Unable to use Windows Update

[Guest]

Hello,

My friend's system is running Windows XP Home edition(on a standalone PC)
and utilizing ISP AOL(dialup). The AOL browser permits access to the
internet. But if he minimize the AOL browser and launch Internet
Explorer(I.E.) and attempt to run Windows Update, he gets the following error:

"Setup was unable to download information about available installation
sites. Setup may have been unable to use your current proxy settings. Click
advanced if you know your proxy settings. The network may be busy; you can
retry now or if you continue having this problem, please try Setup at a later
time."

 

[Kelly]

Hi Alex,

What happens when you type the address via AOL?

Why can't I install Updates?
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/top10faqs.htm

--

All the Best,
Kelly (MS-MVP)

Troubleshooting Windows XP
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com

 

[windsurferLA]

Hello,

My friend's system is running Windows XP Home edition(on a standalone PC)
and utilizing ISP AOL(dialup). The AOL browser permits access to the
internet. But if he minimize the AOL browser and launch Internet
Explorer(I.E.) and attempt to run Windows Update, he gets the following error:

"Setup was unable to download information about available installation
sites. Setup may have been unable to use your current proxy settings. Click
advanced if you know your proxy settings. The network may be busy; you can
retry now or if you continue having this problem, please try Setup at a later
time."

Perhaps the auto insertion by AOL of www is the cause of inability to
download windows updates...

My quick search of the internet turned up the following URL for windows
updates:
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Note the absence of any "www."

The version of AOL that I have on one of my computers always seeks to
insert a www before any web site URL. Thus when I type
http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
in the web address window, it actually goes out with
www.http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/thanks.asp?

obviously this results in an error message.

As I recall, I was able to get around the problem, but I don't recall
the procedure. Check to make sure this is not the problem.