Lockup at windowsupdate and Hotmail

[user]

I have a machine with WinXP/Home that locks up when "scanning for updates"
at the Windowsupdate site. To give XP credit, IE doesn't exactly lock up
but it goes between "not responding" and "running". It just never completes
scanning and stays at 0%. Ending task on IE, closes it but the problem
repeats if the scanning is tried again.

This same machine locks up attempting to log into any Hotmail account. I'm
thinking it might be in my IE options/settings.

Could the two be related? Zonealarm is disabled in both instances.

Please help

Thanks in advance

 

[R. C. White]

Hi, User.

How long is a long time? Seconds? Minutes? Hours? The normal delay at
that point can be a few minutes, especially if a new patch has just come out
and everybody in the world (almost literally) is trying to get the latest
fix at the same time.

As you probably know, the first scan is for updates to the Windows Update
software itself, followed by a scan for patches to Windows. Is your lockup
during this first scan, or the second scan?

(I know nothing about Hotmail.)

RC

 

[PA Bear]

The two behaviors may be related.

Courtesy of the Always Trustworthy & Helpful Glee:
<paste>
See if you find any help here:

Windows Update Troubleshooter:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/

Here's what it says about your problem:

There are several possible solutions to this problem.

If you have Netsonic on your computer, uninstall it.

If you have not installed the latest version of Windows Update software,
follow the instructions in the article "Manual installation instructions for
Windows Update controls" on this page.

Disable the options "Automatically detect settings" and "Use automatic
configuration script."
To do this:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click "Tools," and then click "Internet Options."
3. Click "Connections," and then click "LAN Settings."
4. Make sure the check boxes for "Automatically detect settings" and "Use
automatic configuration script" are not selected.

Try to access the Windows Update site again.

Also, verify that you can connect to SSL-enabled Web sites (sites that start
with https://).

Most online retailers use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) sites during the
checkout/payment process. If you've connected to one of these sites in the
past then chances are that SSL is working correctly on your computer. You
can also test your ability to connect to SSL sites using a SSL test site
like this:

https://www.stanford.edu/group/idg/leland/samples/secure/test.html

If you cannot connect to SSL sites then the Windows Update scan will not
work. Make sure that the SSL port (port 443) is open on your network.
------------------------------------------------------

Otherwise, post here:
</paste>

[<waving> Hi, RC!]
--
HTH...Please post back to this thread

~Robear Dyer (aka PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[R. C. White]

Howdy, PA Bear!

Thanks for the pointer to the WU troubleshooter. I'll have to remember that
one, even though (so far) WU has not given me any trouble. ;<)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP

The two behaviors may be related.

Courtesy of the Always Trustworthy & Helpful Glee:
<paste>
See if you find any help here:

Windows Update Troubleshooter:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/

Here's what it says about your problem:

There are several possible solutions to this problem.

If you have Netsonic on your computer, uninstall it.

If you have not installed the latest version of Windows Update software,
follow the instructions in the article "Manual installation instructions for
Windows Update controls" on this page.

Disable the options "Automatically detect settings" and "Use automatic
configuration script."
To do this:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click "Tools," and then click "Internet Options."
3. Click "Connections," and then click "LAN Settings."
4. Make sure the check boxes for "Automatically detect settings" and "Use
automatic configuration script" are not selected.

Try to access the Windows Update site again.

Also, verify that you can connect to SSL-enabled Web sites (sites that start
with https://).

Most online retailers use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) sites during the
checkout/payment process. If you've connected to one of these sites in the
past then chances are that SSL is working correctly on your computer. You
can also test your ability to connect to SSL sites using a SSL test site
like this:

https://www.stanford.edu/group/idg/leland/samples/secure/test.html

If you cannot connect to SSL sites then the Windows Update scan will not
work. Make sure that the SSL port (port 443) is open on your network.
------------------------------------------------------

Otherwise, post here:
</paste>

[<waving> Hi, RC!]
--
HTH...Please post back to this thread

~Robear Dyer (aka PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[PA Bear]

<VBG> If you spend any amount of time here in WinXP General or IE6 Browser
(please!), RC, you'll need to keep
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/ handy!

~PA Bear

Howdy, PA Bear!

Thanks for the pointer to the WU troubleshooter. I'll have to remember that
one, even though (so far) WU has not given me any trouble. ;<)

The two behaviors may be related.

Courtesy of the Always Trustworthy & Helpful Glee:
<paste>
See if you find any help here:

Windows Update Troubleshooter:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot/

Here's what it says about your problem:

There are several possible solutions to this problem.

If you have Netsonic on your computer, uninstall it.

If you have not installed the latest version of Windows Update software,
follow the instructions in the article "Manual installation instructions for
Windows Update controls" on this page.

Disable the options "Automatically detect settings" and "Use automatic
configuration script."
To do this:
1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Click "Tools," and then click "Internet Options."
3. Click "Connections," and then click "LAN Settings."
4. Make sure the check boxes for "Automatically detect settings" and "Use
automatic configuration script" are not selected.

Try to access the Windows Update site again.

Also, verify that you can connect to SSL-enabled Web sites (sites that start
with https://).

Most online retailers use SSL (Secure Socket Layer) sites during the
checkout/payment process. If you've connected to one of these sites in the
past then chances are that SSL is working correctly on your computer. You
can also test your ability to connect to SSL sites using a SSL test site
like this:

https://www.stanford.edu/group/idg/leland/samples/secure/test.html

If you cannot connect to SSL sites then the Windows Update scan will not
work. Make sure that the SSL port (port 443) is open on your network.
------------------------------------------------------

Otherwise, post here:
</paste>

[<waving> Hi, RC!]
--
HTH...Please post back to this thread

~Robear Dyer (aka PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE)
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

user wrote:
I have a machine with WinXP/Home that locks up when "scanning for updates"
at the Windowsupdate site. To give XP credit, IE doesn't exactly lock up
but it goes between "not responding" and "running". It just never
completes scanning and stays at 0%. Ending task on IE, closes it but the
problem repeats if the scanning is tried again.

This same machine locks up attempting to log into any Hotmail account. I'm
thinking it might be in my IE options/settings.

Could the two be related? Zonealarm is disabled in both instances.

Please help

Thanks in advance