Can not update XP

[goldtech]

Hi,

When I try to update XP it continually says: Checking for the latest updates for your computer...

This goes on idefinitely. I have a fast active connection. Is there a diagnostic program i can run to see what's wrong? How can i fix this?

Thanks. Using XP.

 

[Ben Myers]

Hi,
When I try to update XP it continually says: Checking for the latest updates for your computer...
This goes on idefinitely. I have a fast active connection. Is there a diagnostic program i can run to see what's wrong? How can i fix this?
Thanks. Using XP.

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/

Ben

 

[Paul]

Hi,

When I try to update XP it continually says: Checking for the latest updates for your computer...

This goes on idefinitely. I have a fast active connection. Is there a diagnostic program i can run to see what's wrong? How can i fix this?

Thanks. Using XP.

Try installing KB2888505 first. If you can.

It's not necessarily the installation of that update
that fixes it. It's a side effect of using that update,
that makes a difference to Windows Update.

Windows Update appears to be working out the supersedes information
for Internet Explorer. The code that does it, gets stuck in
some kind of loop. Eventually, Windows Update screen will
appear. When it does, you can install KB2888505 from there.
It will be offered to you.

On my machine, before the fix, it takes roughly 30 minutes
before the Windows Update list of updates appear.

Last month, it was taking 10 minutes.

The time varies from month to month, as security fixes
are issued for Internet Explorer, changing the
supersedes list for IE.

Once KB2888505 is done, successive attempts to use
Windows Update should run faster.

This is not a fix, and it could break again
at any time. Until the root cause is fixed. It's
been broken for a while.

The thread "Are WinXP updates still coming from MS?"
earlier in this group, discusses this bug.

Paul

 

[Andy]

This is the direct download link for the November Cumulative Security Update

for IE8 (KB2888505):



http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41074



Install the above and reboot.

That link brought up a question.

It has been quite a while, but sometimes I had to use I.E. to install or download some things.

Is that still true ?

If it isn't, I can forgo I.E. patches and just not use it at all.

Thanks,
Andy

 

[Paul]

That link brought up a question.

It has been quite a while, but sometimes I had to use I.E. to install or download some things.

Is that still true ?

If it isn't, I can forgo I.E. patches and just not use it at all.

Thanks,
Andy

IE is used for more than browsing.
Some other things on your computer, use
the HTML engine to present dialogs and
windows. The IE stuff serves dual purposes.

So no matter what version you use, keep
it patched. Because you never know when
it is being used, or when it is about
to be exploited. (Attempting to open
an image file, opens it in IE instead.)

Paul

 

[philo]

Hi,

When I try to update XP it continually says: Checking for the latest updates for your computer...

This goes on idefinitely. I have a fast active connection. Is there a diagnostic program i can run to see what's wrong? How can i fix this?

Thanks. Using XP.

Though it will no longer work with IE6, I assume you have IE7 or IE8 by
now...the problem seems to be on Microsoft's end.


I've had a lot of machines on my workbench during the last few weeks and
all the Win7 machines have been updating smoothly, but any XP machines
I've had exhibited the same problem you've observed.

In some cases, I tried again the following day and the update process
worked.