Download Update OK, Fail to Install, Err=0x80246002

I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been able to
resolve my problem.

I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a diskcheck
on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in safe mode (blue
screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already has Service Pack 2, and
the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There are now almost 90 critical updates
to apply, and they 'appear' to download without a hitch, but when they start
to install it fails on the first one and aborts, stating error code
0x80246002.

I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the automatic
updates service, delete or rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
and start the automatic updates service again. I did this and downloaded one
of the updates with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet
Security 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.

Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term solution
because my mother will not be able to do this herself for future updates
after I have handed her back her PC, and there was even one update that I was
unsure which download link to choose. The fact I can manually download
updates (including those that need validation) and these install OK, and
utility WGADIAG says everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the current
updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates would be downloaded
and installed automatically without error.

The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP wizard,
was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for later (said it was
optional). I did not think this was product activation, and so skipped that
step. Have I missed a trick and is there a way to see if that decision was
responsible without repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition
business?

Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to install
updates without raising this error? Is it something to do with the
downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I seem to recollect
it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the updates, and has not worked since
it did this.

Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground that
needed to be explained.

Japster wrote:
> I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been
> able to resolve my problem.
>
> I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a
> diskcheck on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in
> safe mode (blue screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already
> has Service Pack 2, and the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There
> are now almost 90 critical updates to apply, and they 'appear' to
> download without a hitch, but when they start to install it fails
> on the first one and aborts, stating error code 0x80246002.
>
> I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the
> automatic updates service, delete or rename the
> C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and start the automatic
> updates service again. I did this and downloaded one of the updates
> with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet Security
> 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
>
> Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term
> solution because my mother will not be able to do this herself for
> future updates after I have handed her back her PC, and there was
> even one update that I was unsure which download link to choose.
> The fact I can manually download updates (including those that need
> validation) and these install OK, and utility WGADIAG says
> everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the
> current updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates
> would be downloaded and installed automatically without error.
>
> The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP
> wizard, was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for
> later (said it was optional). I did not think this was product
> activation, and so skipped that step. Have I missed a trick and is
> there a way to see if that decision was responsible without
> repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition business?
>
> Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to
> install updates without raising this error? Is it something to do
> with the downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I
> seem to recollect it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the
> updates, and has not worked since it did this.
>
> Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground
> that needed to be explained.

Posted many times in these and other newsgroups/forums:

Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update,
from Microsoft Update, or by using Automatic Updates after
you repair a Windows XP installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144

(Try it even if you did a clean, not repair, installation.)
(Try it even if you performed some sort of restore - not repair install.)
(Try it even if you did an upgrade installation.)

Do all suggested methods.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Hello,

It appears that a firewall may be causing this issue.

Do you have a firewall in your environment?

If yes, please look at the kb article below:

You experience problems when you access the Windows Update Version 5 or
Version 6
Web site through a server that is running ISA Server
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885819>


Diana


"Japster" wrote:

> I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been able to
> resolve my problem.
>
> I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a diskcheck
> on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in safe mode (blue
> screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already has Service Pack 2, and
> the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There are now almost 90 critical updates
> to apply, and they 'appear' to download without a hitch, but when they start
> to install it fails on the first one and aborts, stating error code
> 0x80246002.
>
> I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the automatic
> updates service, delete or rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
> and start the automatic updates service again. I did this and downloaded one
> of the updates with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet
> Security 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
>
> Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term solution
> because my mother will not be able to do this herself for future updates
> after I have handed her back her PC, and there was even one update that I was
> unsure which download link to choose. The fact I can manually download
> updates (including those that need validation) and these install OK, and
> utility WGADIAG says everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the current
> updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates would be downloaded
> and installed automatically without error.
>
> The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP wizard,
> was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for later (said it was
> optional). I did not think this was product activation, and so skipped that
> step. Have I missed a trick and is there a way to see if that decision was
> responsible without repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition
> business?
>
> Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to install
> updates without raising this error? Is it something to do with the
> downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I seem to recollect
> it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the updates, and has not worked since
> it did this.
>
> Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground that
> needed to be explained.

I am not aware of using ISA Server (unless it is at ISP server end), and as
pointed out in my original email, I even disabled firewall + virus protection
during one update attempt to eliminate firewall/virus/spam protection from
the possible causes. Simply using XP Home Edition through dedicated ADSL line
to Tiscali for access to www and microsoft updates, not going through any
network with an ISA Server webserver.

