Automatic updates continually terminate part way through

For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
download manually, and this works ok.

There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
\Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
its the answer to my problems?

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Ross

Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:

1. First install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows Update
Agent 3.0, v7.0.6000.374
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494

Direct Download links:

x86-based versions of Windows (most users)
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...gent30-x86.exe

x64-based versions of Windows
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...gent30-x64.exe

Itanium-based versions of Windows
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...ent30-ia64.exe

2. Now (re)install this (updated) fix:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891

3. Reboot.

The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems that
folks have been experiencing. See
http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...follow-up.aspx
and http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...update-on.aspx

Also see
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blog...showentry=1071
(First try the steps posted May 4th at the beginning of the article.)

Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update: Go
to Microsoft Update > Click on Change Settings in left pane > Scroll to
bottom of page > To Stop Using Microsoft Update > Disable Microsoft Update
software and let me use Windows Update only (check). cf.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037

With Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at Office
Update to keep your Office applications fully patched:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...incatalog.aspx

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

Ross wrote:
> For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
> little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
> disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
> back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
> download manually, and this works ok.
>
> There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
> past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
> think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
> on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
> \Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
> is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
> subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
> that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
> directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
> Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
> idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
> its the answer to my problems?
>
> Any advice gratefully appreciated.
>
> Ross

On 19 May, 00:17, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:
>
> 1. First install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows Update
> Agent 3.0, v7.0.6000.374http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494
>
> Direct Download links:
>
> x86-based versions of Windows (most users)http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...st/standalone/...
>
> x64-based versions of Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>
> Itanium-based versions of Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>
> 2. Now (re)install this (updated) fix:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891
>
> 3. Reboot.
>
> The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems that
> folks have been experiencing. Seehttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/05/15/srvhost-msi-issue-fo...
> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/04/28/update-on.aspx
>
> Also seehttp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1071
> (First try the steps posted May 4th at the beginning of the article.)
>
> Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update: Go
> to Microsoft Update > Click on Change Settings in left pane > Scroll to
> bottom of page > To Stop Using Microsoft Update > Disable Microsoft Update
> software and let me use Windows Update only (check). cf.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037
>
> With Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at Office
> Update to keep your Office applications fully patched:http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...incatalog.aspx
>
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
> AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org
>
>
>
> Ross wrote:
> > For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
> > little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
> > disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
> > back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
> > download manually, and this works ok.
>
> > There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
> > past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
> > think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
> > on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
> > \Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
> > is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
> > subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
> > that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
> > directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
> > Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
> > idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
> > its the answer to my problems?
>
> > Any advice gratefully appreciated.
>
> > Ross- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for your prompt response. One question I have. Am I correct in
saying that if I do nothing but continue to update manually, over the
course of the next couple of months, all the fixes you mention above
will be rolled out automatically via the individual critical upates?
Ross

Ross wrote:
>> Ross wrote:
>>> For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
>>> little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
>>> disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
>>> back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
>>> download manually, and this works ok.
>>
>>> There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
>>> past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
>>> think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
>>> on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
>>> \Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
>>> is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
>>> subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
>>> that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
>>> directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
>>> Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
>>> idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
>>> its the answer to my problems?
>>
> On 19 May, 00:17, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:
>>
>> 1. First install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows
>> Update
>> Agent 3.0, v7.0.6000.374http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494
>>
>> Direct Download links:
>>
>> x86-based versions of Windows (most
>> users)http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...st/standalone/...
>>
>> x64-based versions of
>> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>>
>> Itanium-based versions of
>> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>>
>> 2. Now (re)install this (updated)
>> fix:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891
>>
>> 3. Reboot.
>>
>> The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems
>> that
>> folks have been experiencing.
>> Seehttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/05/15/srvhost-msi-issue-fo...
>> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/04/28/update-on.aspx
>>
>> Also
>> seehttp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1071
>> (First try the steps posted May 4th at the beginning of the article.)
>>
>> Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update:
>> Go
>> to Microsoft Update > Click on Change Settings in left pane > Scroll to
>> bottom of page > To Stop Using Microsoft Update > Disable Microsoft
>> Update
>> software and let me use Windows Update only (check).
>> cf.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037
>>
>> With Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at Office
>> Update to keep your Office applications fully
>> patched:http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...incatalog.aspx
>>
> Thanks for your prompt response. One question I have. Am I correct in
> saying that if I do nothing but continue to update manually, over the
> course of the next couple of months, all the fixes you mention above
> will be rolled out automatically via the individual critical upates?

