Microsoft Update link not working with ie7 installed

I have installed ie7 without any problems although Firefox 2 is my default browser. Today as it is patch tuesday, I hit the "Microsoft Update" link on my desktop to update. Normally this would immediately open the Update Website in ie6 (even with Firefox as the default browser. Now two things happen, first a version of the old ie6 browser opens but without any content, then Firefox opens and takes me to the website where Microsoft say I must open it in iInternet Explorer. I tried making ie7 my default browser and then hitting the link opened two of the old ie6 browser windows by with no content. Very few of the buttons work either. The only way to update was to open ie7 and then use the Update button in the browser.
Any ideas why this is happening ? It would sem that MS need to provide a new link for ie7.

 

Your installation of IE 7 is defective. What you describe is exactly what can happen when antivirus and antispyware software is enabled and active during the IE 7 installation. There is nothing wrong with Microsoft's links to the IE 7 distributable.

Uninstallation notes:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/ie/releasenotes/default.aspx

Please follow carefully Sandi Hardemeir, MS-MVP, installation notes:
http://msmvps.com/blogs/spywaresucks/archive/2006/10/18/182724.aspx

 

Thanks for the reply. I uninstaled ie7, uninstalled spysweeper and turned off my antivirus. I then re-installed ie7 and rebooted. ie7 on its own works fine but there is still the same problem as described previously. I have two other computers which I installed ie7 on with both Windows Defender and Avast av running and they both work perfectly. It is jiust my main computer giving the trouble.

 

My point is that there should not be any remnant of IE 6 appearing with a successful installation of IE 7.

Try Windows Update from witin IE -- Tools, Windows Update
What happens then?

Try IE in "no add-ons" mode. Right click the IE icon on the Desktop, and select the "no add-ons" mode. Try Tools, Windows Update again. What happens?

All I can say is that you were very lucky. Having antivirus and antispyware running is not an ideal setting for doing an IE 7 upgrade. Rather than have you think I (or Sandi) made up this rule, here is a note from the IE 7 Program Manager (the big guy in charge of the software development effort for IE 7): http://blogs.msdn.com/ie/archive/2006/10/11/IE7-Installation-and-Anti_2D00_Malware-Applications.aspx

Let us know the results of trying Windows Update from within IE in both normal and no add-ons mode.

 

Bill, Windows update works fine from within iey. It is only when clicking on the desktop programs link "Microsoft Update" that it brings up the old ie6 window.
I cannont find the "no add-ins" format. When I right click on the ie icon on the desktop, there is just the usual list of options.
Thanks for the info, I must admit I forgot to turn off Zone Alarm so may try again later.

 

I know IE 7 will try and use Microsoft Update rather than Windows Update. It is odd that there is no right click context menu entry for the no add-ons mode.

Try: Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools
There should be an Internet Explorer no add-ons entry there as well.

 

Yes it is in system tools. When clicked it opens ie7 and then brings up a page to say that Active X controls are required to view the website.

 

Good, because they are.

Now place the Windows Update site(s) into your Restricted Sites list. This will ensure that the ActiveX controls needed by Microsoft/Windows Update will be available.

Open Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.

Click Trusted sites, and then click Default Level. (This should be Low, these are sites you trust!)

Now click the Sites button. Clear the check box "Require server verification (https for all sites in this zone. "

Add the following URL's exactly as follows:

http://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
http://download.windowsupdate.com
http://update.microsoft.com/
https://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
https://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

 

Bill,
The default level was set on medium. I entered the sites that you listed but there is no difference. I still get the old empty ie6 Browser window opening when I click Microsoft Update or Windows Update from the start menu.

 

I was concerned only with the IE 7 and the Tools menu.
I wanted to make sure that there was no prompting for ActiveX controls.

I am just not certain why the Start menu shortcut has not been updated when you installed IE 7; and am leery of you using something that points to Windows Update and not Microsoft Update. Mine reads as its target: http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

 

My start menu shortcut for Windows Update is %SystemRoot%\system32\wupdmgr.exe and for Microsoft Update it is C:\Windows\system32\muweb.dll,LaunchMUSite.

These are the same on my two other computers and both these shortcust work on my two other computers, but not my main one.

I notice that there is a lot of forums showing problems with Spysweeper not being able to update. I had this problem as well a few days ago and thought it might be a conflict with Kaspersky AV which I have only just installed for a trial. It may have been a conflict with ie7 as well. However when I uninstalled ie7, Spysweeper still would not update. I have now uninstalled Spysweeper and installed Windows Defender which I have been running on my other computers withoyut problems.
This morning on boot up the computer ceashed (blue screen) It has never done this before. I re-booted and it all went through normally. Just another problem to work out!

Dennis

 

I had the same problem but it dissappeared after a while.

 

I may have solved both problems. Running chkdsk found errors on the drive. These have now been corrected and there have been no more BGODs since. I have now uninstalled ie7 and ie6 is working fine. I am not sure whether to try reinstalling ie7 as I use Firefox all the time.
Thanks for your suggestions and help.

 

Thank you very much for the update.

I am sure this will help others with a similar problem.

Best regards,
Bill

 

Thanks Bill but unfortunately I am still having trouble with Blue Screens on bootup. Normally it goes through normally on the second attempt and then runs perfectly all day. I have carried out another chkdsk and found no problems.
Yesterday thete were no problems but this morning it booted up into the password menu but on entering the password just rebooted itself.(no blue screen) It then booted normally. I am not sure what to chck next, perhaps the memory modules. Maybe there is a conflict on loading the software programs, Kaspersky, Windows Defender, Zone Alarm so I may disable them all for boot up and then load them afterwards as a trial for a few days. If that seems OK I can put them back one a a time. There are a few errors in the event log which appear to be network problems so I will also investigate them or just boot up without internet connection.
This thread has moved from ie7 to XP problems!

Dennis

 

Did you also reinstall and/or update SpySweeper?
My best would be on that for your startup issues.

 

No Bill,
Today I booted up with my router turned off with no problem. When I turned it on I had a blue screen message: Page Fault in non paged area. I then rebooted and uninstalled Kaspersky and closed down all programs, Zone Alarm, Windows DEfender etc. I then ran memtest for 6 hours and it found no fault. I suspected the wireless network so I disabled the wireless adaptor and enabled a wired LAN and rebooted without any problems. I have now installed a trial version of NOD32 version 2.7 and so far there have been no problems, in fact it is running much faster. I will let you know in due course if this has solved the problem.
Dennis

 

Having run without any problems for a day, I disabled the wired LAN and re-enabled the wireless adaptor. I have tried everything to cause a BSOG but it is still running perfectly. The culprit would therefore appear to be a conflict with Kaspersky AV. In fact all the problems started soon after installing it. Webroot have also informed me thet Spysweeper has a conflict with KAV (will not update).
I shall definately stick to NOD32.

Dennis