Update broken

[Old Codger \(NM\)]

Windows XP fully updated; IE7.

I can no longer access the Update site:
http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

I have turned off all firewalls, antivirus, malware, etc. and still won't
work. This happened following the last massive updates of a week or so ago.

IE7 will show "Checking if your computer has..." and then freezes. I've
tried the few suggestions provided but to no avail. Any fresh ideas?

* Cross posted to m.p.w.help_and_support for more possible help

Old Codger
= = =
"Well, the conference met today and appointed a commission to meet
tomorrow and appoint a delegation which will eventually appoint a
subcommittee to draw up ways and means of finding out what to start with
first."
-Will Rogers
= = =

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Please state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3) when posting to
this newsgroup.

I have turned off all firewalls, antivirus, malware, etc. and still won't
work.

Turn them on again.

This happened following the last massive updates of a week or so ago

Were you able to successfully install the "massive updates of a week or so
ago"? If so, did you install them via Automatic Update or manually via
Windows Update website? Finally, what updates were installed?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

 

[neil]

Make sure your IE options security level for the internet zone is set to
default.
Neil

 

[jbrinsonlott]

I am havong problems with windows updat it won't install the update windows
agent, Yhis is what I get "Internet Explorer (Add-ons Disabled) mode only
prevents the use of ActiveX controls, including those used by the Microsoft
Update website. To get updates using this browser mode, you need to turn on
Automatic Updates on your computer or visit the Windows Update website."
HELP

 

[neil]

That would suggest you are using the wrong shortcut to start Internet
Explorer. What shortcut do you use to open IE, try from the start menu and
go to the "run" command and type iexplorer.exe and see what happens. If it
loads normally then you need to investigate your shortcuts.
Neil

 

[Old Codger \(NM\)]

Miracles still happen! After not working for days, and after throwing my
hands in the air in disgust, IE7 and the Update site are speaking again! I
stopped tinkering after Pa Bear gave his suggestions and they didn't work
and was just waiting for someone to reply with info that would cure the
problem or wait for MS to realize the Update site had a problem and fix it.
Whatever happened today, it's working again!

Thanks to those that tried to help and thanks to whomever wherever that
fixed it.

Old Codger
= = =

 

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

I stopped tinkering after Pa Bear gave his suggestions...

Why didn't you reply to my post and answer my questions?

 

[Old Codger \(NM\)]

My bad, I thought I had. Sorry. I did appreciate your suggestions.

Old Codger

 

[Rob Y.]

I'm having the same problem as Old Codger. I go to the same Windows Update
page and it just freezes at "Checking if your computer has..." This has been
going on for a month or so. IE is not frozen, just the webpage.

I have Windows XP Home, SP3 - Just updated from IE7 to IE8 last week. Use
Norton AV 2009.

I perfer to go to the Update website to get the updates, rather than click
the shield in the system tray. I'm still on a dial up ISP (Juno) and like to
see my download progress.

I have tried disabling Norton and turned off the firewall. Neither helped.

Rob Y.

=====

 

[Richard]

I'm having the same problem as Old Codger. I go to the same Windows
Update
page and it just freezes at "Checking if your computer has..." This has
been
going on for a month or so. IE is not frozen, just the webpage.

I have Windows XP Home, SP3 - Just updated from IE7 to IE8 last week. Use
Norton AV 2009.

I perfer to go to the Update website to get the updates, rather than click
the shield in the system tray. I'm still on a dial up ISP (Juno) and like
to
see my download progress.

I have tried disabling Norton and turned off the firewall. Neither helped.

Rob Y.

Hi Rob,

Patience? Your message is dated 8 Sep 2009, which is the 2nd tuesday of that
month when updates are released and MILLIONS of people's computer are
getting updated, and the servers get sluggish. Since you determined that IE
was not frozen, (by maybe checking Task Manager to see whether it was
Running, or Not Responding,) then it is not likely that the page itself was
frozen, but was waiting for the slow "thinking" of the server to complete.
How many hours did you wait before deciding it was frozen? I usually wait a
day or two after the 2nd tuesday before going to the update site, and hardly
ever have to wait more than a half minute. If I recall correctly, when I
went to the update site for this month's updates, about 8:30 AM Eastern
Daylight Time, 9 Sep 2009, the "Checking..." thing was the fastest ever -
maybe 5 seconds. That was with this XP-pro-SP3 machine on dialup. On another
occasion, when I updated another computer here, XP-home, the "Checking" took
so long (more than a minute,) I took a snack break, and it was ready when I
came back much later.

Patient? (Who me...?
--Richard

(P.S. You should never connect to the internet without a firewall. If you
disable your 3rd party firewall, enable the Windows Firewall.

Windows Update site:
http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx

 

[Rob Y.]

This doesn't just happen on the 2nd Tuesday. It has been going on for more
than a month. I suspect that it's some setting in my Internet Options.
Probably something I switched to correct another problem.

Rob