Can't install updates from Windows Update site, please help!!

When I try to install any of the updates at the Windows Update website,
including XP SP2, Media Player 10, or even the high priority recommended
updates (like Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
(KB883357), Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374) and Security Update for
Windows XP (KB833987) etc.), the updates download but do not install and I
get an "Updates failed to install successfully" message. Please help!!

i get the same problem too...could it just be that MS is having problems
relaying the downloads tonight? if someone answers you...and it works
out...direct them to me?


"aquarius" wrote:

> When I try to install any of the updates at the Windows Update website,
> including XP SP2, Media Player 10, or even the high priority recommended
> updates (like Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
> (KB883357), Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374) and Security Update for
> Windows XP (KB833987) etc.), the updates download but do not install and I
> get an "Updates failed to install successfully" message. Please help!!

Nothing worked yet for me. I have tried all the possible solutions given by
Torgeir (MVP) and Jupiter Jones (MVP), including following the directions at
another website that they pointed to, but nothing... I have removed every
vestige of Norton products - antivirus and personal firewall from my system,
and I do not have a firewall or proxy server. But still I cannot get any
update from the windows update website, including high priority updates and
SP2. They download but do not install, and I get a message "failed to
install" without any error code. I hope someone will be able to help me
finally...

"pappy14" wrote:

> i get the same problem too...could it just be that MS is having problems
> relaying the downloads tonight? if someone answers you...and it works
> out...direct them to me?
>
>
> "aquarius" wrote:
>
> > When I try to install any of the updates at the Windows Update website,
> > including XP SP2, Media Player 10, or even the high priority recommended
> > updates (like Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
> > (KB883357), Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374) and Security Update for
> > Windows XP (KB833987) etc.), the updates download but do not install and I
> > get an "Updates failed to install successfully" message. Please help!!

> They download but do not install, and I get a message
> "failed to install" without any error code.

That seems unlikely. Are you looking at all the logs for clues?

Since you are installing there should be logs associated with
just the particular updates being installed.

Since I haven't been able to figure out what update appends
to what log, what I do is do a Search which includes all files
changed on the day that the update was run, order the list
by timestamp and look for readable files in the small time range
that I know the update was being done.

Also, depending on your objective, e.g. getting an update installed
or getting an update installed using WU, you might be faster letting
WU identify the list of updates it thinks you need and then download
and install those manually. Another advantage to doing that would be
that you would have much better control over the installs and be more
aware of error symptoms caused by the installs themselves.

Notice too that once you have downloaded something and you are
having problems only with an install that you may find better help in
newsgroups which specialize in whatever product is being updated.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---


"aquarius" <> wrote in message
news:3960E45B-1188-4849-A32C-...
> Nothing worked yet for me. I have tried all the possible solutions given by
> Torgeir (MVP) and Jupiter Jones (MVP), including following the directions at
> another website that they pointed to, but nothing... I have removed every
> vestige of Norton products - antivirus and personal firewall from my system,
> and I do not have a firewall or proxy server. But still I cannot get any
> update from the windows update website, including high priority updates and
> SP2. They download but do not install, and I get a message "failed to
> install" without any error code. I hope someone will be able to help me
> finally...
>
> "pappy14" wrote:
>
>> i get the same problem too...could it just be that MS is having problems
>> relaying the downloads tonight? if someone answers you...and it works
>> out...direct them to me?
>>
>>
>> "aquarius" wrote:
>>
>> > When I try to install any of the updates at the Windows Update website,
>> > including XP SP2, Media Player 10, or even the high priority recommended
>> > updates (like Update for Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
>> > (KB883357), Microsoft GDI+ Detection Tool (KB873374) and Security Update for
>> > Windows XP (KB833987) etc.), the updates download but do not install and I
>> > get an "Updates failed to install successfully" message. Please help!!

Thank you for your suggestion. However, since, following one suggestion in
this forum made by someone, I actually cleared out my cache of windows
updates, the update log was cleared out, and I could not find anything
pertinent. Usually, the WindowsUpdate.log file in windows directory logs
successes and problems of windows updates. In my case, that too wasn't
helpful because it did not say exactly why it could not reach the updates. To
resolve this once and for all, I did the final irretrievable step - I backed
up my data, swallowed my pride (in my computer), and reinstalled the OS after
reformating the hard disk. After I did that, ALL the updates, including SP2,
installed like a dream and my computer is running perfectly again - Touch
wood!