Windows Update does not work on a system that previously had an non-standard "Program Files" directo

[Jesper Dybdal]

Until a few days ago, I was using Windows 2000 Pro (English).

A long time ago, I had made a registry change so that the
"ProgramFilesDir" was C:\P instead of C:\Program Files (I don't like
directory names containing space characters). That worked fine in
Win2K.

I have now upgraded to XP Pro. During the update, XP has changed that
registry setting back to C:\Program Files.

Everything works fine, except Windows Update - and Microsoft Update,
which I changed to in the hope that it would help.

But Windows/Microsoft Update now does not work at all, regardless of
which of the directories I set as the ProgramFilesDir value.

I am convinced that the problem has something to do with this (earlier)
registry setting. At one time, there was an Event log message
suggesting that - unfortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, I cannot now
find that message.

I have searched the registry for entries that might be relevant and are
still pointing at C:\P, and changed them to point to C:\Program Files
instead. I have copied everything that seemed possibly relevant from
C:\P to C:\Program Files.

Nothing helps - Microsoft Update is able to determine what should be
updated, but it cannot do it. It cannot even register the attempt in
its list of performed and failed updates.

I had no problems doing a "manual" installation of SP3, but that did not
help with the update problem.

I don't really like running Windows without automatic updates. But I
don't want to have to reinstall Windows and everything else again,
either.

So I would really appreciate any good ideas on how I can get Microsoft
Update to work.

 

[DL]

I'm not sure that win actually places any files in the Program Files
grouping, and since you can custom install other MS apps to other than this
location, I'm not sure that what you had would make any difference to
winupdate.
Perhaps post your question to a winupdate group.
PS MS provides free support for msupdate failures

 

[TaurArian]

Ignore title, try Method 1 if no joy, then Method 2
Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update, from Microsoft Update, or by
using Automatic Updates after you repair a Windows XP installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144


--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2008 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375
Computer Maintenance: Acronis / Diskeeper / Paragon / Raxco


| Until a few days ago, I was using Windows 2000 Pro (English).
|
| A long time ago, I had made a registry change so that the
| "ProgramFilesDir" was C:\P instead of C:\Program Files (I don't like
| directory names containing space characters). That worked fine in
| Win2K.
|
| I have now upgraded to XP Pro. During the update, XP has changed that
| registry setting back to C:\Program Files.
|
| Everything works fine, except Windows Update - and Microsoft Update,
| which I changed to in the hope that it would help.
|
| But Windows/Microsoft Update now does not work at all, regardless of
| which of the directories I set as the ProgramFilesDir value.
|
| I am convinced that the problem has something to do with this (earlier)
| registry setting. At one time, there was an Event log message
| suggesting that - unfortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, I cannot now
| find that message.
|
| I have searched the registry for entries that might be relevant and are
| still pointing at C:\P, and changed them to point to C:\Program Files
| instead. I have copied everything that seemed possibly relevant from
| C:\P to C:\Program Files.
|
| Nothing helps - Microsoft Update is able to determine what should be
| updated, but it cannot do it. It cannot even register the attempt in
| its list of performed and failed updates.
|
| I had no problems doing a "manual" installation of SP3, but that did not
| help with the update problem.
|
| I don't really like running Windows without automatic updates. But I
| don't want to have to reinstall Windows and everything else again,
| either.
|
| So I would really appreciate any good ideas on how I can get Microsoft
| Update to work.
| --
| Jesper Dybdal, Denmark.
| http://www.dybdal.dk (in Danish).

 

[Jesper Dybdal]

Ignore title, try Method 1 if no joy, then Method 2
Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update, from Microsoft Update, or by
using Automatic Updates after you repair a Windows XP installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144

Method 1 seems to have solved the problem completely. Thank you!