Windows updates stall on download

I have windows 98 SE.

When I am notified to download critical updates, all goes well until the download starts. The dialogue box appears but it is greyed out, and it just sits there.......and sits...

I have been to the Microsft troubleshooter page and tried the suggestions, but the problem is still there.

I am very much a beginner, and very nervous that help will come but that I won't be able to understand the solution!
If anyone can help, could you please imagine that you are explaining the solution to a 5 yr old?....I might be able to follow that....
Thanks.

 

RhonB--Does this happen only on downloads from Windows Updates, or when you try to download other files as well?

 

Hello Welshjim, greetings from Downunder.

Yes, the problem is only with the Windows updates.I can download anything else without diffuculty.

Rhonb.

 

RhonB--Unfortunately that is a more difficult problem. If you do a search here, you will find others with the same or similar problems. Windows Update has gone flaky recently. I have yet to see a real solution.
However, here a few WAG's.
1) Repair IE. Start|Programs|Accessories|System Tools|System Information|Tools|Internet Explorer Repair Tool|Wait. Reboot.
2) Disable your firewall, ad-blocker, anti virus (if any). Try each of these separately to perhaps see if one is the problem.
3) Clean out your Cache (Temporary Internet Files)
If no joy, I hope someone will finally solve this.

 

Nope, no joy...

Thanks anyway.

 

I read somewhere recently that MS were withdawing win98 support any time now? maybe its alreadt happened.

Only other thing I can think of is your copy of windoze licenced to you? or was italready loaded when you got the PC? I have a sneaky feeling that it will detect unlicenced windoze or windoze that has been registered by another PC user?

 

Hello peanut,

I was getting somewhere, but am stopped by my ignorance of how to get to the goal post!

On the Windows upadate troubleshooter page, I found my problem listed. Apparently I have to " re-register the following files "....I followed instructions but got an error message after I entered the file name. This is the error message ...

regsvr32 loadLibrary ( "msscript.ocx ") failed
getlasterror returns 0x00000485


now I am back to where I started because I don't know what this error means or how to overcome it.

I would be grateful if anyone can tell me what to do from here.....in very simple language please.

PS yes, Windows was licensed to me.

 

Rhonb have you fixed your Windows update problem yet? This seems to be a relatively common problem from what I am finding out. Let me know and if not I will walk you through. And don't underestimate your computer skills... but remember it is like learning a new language.

 

Hello Prarielily,

No, I haven't fixed the problem yet. I am still waiting for rescue. And yes, agree that this is like learning a new language, ...and so much jargon to understand!

Yes please talk me through....

 

Can you tell me which version of Internet Explorer you are using Rhonb?? And, when you try to start the Critical Update do you get a message in a gray box saying you need to download or are missing Visual Basic Scripting Support?? You don't need to know what this means except that if it is missing you won't be able to do the critical update.

Rhonb, as for that jargon for the most part for most of us it is not necessary to really understand, it is kind of like driving a car ... you don't need to know what a carburetor is and how it works to be able to enjoy driving your car. For the most part the same goes for computers.

 

Internet Explorer 6
No, no message when trying to download updates. It goes according to plan and just stops at the actual download.

 

Is this a recent problem Rhonb? Have you been able to download the critical updates before and this is just starting to happen?

 

I have been trying to download the updates for about 2 weeks, from when I first got the pop-up reminder to download, and have been searching forums for help since then.

Prior to that, I didn't have any trouble with them.

No doubt I have accidently deleted something 'vital' while i have been trying differnt things in an effort to understand how this machine works...
( a learner without a co-pilot)

The instruction I got to 're register files', makes me think that.

 

RhonB--Good for you for determining the error!
"regsvr32 loadLibrary ( "msscript.ocx ") "
That is simple to do, so let's hope it also is the solution.
Click Start|Run|type regsvr32 msscript.ocx . (You can copy and paste that into Run.) Click OK. Now try a Windows Update download.
(The above assumes that you have msscript.ocx on your PC. If the above did not work, do a Find for it. If you do not find it, you may be able to get it here by downloading Windows Script 5.6.)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/webdev.asp
Good luck.

 

Did the 'Find' Welshjim. Not there.

went to download script 5.6 but I don't know which one to download.

There is one for Windows 2000. And another for Windows 9x, ME, NT4.

I have Windows 98 SE.

 

9x means all versions of Win95 and 98.
I hate to tell you that I do not have msscript.ocx on my PC even though I have Windows Script 5.6 and (happily) I get no error messages when I use Windows Update.
But you have little to lose by downloading and installing Script 5.6. In fact Windows Update will not work without Script 5.6 installed. Don't know about that msscript.ocx file. Maybe once you have installed Script 5.6, just run Windows Update. You may not need the regsvr32 step anymore.
Good luck.

 

I did all you said welshjim.

Script 5.6 installed.Updates still won't download (still just sits)...

Also tried to re-register the regsvr32 file again, and got the same error message ... loadlibrary( "msscript.ocx ") failed getlast error returns 0x00000485

What a bummer! I really thought success was in sight.

I just have to get past that 'error message' to re-register the files that are mentioned on the troubleshooter page.....but how?

 

Rhonb, I am going to sit back and watch while this gentleman is offering his suggestions. I know you are frustrated and likely overwhelmed and I don't need to add confusion to the pot by giving you more instructions or different instructions. Good luck with working with this gentleman

 

Prairielily I am ready for whatever you or anyone else can suggest, and I appreciate the effort of all of you willing to try and help. I don't feel overwhelmed, in fact I feel confident that in time,through triall and error,it will be fixed!..... and if one suggestion doesn't work, perhaps the next one will. I was SOOOO frustrated when I was trying to find the problem alone.That isn't the case now.

If you have something else in mind that I can try, please tell me (it will give Welshjim a chance to scratch his head, and do some more thinking lol)

 

There are a few things to try Rhonb. Not knowing exactly how your computer responds to the attempt to do the critical update .. but try this Rhonb and Good luck. Click Start, and then click Run.
Type (or you can copy/paste)
regsvr32 c:\windows\system\vbscript.dll and press ENTER.
and again Click Start, and then Run and Type (or copy/paste from here)
regsvr32 c:\windows\system\mshtml.dll and press ENTER.

Then try to run critical update. Good Luck!! and keep your fingers crossed ... I will from here