Can't update windows vista

[plh]

Hello Everyone,
I do hope someone can help with this.
A Dell Inspiron 1521 running Vista. There are several problems that all seem
related but the most obvious one is that I can't update Vista. It is set up to
update automatically. However, the "New Updates are Available" Icon appears on
the task bar. If I click on it a window comes up and immediately disappears. If
I hunt through the help menus until I find a link that says "Click to open
Windows Update" the same thing happens: a window opens and immediately shuts.
Similarly if I go to the control panel and click Windows Update nothing happens.
If I right click on it and choose Explore a window comes up but it is empty. The
Default Programs icon is similarly unresponsive. If I click on the Windows
Defender Icon and click on that and say to update, it returns error 0x8007045a.
In addition to that, the backup/recovery thing returns errors. And when I try to
run Ad-Aware it hangs. All of these failures are related to security, so I can't
help but feel a little paranoid.
I am now running Avast Personal Anti-Virus on this thing. The system shows that
and Norton Internet Security, a trial version of which came with the PC, but NIS
is out of date. I have tried to uninstall it but the uninstall routine won't
finish, the computer hangs. BTW before anyone disses Avast, this whole thing was
happening before I installed it. Possibly my daughter, who's laptop this is,
allowed NIS to run out and did not say anything. Anyway. I am hoping against
hope for a way out of this short of the nuke disk. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated!
Thank You,
-plh
PS: BTW Avast's boot time scan lists errors. I'd list them here but this is long
enough already. Unless Someone out there wants to look at it: just say so & I
will tack it on.

 

[Andrew]

Hello Everyone,
I do hope someone can help with this.
A Dell Inspiron 1521 running Vista. There are several problems that all seem
related but the most obvious one is that I can't update Vista. It is set up to
update automatically. However, the "New Updates are Available" Icon appears on
the task bar. If I click on it a window comes up and immediately disappears. If
I hunt through the help menus until I find a link that says "Click to open
Windows Update" the same thing happens: a window opens and immediately shuts.
Similarly if I go to the control panel and click Windows Update nothing happens.
If I right click on it and choose Explore a window comes up but it is empty. The
Default Programs icon is similarly unresponsive. If I click on the Windows
Defender Icon and click on that and say to update, it returns error 0x8007045a.
In addition to that, the backup/recovery thing returns errors. And when I try to
run Ad-Aware it hangs. All of these failures are related to security, so I can't
help but feel a little paranoid.
I am now running Avast Personal Anti-Virus on this thing. The system shows that
and Norton Internet Security, a trial version of which came with the PC, but NIS
is out of date. I have tried to uninstall it but the uninstall routine won't
finish, the computer hangs. BTW before anyone disses Avast, this whole thing was
happening before I installed it. Possibly my daughter, who's laptop this is,
allowed NIS to run out and did not say anything. Anyway. I am hoping against
hope for a way out of this short of the nuke disk. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated!
Thank You,
-plh
PS: BTW Avast's boot time scan lists errors. I'd list them here but this is long
enough already. Unless Someone out there wants to look at it: just say so & I
will tack it on.

 

[Andrew]

plh:

Uninstall Ad-Aware and then try to update Vista; Clue is to disappearance
of window when you try run update. Ad-Aware personal paid version do the same
on
my Windows XP computer.

 

[Not Me]

Adaware could be the issue.
I don't use it myself anymore.
I use spybot search & destroy
I got it from http://www.majorgeeks.com
Click antispyware in the left column, scroll down to spybot search and
destroy tools.
The current version is 1.5.2 I believe.

 

[Mick Murphy]

Even though NIS is expired, it is still running, and its virus definitions
are working up to the date of expiration.
TWO anti-viruses cause a conflict.

Use the uninstall Norton tool, if the uninstall in Uninstall Programs does
not work.(disable Norton before uninstlling)
Use the programs I have included below, including a fresh install of Avast.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Above is the link for Norton Removal Tool; if using Norton.

http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html

Above is a link to Avast Free 4 Home Anti-Virus
It is low resource using, free and Vista 32bit and 64bit compatible.
Only have one (1) anti-virus installed; more than 1 can cause conflicts.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

For Spyware removal, use the above link to “Spybot Search & Destroy 1.5.2â€
Download it, install it, update it, immunize your system and scan your
System with it.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/

For a non-scanning, but running in the background, Program to STOP Spyware
being downloaded to your Computer, use SpywareBlaster 4, available at the
above link.

 

[Laura]

Even though NIS is expired, it is still running, and its virus definitions
are working up to the date of expiration.
TWO anti-viruses cause a conflict.

Use the uninstall Norton tool, if the uninstall in Uninstall Programs does
not work.(disable Norton before uninstlling)
Use the programs I have included below, including a fresh install of
Avast.

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039

Above is the link for Norton Removal Tool; if using Norton.

I was advised last week to use the Norton removal tool to uninstall Norton
360. Run it several times, reboot between each time instead of using the
Add/Remove process. Worked like a charm.