"Diana" wrote:

> Hello,
>
> It appears that a firewall may be causing this issue.
>
> Do you have a firewall in your environment?
>
> If yes, please look at the kb article below:
>
> You experience problems when you access the Windows Update Version 5 or
> Version 6
> Web site through a server that is running ISA Server
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885819>
>
>
> Diana
>
>
> "Japster" wrote:
>
> > I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been able to
> > resolve my problem.
> >
> > I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a diskcheck
> > on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in safe mode (blue
> > screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already has Service Pack 2, and
> > the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There are now almost 90 critical updates
> > to apply, and they 'appear' to download without a hitch, but when they start
> > to install it fails on the first one and aborts, stating error code
> > 0x80246002.
> >
> > I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the automatic
> > updates service, delete or rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
> > and start the automatic updates service again. I did this and downloaded one
> > of the updates with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet
> > Security 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
> >
> > Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term solution
> > because my mother will not be able to do this herself for future updates
> > after I have handed her back her PC, and there was even one update that I was
> > unsure which download link to choose. The fact I can manually download
> > updates (including those that need validation) and these install OK, and
> > utility WGADIAG says everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> > genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the current
> > updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates would be downloaded
> > and installed automatically without error.
> >
> > The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP wizard,
> > was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for later (said it was
> > optional). I did not think this was product activation, and so skipped that
> > step. Have I missed a trick and is there a way to see if that decision was
> > responsible without repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition
> > business?
> >
> > Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to install
> > updates without raising this error? Is it something to do with the
> > downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I seem to recollect
> > it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the updates, and has not worked since
> > it did this.
> >
> > Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground that
> > needed to be explained.

Japster wrote:
> I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been
> able to resolve my problem.
>
> I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a
> diskcheck on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in
> safe mode (blue screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already
> has Service Pack 2, and the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There
> are now almost 90 critical updates to apply, and they 'appear' to
> download without a hitch, but when they start to install it fails
> on the first one and aborts, stating error code 0x80246002.
>
> I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the
> automatic updates service, delete or rename the
> C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and start the automatic
> updates service again. I did this and downloaded one of the updates
> with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet Security
> 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
>
> Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term
> solution because my mother will not be able to do this herself for
> future updates after I have handed her back her PC, and there was
> even one update that I was unsure which download link to choose.
> The fact I can manually download updates (including those that need
> validation) and these install OK, and utility WGADIAG says
> everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the
> current updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates
> would be downloaded and installed automatically without error.
>
> The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP
> wizard, was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for
> later (said it was optional). I did not think this was product
> activation, and so skipped that step. Have I missed a trick and is
> there a way to see if that decision was responsible without
> repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition business?
>
> Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to
> install updates without raising this error? Is it something to do
> with the downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I
> seem to recollect it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the
> updates, and has not worked since it did this.
>
> Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground
> that needed to be explained.

Diana wrote:
> It appears that a firewall may be causing this issue.
>
> Do you have a firewall in your environment?
>
> If yes, please look at the kb article below:
>
> You experience problems when you access the Windows Update Version
> 5 or Version 6
> Web site through a server that is running ISA Server
> <http://support.microsoft.com/kb/885819>

Japster wrote:
> I am not aware of using ISA Server (unless it is at ISP server
> end), and as pointed out in my original email, I even disabled
> firewall + virus protection during one update attempt to eliminate
> firewall/virus/spam protection from the possible causes. Simply
> using XP Home Edition through dedicated ADSL line to Tiscali for
> access to www and microsoft updates, not going through any network
> with an ISA Server webserver..

Doubtful it has anything to do with firewalls...

Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update,
from Microsoft Update, or by using Automatic Updates after
you repair a Windows XP installation
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144

(Try it even if you did a clean, not repair, installation.)
(Try it even if you performed some sort of restore - not repair install.)
(Try it even if you did an upgrade installation.)

Do all suggested methods.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Thank You Shenan.
I searched for error code 80246002 but none of the articles brought up this
KB Article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144), but your response looks
promising... and hopefully will help others experiencing 0x80246002 a clue of
what to do. I will give it a try shortly, and post back whether it was
successful.

"Shenan Stanley" wrote:

