Cannot access windows update via Control Panel

But I can access windows update if I first start IE8 and select
windowsupdate from the Tools menu.

When I try to access windows update via Control Panel, I get this message:
1. On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Click the Trusted Sites icon, and then click Sites...
4. Uncheck the "require server verification" checkbox.
5. Make sure the following URLs are listed in the Web Sites list box:
* http://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
* http://*.windowsupdate.com

I followed the directions to the letter and still no luck. I have no
idea why the Control Panel route does not work. It always did until I
went from IE6 to IE8.

Using XP Pro.

richard wrote:
> But I can access windows update if I first start IE8 and select
> windowsupdate from the Tools menu.
>
> When I try to access windows update via Control Panel, I get this message:
> 1. On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options.
> 2. Click the Security tab.
> 3. Click the Trusted Sites icon, and then click Sites...
> 4. Uncheck the "require server verification" checkbox.
> 5. Make sure the following URLs are listed in the Web Sites list box:
> * http://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
> * http://*.windowsupdate.com
>
> I followed the directions to the letter and still no luck. I have no
> idea why the Control Panel route does not work. It always did until I
> went from IE6 to IE8.
>
> Using XP Pro.


Was the installed security software (antivirus/security suite) actively
monitoring the system when IE8 was installed ?

BTW, add this site to Trusted Sites, also:

http://update.microsoft.com


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit SP2)
when posting in a forum or newsgroup. Please do so in your next reply.

Is this a sudden, new problem?

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


richard wrote:
> But I can access windows update if I first start IE8 and select
> windowsupdate from the Tools menu.
>
> When I try to access windows update via Control Panel, I get this message:
> 1. On the Tools menu in Internet Explorer, click Internet Options.
> 2. Click the Security tab.
> 3. Click the Trusted Sites icon, and then click Sites...
> 4. Uncheck the "require server verification" checkbox.
> 5. Make sure the following URLs are listed in the Web Sites list box:
> * http://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com
> * http://*.windowsupdate.com
>
> I followed the directions to the letter and still no luck. I have no
> idea why the Control Panel route does not work. It always did until I
> went from IE6 to IE8.
>
> Using XP Pro.

On 3/17/2010 2:56 PM, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
> Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit
> SP2) when posting in a forum or newsgroup. Please do so in your next reply.
>
> Is this a sudden, new problem?
>
> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
>
> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
> bought it)?

I am using XP SP3, 32-bit. My anti-virus program is Microsoft Forefront
Security Client. My firewall is the free Zone Alarm. My anti-spyware
apps are Spyware Blaster and Malwarebytes.

The problem surfaced after I upgraded from IE6 to IE8. With IE6 I could
always access WU via the Control Panel. Now I can access it only via IE8
and select Update from the Tools menu.

Microsoft Forefront was running when I updated to IE8.

And I have now added to the Trusted Sites http://update.microsoft.com
--but still no joy.

On 3/17/2010 3:35 PM, richard wrote:
> On 3/17/2010 2:56 PM, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>> Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit
>> SP2) when posting in a forum or newsgroup. Please do so in your next
>> reply.
>>
>> Is this a sudden, new problem?
>>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
>>
>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
>> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>> bought it)?
>
> I am using XP SP3, 32-bit. My anti-virus program is Microsoft Forefront
> Security Client. My firewall is the free Zone Alarm. My anti-spyware
> apps are Spyware Blaster and Malwarebytes.
>
> The problem surfaced after I upgraded from IE6 to IE8. With IE6 I could
> always access WU via the Control Panel. Now I can access it only via IE8
> and select Update from the Tools menu.
>
> Microsoft Forefront was running when I updated to IE8.
>
> And I have now added to the Trusted Sites http://update.microsoft.com
> --but still no joy.

New info: I discovered that if I go to Control Panel and then to
Security--in the column on the left side of the screen there is an
option to get updates--that works!
BUT, when I first call up the Control Panel, there is a column on the
left side of the screen that includes under See Also: Windows Update.
That is the one that does not work and which gets me the message that I
quoted in my earlier post. And that is the one that used to work in the
past.
So, I have no idea why that one works no longer or why the one in the
Security screen does. Baffling.

richard wrote:
>
> I am using XP SP3, 32-bit. My anti-virus program is Microsoft Forefront
> Security Client. My firewall is the free Zone Alarm. My anti-spyware
> apps are Spyware Blaster and Malwarebytes.
>
> The problem surfaced after I upgraded from IE6 to IE8. With IE6 I could
> always access WU via the Control Panel. Now I can access it only via IE8
> and select Update from the Tools menu.
>
> Microsoft Forefront was running when I updated to IE8.
>
> And I have now added to the Trusted Sites http://update.microsoft.com
> --but still no joy.


*Please specify exactly* what you use to do in Control Panel to access
Windows Update, Richard.

Can you access Windows Update from the link on the Start Menu ?

FWIW, XP can be manually updated via the Start Menu link as that opens
IE to the WU site.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

Are you sure the computer doesn't update via WSUS (seeing as Forefront's
installed)?

What AV app was installed before Forefront? Was a Norton or McAfee free
trial preinstalled on the computer when you bought it? Which was installed
first, IE8 or SP3?


richard wrote:
> On 3/17/2010 2:56 PM, PA Bear [MS MVP] wrote:
>> Always state your full Windows version (e.g., WinXP SP3; WinXP 64-bit
>> SP2) when posting in a forum or newsgroup. Please do so in your next
>> reply.
>>
>> Is this a sudden, new problem?
>>
>> What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>> subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than
>> Defender)? What third-party firewall (if any)?
>>
>> Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on the
>> computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you
>> bought it)?
>
> I am using XP SP3, 32-bit. My anti-virus program is Microsoft Forefront
> Security Client. My firewall is the free Zone Alarm. My anti-spyware
> apps are Spyware Blaster and Malwarebytes.
>
> The problem surfaced after I upgraded from IE6 to IE8. With IE6 I could
> always access WU via the Control Panel. Now I can access it only via IE8
> and select Update from the Tools menu.
>
> Microsoft Forefront was running when I updated to IE8.
>
> And I have now added to the Trusted Sites http://update.microsoft.com
> --but still no joy.

"richard" <> wrote in message
news:eR#...

> New info: I discovered that if I go to Control Panel and then to
> Security--in the column on the left side of the screen there is an option
> to get updates--that works!

> BUT, when I first call up the Control Panel, there is a column on the left
> side of the screen that includes under See Also: Windows Update. That is
> the one that does not work and which gets me the message that I quoted in
> my earlier post. And that is the one that used to work in the past.
> So, I have no idea why that one works no longer or why the one in the
> Security screen does. Baffling.


Use Fiddler2 and ProcMon to find out. My guess is that one is so obsolete
that there is no longer a redirect for it (e.g. assuming the symptom is
caused by a problem with HTTP); otherwise ProcMon could show you what
program and command line is being used in each case. FWIW I'm not on XP
now but IIRC there is a stub program which initiates a session with the WU
site which initially is not IE. Remember that when XP first came out we
didn't even have WUv4.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---