi Suzette,

Then you can use them on all the machines.
Just in case I didn't make myself clear, those KB setup files can be copied to the other user's systems and installed w/o having to download from the WU site for each one.

Actually, if you have this many users, I would think this would be a better way to do it. The Catalog site was set up for just this purpose: deploying updates on a lot of systems at once in a centralized/controlled way.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles;

You did make it clear for me. And it worked for this particular situation. The other pc's may have some downloaded and installed and some may not. I did find however, that the scan worked enough for me to see which KB's are needed. Unfortunately, the history does not record them. So next month's updates may be triple----we'll see what the scan reports then.

Thanks for the help. I already have downloaded KB's that look somewhat universal on all. (We have all operating systems--all the way to 3.1) And I support all of the myself.

Thanks again.

 

So next month's updates may be triple----we'll see what the scan reports then
This is the way I've always done updates and never had a problem with WU recognizing them when scanning. The only other person I know of that does it this way is Christer and as far as I know, he's never had problem with it either.

There is a history - it should have come up right after the downloads were complete. But, WU doesn't depend on the history being there for it to know what updates were installed.

Regards - Charles

 

Suzette - if you are using XP-pro the ability to do the updates can be turned off locally via gpedit.msc (Group Policy Editor) or if a domain, via script and a master Group Policy thing.

Is it possible that this has been done on some of your machines?

Not highly likely since I think you'd be seeing a message that updates were blocked but certainly worth running gpedit.msc on an affected machine and looking around at the settings. There are some really clever things you can do from that utility. Pro only since home can't run it.

 

Oh you guys are great!! Thanks for all the helpful suggestions. They work.

Next month's updates will not be installed through the "windows updates" feature on these pc's, as those users have been accustomed to. They will have to download them and then install them, manually.

I've downloaded these patches onto our server to make it easier for the users in need.

What will happen next month? And, I've noticed there are quite a few pc's that cannot get past the "validation tool ". I know the computer is genuine. It may have been reformatted, restored or even rebuilt, but I know they are authentic. Is there a download available somewhere? Or a "bypass" other than the manual installation process now needed?

Thanks guys!!..