Yes, that's correct =>

<QP>
Build 0374 AU client/ WSUS 3.0 client:

While we are engaged in a world-wide deployment of the new AU client (build
..0374), this staged deployment is occurring in a wave which we expect to
complete by early June. This means that for AU users, the new client bits
will just automatically self update when visiting the site before
mid –June...

KB927891/MSI fix:

To make sure you have the latest MSI fix in KB927891, make sure your
MSI.dll binary version for supported platforms are exactly as documented
under files in: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891 .

This MSI fix will be available via MU/WU (and there by WSUS) by late May
early June.
</QP>
Source:
http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...follow-up.aspx
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org

On May 20, 1:41 am, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Ross wrote:
> >> Ross wrote:
> >>> For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
> >>> little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
> >>> disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
> >>> back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
> >>> download manually, and this works ok.
>
> >>> There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
> >>> past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
> >>> think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
> >>> on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
> >>> \Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
> >>> is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
> >>> subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
> >>> that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
> >>> directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
> >>> Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
> >>> idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
> >>> its the answer to my problems?
>
> > On 19 May, 00:17, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >> Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:
>
> >> 1. First install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows
> >> Update
> >> Agent 3.0, v7.0.6000.374http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494
>
> >> Direct Download links:
>
> >> x86-based versions of Windows (most
> >> users)http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...st/standalone/...
>
> >> x64-based versions of
> >> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>
> >> Itanium-based versions of
> >> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>
> >> 2. Now (re)install this (updated)
> >> fix:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891
>
> >> 3. Reboot.
>
> >> The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems
> >> that
> >> folks have been experiencing.
> >> Seehttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/05/15/srvhost-msi-issue-fo...
> >> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/04/28/update-on.aspx
>
> >> Also
> >> seehttp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1071
> >> (First try the steps posted May 4th at the beginning of the article.)
>
> >> Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update:
> >> Go
> >> to Microsoft Update > Click on Change Settings in left pane > Scroll to
> >> bottom of page > To Stop Using Microsoft Update > Disable Microsoft
> >> Update
> >> software and let me use Windows Update only (check).
> >> cf.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037
>
> >> With Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at Office
> >> Update to keep your Office applications fully
> >> patched:http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...incatalog.aspx
>
> > Thanks for your prompt response. One question I have. Am I correct in
> > saying that if I do nothing but continue to update manually, over the
> > course of the next couple of months, all the fixes you mention above
> > will be rolled out automatically via the individual critical upates?
>
> Yes, that's correct =>
>
> <QP>
> Build 0374 AU client/ WSUS 3.0 client:
>
> While we are engaged in a world-wide deployment of the new AU client (build
> .0374), this staged deployment is occurring in a wave which we expect to
> complete by early June. This means that for AU users, the new client bits
> will just automatically self update when visiting the site before
> mid -June...
>
> KB927891/MSI fix:
>
> To make sure you have the latest MSI fix in KB927891, make sure your
> MSI.dll binary version for supported platforms are exactly as documented
> under files in:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891.
>
> This MSI fix will be available via MU/WU (and there by WSUS) by late May
> early June.
> </QP>
> Source:http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...t-msi-issue-fo...
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
> AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

My current Msi.dll is version 3.1.4000.2435, not the 3.1.4000.4035
version noted in 927891. Will this cause problems when the critical
updates are rolled out, or will it automatically be updated to the
correct verison?

