Win XP Updates will not install since July

Hello BBS Staff and visitors,

My last successful Windows XP update occurred on July 4, 2004. Subsequent updates have all failed according to the MS Installation History. I thought these update failures would be solved once I installed the Win XP Service Pack2. Yesterday, I completed the SP2 installation, without any identified problems, using the free SP2 CD provided by Microsoft. But I'm still unable to install any new updates! Any suggestions as to the cause(s) and a solution?

Some PC specifications:
Dell 4600 purchased February 2004
Windows XP Home Edition, version 5.1.2600 with SP1 at purchase; SP2 installed 09/23/04
2.8GHz
512MB RAM
40GB HD

Sincerely,
scottdietert(09/24/04)

 

I believe (I'm sure someone will post back if I'm wrong) that the reason is that there are no new updates for WinXP SP2 if your using Windows Update. When I run WU I also get NO new updates (pic below) other than the GDI tool.

There have been SP2 updates such as the one Arie just posted => http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=35554

 

Hi Scott,

Two points:

If SP2 is installed, pre-Sp2 updates are moot, meaning that all the updates for your system are now installed.

Kent is right, there haven't been any post SP2 updates from WU. There is one update - but that's for a specific problem and doesn't show up in WU. Users not experiencing the problem can ignore it. See the post by Arie that Kent referenced.

Regards - Charles

 

Responses to WinXP Update failures

Thanks Dobhar and Charlesvar,
What you are saying certainly makes sense as the two updates that will not install are: 1) Microsoft GDI + Detection Tool (KB873374) and 2) Microsoft.Net Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1.
But if these are moot following installation of SP2, why do they keep appearing when I access Windows XP Update? The Express Install window begins with the admonition: "Microsoft strongly recommends that you install the following high priority updates to help keep your computer up-to-date and secure. To install these updates click install." After the installation fails the error window then states: "Updates were unable to be successfully installed. "
To the average user, knowing little about SP2 contents, this sounds like an installation problem.


Sincerely,
scott
PS: Second question: I notice Dobhar attached a "thumbnail." How is this attachment accomplished?

 

Hi scott...

I am a "Contributing Member" and as such I am allowed to attach pics...if you contribute you can also.

Here is the MS page on the GDI tool => http://www.microsoft.com/security/bulletins/200409_jpeg_tool.mspx

Here is the link for Microsoft.Net Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 => http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...4f-088e-40b2-bbdb-a83353618b38&displaylang=en

Here is a link to another BBS post on SP2 => http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?t=34476

 

Hi Scott,

What MS labels critical updates pre-SP2 are now on your system. You're going to have to parse MS "speak" - all their downloads are "high priority updates to help keep your computer up-to-date and secure." Whether you really need it or not is another matter - one way to find out is to ask here

Only Someone that has a MS .net passport will need the Net Famework which I assume you have.

The GDI is a tool and while related to security in the sense that it will help you to keep files secure, it is in and of itself not a patch for a security weakness.

Regards - Charles

 

Charles...
Just for the record the '.net framework' goes way beyond the '.net Passport'. There are several programs that require it to run (i.e. PowerQuest's/Symantec's DriveImage7). There will be many more in the not too distant future, Drive Image was the only one I could think of at the moment.

B

 

Couple examples of software that requires Microsoft.Net Framework 1.1...

CleanCache
Lookout

 

Yep, I just installed Net Framework to run DBXpress.

To use the WU site, or to enable auto downloading from MS, make sure the following three services are enabled in Admin Tools:
Auto Update
BITs
Event logging

HTH
Johanna

 

Thanks Mr B and Kent on the update on Net framework.

From the examples given, if any app needs it, it will let you know and offer the download.

Regards - Charles

 

I installed SP2 August 29. I was offered the GDI Tool and NetFramework 1.1 SP1 around Sept. 15 through Windows Update. Are we saying that since scottdietert installed XP SP2 after Sept. 15 he would have gotten these Updates (for me) as part of his SP2 installation package? That would impress me. Except for Cumulative Updates, MS traditionally has recommended going to Windows Update immediately after installing new MS software to get the updates which have come out subsequent to the new software.

 

Hi Jim,

Scott didn't mention those two in his first post - both Kent and I assumed he meant security patches to XP, which neither of them are. They are not AFAIK specific to SP2. They were there prior to SP2. I know for sure that NET... was.

Regards - Charles

 

Hello Charlesvar and so many other contributors I've lost count,
In post #4 I did describe the two updates that failed: the GDI+ update and the Framework 1.1 Update.
I've now installed both the Framework 1.1 Update, which required my Product Key, and the KB884020 Update. The GDI+ seems to be for SP2 installers that use Microsoft Office, which I do not.
In both installations, however, I had to go to the specific links provided by the BBS contributors rather than to the traditional Windows Update link , i.e.
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us

Again thanks for all you help; you seem to succeed while MS often only confuses the user!
scott

 

scottdietert--Perhaps only time will tell now that you have SP2, but it seems there were instances when SP1 did not install Critical Updates from Windows Update on your PC. You might keep this article handy if you need it.
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/
P.S. Or does your last post mean that you are being offered Critical Updates from Windows Update since installing SP2 and still cannot complete their installation? If so, are you getting any specific messages?
P.P.S. Updates installed through routes other than Windows Updates will often not appear in the Installation History window.
P.P.P.S. I got a new PC with XP SP1 installed on July 29. During the month of August before installing SP2 I was offered the following updates by Windows Update.
826939
840374
867801
824105

 

Scott, its our pleasure. In the process we all help each other. I for instance know more about Framework.

Out of curiousity, what are you using that requires Framework?

Regards - Charles