XP: Windows Update quietly vanishes

[Alex Johnson]

I got a new computer with XP Home on it a few months back. I didn't get
it hooked up to the internet until a month ago, at which time I obtained
and installed all the availible updates. Since that time Update has
been flaky.

Symptom 1: Update appears in the system tray and bubble alerts me that
updates are availible. I click on the bubble, which then goes away, and
nothing happens. Update seems to have gone poof.

Symptom 2: Update appears in the system tray and bubble alerts me that
updates are availible. I click on the bubble, which then opens the list
of updates. I select okay/download/continue and the window goes away,
and nothing happens. Update seems to have gone poof.

Symptom 3: I open Internet Explorer with the Windows Update address.
The server sends back an empty page. The view source shows only an
empty framework for a page...no content, no errors.

I have been unable to obtain any of the "critical" updates in the last
month because of this. Please help if you can. I'm going to Kelly's
Korner, but if nothing there helps me I hope one of you recognize these
symptoms. I am logged in as the Administrator.

Alex

 

[Guest]

Alex
this may be a problem with the windows download component installed on your machine.
You should try to delete it and it will reinstall automatically next time you try and use it.

Go to Tools/Internet Options/General/Delete Files
and delete your temporary internet files

Go to Tools/Internet Options/General/Settings/View Objects/
and delete the downloader object

Then go to the control panel and start Windows Update again.

cheers
Dave

 

[Alex Johnson]

Alex
this may be a problem with the windows download component installed on your machine.
You should try to delete it and it will reinstall automatically next time you try and use it.

Go to Tools/Internet Options/General/Delete Files
and delete your temporary internet files

Go to Tools/Internet Options/General/Settings/View Objects/
and delete the downloader object

Then go to the control panel and start Windows Update again.

cheers
Dave

I have tried everything at Kelly's Korner as well as what you have
suggested. Nothing has changed. Windows Update pops up and says "do
you want these patches", I say "go get them", it goes...but not to get
them. Manually opening the web page brings up a completely blank web
page with no contents (although view source seems to show there is a
whole page there, just not displayed at all).

Alex