Ross wrote:
> On May 20, 1:41 am, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Ross wrote:
>>>> Ross wrote:
>>>>> For some time now, when I run automatic updates on my xp system, the
>>>>> little yellow icon appears and then part way through the update, it
>>>>> disappears. For small updates (e.g. Defender) when I log off and then
>>>>> back on again, the update completes. With large updates, I have had to
>>>>> download manually, and this works ok.
>>
>>>>> There have been frequent error codes in WindowsUpdate.log over the
>>>>> past few weeks and I have tried to check these out using google. But I
>>>>> think my problem is that each update is continually trying to pick up
>>>>> on previous part-downloads. In my C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
>>>>> \Datastore directory there is a datastore.edb file that is 7,176kb and
>>>>> is accessed every update. In my download directory, there are many
>>>>> subdirectories and files. I have read in other threads suggestions
>>>>> that include deleting the complete contents of the SoftwareDistribtion
>>>>> directory and all its subs. There are also have other subdirectories -
>>>>> Authcabs, Eventcache, Selfupdate, Websetup and Wuredir. Is it a good
>>>>> idea to delete some/all of these - and more importantly, do you think
>>>>> its the answer to my problems?
>>
>>> On 19 May, 00:17, "PA Bear" <PABear...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Courtesy of MVP Emeritus Ottmar Freudenberger:
>>
>>>> 1. First install the newly released 'standalone' version of Windows
>>>> Update
>>>> Agent 3.0, v7.0.6000.374http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932494
>>
>>>> Direct Download links:
>>
>>>> x86-based versions of Windows (most
>>>> users)http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7...st/standalone/...
>>
>>>> x64-based versions of
>>>> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>>
>>>> Itanium-based versions of
>>>> Windowshttp://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/...
>>
>>>> 2. Now (re)install this (updated)
>>>> fix:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891
>>
>>>> 3. Reboot.
>>
>>>> The MS update team believes that this solves all three svchost problems
>>>> that
>>>> folks have been experiencing.
>>>> Seehttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/05/15/srvhost-msi-issue-fo...
>>>> andhttp://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archive/2007/04/28/update-on.aspx
>>
>>>> Also
>>>> seehttp://www.bleepingcomputer.com/blogs/mowgreen/index.php?showentry=1071
>>>> (First try the steps posted May 4th at the beginning of the article.)
>>
>>>> Workaround: Change the default from Microsoft Update to Windows Update:
>>>> Go
>>>> to Microsoft Update > Click on Change Settings in left pane > Scroll to
>>>> bottom of page > To Stop Using Microsoft Update > Disable Microsoft
>>>> Update
>>>> software and let me use Windows Update only (check).
>>>> cf.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/901037
>>
>>>> With Windows Update as your default, you will need to check in at
>>>> Office
>>>> Update to keep your Office applications fully
>>>> patched:http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/do...incatalog.aspx
>>
>>> Thanks for your prompt response. One question I have. Am I correct in
>>> saying that if I do nothing but continue to update manually, over the
>>> course of the next couple of months, all the fixes you mention above
>>> will be rolled out automatically via the individual critical upates?
>>
>> Yes, that's correct =>
>>
>> <QP>
>> Build 0374 AU client/ WSUS 3.0 client:
>>
>> While we are engaged in a world-wide deployment of the new AU client
>> (build
>> .0374), this staged deployment is occurring in a wave which we expect to
>> complete by early June. This means that for AU users, the new client
>> bits
>> will just automatically self update when visiting the site before
>> mid -June...
>>
>> KB927891/MSI fix:
>>
>> To make sure you have the latest MSI fix in KB927891, make sure your
>> MSI.dll binary version for supported platforms are exactly as documented
>> under files in:http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891.
>>
>> This MSI fix will be available via MU/WU (and there by WSUS) by late May
>> early June.
>> </QP>
>> Source:http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...t-msi-issue-fo...
>> --
> My current Msi.dll is version 3.1.4000.2435, not the 3.1.4000.4035
> version noted in 927891. Will this cause problems when the critical
> updates are rolled out, or will it automatically be updated to the
> correct verison?

As
http://blogs.technet.com/wsus/archiv...follow-up.aspx
cryptically points out, the new version will be offered by AU/WU/MU by late
May/early June. No harm in installing it (and Build 0374 AU client/ WSUS
3.0 client) now.

OT: Accessing the MS newsgroups in Outlook Express Newsreader
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/e...roupsetup.mspx

Setting up Outlook Express to access Microsoft newsgroups
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE, OE, Security, Shell/User)
AumHa VSOP & Admin; DTS-L.org