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Windows Update trouble


mjdbb1

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Been banging my head against the wall for a few days now, so I figured I might as well throw it out here for the experts. It's mainly to satisfy my curiosity because I can't quite figure out what's going on.

I was given an old system (Dell Dimension 3000) that would be needed for a family who just needed a basic computer. I wiped the hard drive and installed a clean install of XP Pro SP3 (Dell OEM disk). Everything seemed to go fine, until I tried to access Windows Update for the newest updates. I went from having the site refuse to load at all to hanging at "Checking for the latest updates...". I followed all the usual MS troubleshooting, resetting updates, clearing update cache, etc. Even forcibly reinstalled the Windows Update Agent to no avail. I went as far as reinstalling with full retail media (again XP Pro SP3) and had the same problem.

Finding this to be strange, I installed the same copy of Windows XP in a virtual machine on my main system and ran into exactly the same problem. I've installed XP with SP3 a hundred times and never had trouble with Windows Update.

The best part is, I went ahead and downloaded Autopatcher and downloaded all the post-SP3 updates as of Aug. 28. After they install, with the exception of Windows Genuine Advantage Notifications (which hangs), they install just fine, and now Windows Update works.

Looking through Autopatcher, there really are no updates relevant to Windows Update that would suddenly fix whatever problem is going on with Windows Update. In the past if there was an update needed to make the WU site work, it would explain that and offer the download. I've replicated this on two PCs and one virtual machine.

I don't mind doing a clean install and then using Autopatcher, but it's killing me to know why that seems to be the only thing that fixes Windows Update. Anybody notice this behavior, or have any thoughts?

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Happens also in XPx64 when trying to install the Microsoft Update binaries from the website. Microsoft seems to have seriously messed something up on their servers. The only workaround I've found is to preinstall as -X- suggests.

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Thanks for all the info. Unfortunately, even when using the modified windows update agent you posted, the site still hangs at "Checking for the latest updates...". I think slipstreaming them like -X- mentioned is the way to go.

I agree that something is definitely messed up on the MS side. However, something tells me that fixing Windows Update for XP before next April is far, far away from the front burner.

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I tried both of the fixes you suggessted (the first one I tried before) but unfortunately the site still hangs. The second one you sent (with the aggressive options) doesn't say if it found anything to fix, so I don't know exactly what it did.

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Hmm. Right before you go to bed. Run WU. When you wake up, see what transpired..

I recently had the same problem in a VM test and added the .257 file then went to bed. When I woke up, the results where showing/

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Ok, I have an interesting result. I started the "Checking for updates..." process and let it run for about an hour. Still nothing. So I let it run overnight (about 8 hours or so) and when I came back I had this:

http://i.imgur.com/wYHbN7N.jpg

On clicking yes, it prompted me to update:

http://i.imgur.com/2azb8kR.jpg

This installed Genuine Advantage Validation Tool, and the package installer. Finally it took me to the update screen and offered all the expected updates. Thinking everything was now working great, I closed the window and tried again to get to Windows Update, and it's hanging at the checking for updates screen. I have some things to do so I'm planning to let it run for a few hours and see what happens. I just can't figure out what's going on now.

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I was just doing a test in a VM where I hadn't preloaded anything and it took 1 hour to complete scanning. :w00t: I did load the WUA 256-257 before going to WU.

Edited by -X-
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  • 4 weeks later...

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