Resolved Windows Update Fails

Not sure if this should be IE or WindowsXP forum. So if I hit the wrong forum, could one of the staffers get me where I should be.

I was given a 5 or 6 year old corporate IBM Thinkpad PC Edition 2005, SP3 several months ago. At that time I uninstalled the corporate security package and installed Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) as well as Malwarebytes. I downloaded and installed the Windows Updates that were available at that time and put the unit away.

I got it out a couple of days ago and updated the MSE and when I tried to go to the Microsoft Update website, IE8 crashed and I got the "Could not display" screen. I tried adding the website to the "Trusted Sites" and then reset the IE8 settings to the default - all to no avail. I then uninstalled IE8 and downloaded and installed a fresh version but I still can't get the Windows updates - same result as described above. I don't have any problems with other websites. I also tried to change the Automatic Updates setting but that option is grayed out and "Turn off Automatic Updates" is selected- apparently one of the corporate settings. Any ideas on how to fix this problem?

If I can't get this problem fixed, I could manually download and install the updates. I can get to the Microsoft Download site with no problem. However, I'm not sure how to determine which updates I should install - the reason I like using Automatic Updates on my other computers. Any thoughts on using that option?

 

Evan,

At the first link, I had this instruction:

The first task was successful. The second one gave me this message: Load library ( "iuctl.dll ") failed. The specified module could not be found.

Should I continue on with just the first task showing as successful?

 

Evan,

I am in a "hold" right now. As I was looking further at the links you furnished last evening, I ran across one of the options that was to use the Microsoft "Fix It" to turn on Automatic Updates. I ran that tool and then checked "Automatic Updates" in the Control Panel and the Automatic Updates was turned back on. It was late so I shut the machine down.

This morning I fired the machine up and after a while I saw the little yellow shield that indicated updates were being downloaded. It is now in the process of installing 50 updates. If the automatic updates option remains on, then it appears my problem may be solved. After it finishes with the updates, I will report back and let you know how things are and probably have a couple of questions regarding the procedure I started last evening.

 

Back again. All the updates installed and I ran Belarc Advisor and it showed all of the Microsoft Updates as current. Automatic Updates are still checked on.

So it appears that the update issue is solved except that I still can't go directly to the Microsoft Update website. Every time I try, I get a page that says "You may be unable to access the Windows Update Website from Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 if those versions of Windows are not updated to the latest Service Pack ". The message here is that SP3 is missing from my machine but it is not. As I said, though, being able to directly access the Windows Update website is not a big issue to me as long as I have the Automatic Updates in action.

So, I can go ahead and mark this one as resolved unless you think I should go further. The one outstanding issue at this time is that I unregistered the "regsvr32 /u wuweb.dll" while I was in the first link you gave me yesterday. Shoud I go back and "reregister" it, forget it, or should I continue through the links you gave me?

 

This is the command I used to unregister the Wuweb:

I assume I need to use a different command to reregister. I tried using an "r" in place of the "u" but that didn't seem to work.

 

Evan,

I reregistered the Wuweb.dll successfully. I ran the Windows Update agent link you gave me and I was just able to access the Microsoft Update site - so all is well. Thanks so much for your time and effort. I presume you will receive a substantial increase in pay for this.