Sometimes Windows Update can't apply an update. Why?

[fburleigh]

For example, on one of my workstations WU (the latest, v6) can't update
Office 2003 or Visio 2003. On another XP Pro machine with SP2, WU
can't apply "Security Update for Windows XP (KB901214)." On that
machine, I see it's been trying since the patch (the color control) was
released. Automatic Update always fails. My manual effort also fail.
I don't see anything in either the history or the logs that would shed
light on *why* the updates fail. If it matters, Installer 3.1 is
installed.

Thanks very much.

 

[Mark L. Ferguson]

Most often, updates fail because of corruption in the Catroot2 folder.

You cannot install some updates or programs: Go to: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;822798&Product=winxp

 

[Frank Burleigh]

Most often, updates fail because of corruption in the Catroot2 folder.

[snip]

Thanks for the help Mark. I don't ultimately know why this particular
update wouldn't install. I was able to get by this problem by:
- stopping the windows update and BITS services
- renaming \windows\softwaredistribution to something else
- starting the windows update and BITS services
- go again

Then I put back the directory. I believe probably this update won't be
in my WU history now. It would be great to know what about this
directory bothered the mechanism and whether it would be ok to just
delete that whole directory.

 

[Guest]

What is wrong with the windows update web site?
Gary Norfolk