Automatic Updates loading never stop

[dbouton]

When Win XP SP2 Windows updates tries to install it gets to loading
and stays like that for at least 24 hours is the longest I waited.
Also if I go to downloads and try to install IE 7 it stays on the
loading screen there also and never loads. I have searxhed and tried
many fixes - checked all fireewalls I could find and checked the
router. It doesn't appear to be any of these. A few things I have
noticed which may be related or just another problem to fix is 1) I
never get prompted for Active X even though I have this security set.
I have also tried fixes on this which have not made a difference 2)
some streaming videos wil say loading and keep saying that until I end
the task. Other videos like ones I click on on youtube work but some
others from different sites do not like CNN.com I'm fresh out of
ideas. The windows firewall is turned off and the McAfee firewall I
disabled to test. I've run Olefixes, reloaded XP SP2 etc etc etc.
Any ideas would be welcomed. And one more thing - Although I have
AutoUpdates set to check and prompt me it never does prompt me.

Dawn

 

[Lincoln De Kalb]

It does sound like an ActiveX error. Though have you checked the
windowsupdate.log file to see if you can spot any errors?
(http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/902093)

Are you a local administartor on the machine? This may affect the security
levels and your ability to install ActiveX controls.

Are there any exclamation mark icons on the bottom left hand side of the
browser? If there are, can you double click and bring up the errors that are
there? They relate the page not loading.

If you click start > run and type MSINFO32 and hit enter, does it work ok?
If not check this page--> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/olereg.htm

Do you get any errors or anything if you try and update from
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com?

Lastly, is your copy of windows genuine? i.e. you DONT have hte genuine
advantage icon in your task tray?

Hope that get's you on your way/
CHeers
Lincoln

 

[dbouton]

Thanks for the ideas - I have checked the log file and there is
nothing there that clues me into a problem. I am a local admin and it
is a genuine copy of XP Home which came preloaded on the Dell laptop.
There is no genuine Advantage icon. I also do not receive any yellow
exclamations. The msinfo32 is new to me so I will try that out. I
went to the windows update link and never receive an error. I let it
run overnight and was still just sitting at the same screen
"loading". Thanks for the tips.

Dawn