> Japster wrote:
> > I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been
> > able to resolve my problem.
> >
> > I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a
> > diskcheck on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in
> > safe mode (blue screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already
> > has Service Pack 2, and the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There
> > are now almost 90 critical updates to apply, and they 'appear' to
> > download without a hitch, but when they start to install it fails
> > on the first one and aborts, stating error code 0x80246002.
> >
> > I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the
> > automatic updates service, delete or rename the
> > C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and start the automatic
> > updates service again. I did this and downloaded one of the updates
> > with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet Security
> > 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
> >
> > Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term
> > solution because my mother will not be able to do this herself for
> > future updates after I have handed her back her PC, and there was
> > even one update that I was unsure which download link to choose.
> > The fact I can manually download updates (including those that need
> > validation) and these install OK, and utility WGADIAG says
> > everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> > genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the
> > current updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates
> > would be downloaded and installed automatically without error.
> >
> > The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP
> > wizard, was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for
> > later (said it was optional). I did not think this was product
> > activation, and so skipped that step. Have I missed a trick and is
> > there a way to see if that decision was responsible without
> > repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition business?
> >
> > Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to
> > install updates without raising this error? Is it something to do
> > with the downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I
> > seem to recollect it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the
> > updates, and has not worked since it did this.
> >
> > Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground
> > that needed to be explained.
>
> Posted many times in these and other newsgroups/forums:
>
> Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update,
> from Microsoft Update, or by using Automatic Updates after
> you repair a Windows XP installation
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144
>
> (Try it even if you did a clean, not repair, installation.)
> (Try it even if you performed some sort of restore - not repair install.)
> (Try it even if you did an upgrade installation.)
>
> Do all suggested methods.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
> http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
>
>

I just finished fixing a similar issue. Take a look through the discussion
here:

http://tinyurl.com/2ofr3x

Seems that repair installations of Windows have a tendency to break the link
between Windows Update and the OS. The directions near the bottom of the
discussion worked just fine for me. Be sure to read the entire discussion;
the huge line of DLL re-registrations is not necessary.

I have encountered the same error code, but for a different reason. The error
said "The Kernel to start my computer was not a Microsoft Kernel and that it
would not install the Sevice Pack 3 update" What does that mean and how do
you even get a Kernel that isn't Microsoft? Can this be repaired or changed?

"Japster" wrote:

> I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been able to
> resolve my problem.
>
> I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a diskcheck
> on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in safe mode (blue
> screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already has Service Pack 2, and
> the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There are now almost 90 critical updates
> to apply, and they 'appear' to download without a hitch, but when they start
> to install it fails on the first one and aborts, stating error code
> 0x80246002.
>
> I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the automatic
> updates service, delete or rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
> and start the automatic updates service again. I did this and downloaded one
> of the updates with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet
> Security 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
>
> Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term solution
> because my mother will not be able to do this herself for future updates
> after I have handed her back her PC, and there was even one update that I was
> unsure which download link to choose. The fact I can manually download
> updates (including those that need validation) and these install OK, and
> utility WGADIAG says everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the current
> updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates would be downloaded
> and installed automatically without error.
>
> The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP wizard,
> was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for later (said it was
> optional). I did not think this was product activation, and so skipped that
> step. Have I missed a trick and is there a way to see if that decision was
> responsible without repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition
> business?
>
> Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to install
> updates without raising this error? Is it something to do with the
> downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I seem to recollect
> it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the updates, and has not worked since
> it did this.
>
> Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground that
> needed to be explained.

I found a link addressing my particular problem:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/Windo...ls-82290.shtml
-trenoops

"Japster" wrote:

> I have looked at existing threads for 0x80246002, but have not been able to
> resolve my problem.
>
> I have just Repaired/Reinstalled XP Home Edition, and also did a diskcheck
> on mothers hard disk after her PC failed to even boot in safe mode (blue
> screen of death!). The 'Reinstallation CD' already has Service Pack 2, and
> the hardware of the PC is unchanged. There are now almost 90 critical updates
> to apply, and they 'appear' to download without a hitch, but when they start
> to install it fails on the first one and aborts, stating error code
> 0x80246002.
>
> I found a useful tip to re-download the updates by stopping the automatic
> updates service, delete or rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder
> and start the automatic updates service again. I did this and downloaded one
> of the updates with my firewall and virus protection (F-Secure Internet
> Security 2008) unloaded, but still got error 0x80246002.
>
> Downloading the updates manually works fine but is not a long term solution
> because my mother will not be able to do this herself for future updates
> after I have handed her back her PC, and there was even one update that I was
> unsure which download link to choose. The fact I can manually download
> updates (including those that need validation) and these install OK, and
> utility WGADIAG says everything genuine and OK, so it does not appear to be a
> genuine/validation issue. I would be quite happy to do all the current
> updates manually, if I had some confidence future updates would be downloaded
> and installed automatically without error.
>
> The only odd thing I noticed when I went through the installing XP wizard,
> was it prompted to 'register with Microsoft', or leave for later (said it was
> optional). I did not think this was product activation, and so skipped that
> step. Have I missed a trick and is there a way to see if that decision was
> responsible without repeating the whole repair/reinstall XP Home Edition
> business?
>
> Does anyone have any other ideas how I can get my mothers system to install
> updates without raising this error? Is it something to do with the
> downloader/installer tool... what is the latest version? I seem to recollect
> it installing 3.1 at an early stage in the updates, and has not worked since
> it did this.
>
> Sorry this post is long but I have already covered a lot of ground that
> needed to be explained.