KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool keeps wanting to install

My Windows XP Home SP2 system is stuck in an update loop. All but one of
the updates yesterday installed ok.

Now the yellow shield in the taskbar tray keeps appearing and wanting to
install an update, the same update. When I run the install, it installs
KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool. No errors are reported and it
says "Done!" at the end. The yellow shield disappears for about 1 minute,
pops back up again, and the process repeats over and over again. I've
installed it about a dozen times but the shield keeps popping up.

I've rebooted - no help. The shield just won't go away and stay away.

How can I diagnose what's going wrong and get the KB890830 installed for
good?

Thanks for any help.
Bruce.

Bruce. added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

> My Windows XP Home SP2 system is stuck in an update loop. All
> but one of the updates yesterday installed ok.
>
> Now the yellow shield in the taskbar tray keeps appearing and
> wanting to install an update, the same update. When I run the
> install, it installs KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool.
> No errors are reported and it says "Done!" at the end. The
> yellow shield disappears for about 1 minute, pops back up
> again, and the process repeats over and over again. I've
> installed it about a dozen times but the shield keeps popping
> up.
>
> I've rebooted - no help. The shield just won't go away and
> stay away.
>
> How can I diagnose what's going wrong and get the KB890830
> installed for good?
>
Bruce, again, there's always a call to MS, but I wouldn't for this
one. What I think I'd do is uncheck the update, click Close, then
check the box that says "do not remind me again for this update"
and just forget this month's version of the malicious software
tool. It ain't worth didly anyway, IMO compared to dedicated
malware scanners, and another one will be along in a month.

--
HP, aka Jerry

"HEMI-Powered" <> wrote in message
news:Xns998D70CB34523ReplyScoreID@216.168.3.30...
> Bruce, again, there's always a call to MS, but I wouldn't for this
> one. What I think I'd do is uncheck the update, click Close, then
> check the box that says "do not remind me again for this update"
> and just forget this month's version of the malicious software
> tool. It ain't worth didly anyway, IMO compared to dedicated
> malware scanners, and another one will be along in a month.

Thanks Jerry, but when it comes to malicious software, I don't regard this
as an optional update even if it not very good, so I'm much rather figure
this one out and fix it.

Does anyone else have an idea of how to diagnose this repeating update?

Bruce.

Bruce. added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

>> Bruce, again, there's always a call to MS, but I wouldn't for
>> this one. What I think I'd do is uncheck the update, click
>> Close, then check the box that says "do not remind me again
>> for this update" and just forget this month's version of the
>> malicious software tool. It ain't worth didly anyway, IMO
>> compared to dedicated malware scanners, and another one will
>> be along in a month.
>
> Thanks Jerry, but when it comes to malicious software, I don't
> regard this as an optional update even if it not very good, so
> I'm much rather figure this one out and fix it.
>
> Does anyone else have an idea of how to diagnose this
> repeating update?
>
Bruce, I'm certainly not going to bug you or anybody about this,
but for me and others to understand better your total picture,
and also help ourselves, what kinds of AV and other malware
protection/scanners do you have? I have Norton System Works 2006,
and thus NAV 2006. Yes, I know Symantec's bad rep, but it works
for me. I also have the commercial Zone Alarm running as well as
eTrust's Pest Patrol. Plus, I am sitting behind a NAT-capable
router so my contantly on cable modem has at least a little
protection. I'm sure you also have Ad-Aware and Spybot Search &
Destroy as well as a good Registry tool such as JV16 Powertools.

IMO, SP2's erstatz firewall is totally useless, hence "ersatz."
When last I looked at trying to configure the SP2 firewall, I
discovered that I had to MANUALLY enter all the ports I wanted it
to monitor! Is that right, folks? I was frankly surprised and
disappointed that MS for all it's hype about SP2's increased
security didn't at least provide a pull-down list for all the
ports, with those that are most vulnerable easily identified.
And, please forgive a bit of emotion here. I don't think that MS
writes particularly innovative software of any kind I have
experience with. Useful, full featured, and competent, yes, just
not IMO innovative or state-of-the-art/world-class.

It is this feeling that makes me somewhat jaded about the
importance of the malicious software tool. Again, I fully
understand why you want to solve it. If I were you, I would want
to solve it also. Each of us have different backgrounds, levels
of technical expertise, and diffent experiences, so I seldom
dispute people unless I KNOW from personal experience that
trouble may crop up. Easy example: I always preface any OP
requesting info on a (almost always) free Registry cleaner to be
very, very cautious.

Speaking of my (over?) cautious nature, I ALWAYS set my own RP
before I allow ANY of these things to update. MS usually sets one
but not always. The others never do.

I DO allow MS's tool to work, so I'm not bashing them. I just
rely on the others far, far more. e.g., I do a comprehensive scan
on both my PCs that are networked together for the full suite of
bad guys, plus Pest Patrol and Zone Alarm, as well as NAV, are
presumably protecting me silently. Hmmm. I think I'm a couple of
weeks past my monthly schedule, better get cracking, huh?

You are wise to take all types of malware seriously, so I hope
you find a solution that works for you. And, again, have a great
day!

--
HP, aka Jerry

Did you go to safe mode and restore to point prior to update! The try to
disable your firewall for updates.

"Bruce." wrote:

> My Windows XP Home SP2 system is stuck in an update loop. All but one of
> the updates yesterday installed ok.
>
> Now the yellow shield in the taskbar tray keeps appearing and wanting to
> install an update, the same update. When I run the install, it installs
> KB890830 Malicious Software Removal Tool. No errors are reported and it
> says "Done!" at the end. The yellow shield disappears for about 1 minute,
> pops back up again, and the process repeats over and over again. I've
> installed it about a dozen times but the shield keeps popping up.
>
> I've rebooted - no help. The shield just won't go away and stay away.
>
> How can I diagnose what's going wrong and get the KB890830 installed for
> good?
>
> Thanks for any help.
> Bruce.
>
>
>

"HEMI-Powered" <> wrote in message
news:Xns998D7C660C542ReplyScoreID@216.168.3.30...
> Bruce, I'm certainly not going to bug you or anybody about this,
> but for me and others to understand better your total picture,
> and also help ourselves, what kinds of AV and other malware
> protection/scanners do you have?

I have Trend Micro Internet Security 2007. I've tried disabling it but the
KB890830 update still refuses to install correctly. It reports "done!" but
the yellow shield quickly pops up again and loops forever on this update.

As I said, every other update released yesterday installed perfectly.
KB890830 is the only one that won't stick.

Bruce.

"Bruce." <> wrote in message
news:%...
> How can I diagnose what's going wrong and get the KB890830 installed for
> good?

FYI, I went to this link and manually downloaded and intalled KB890830.
That appears to have fixed the install loop.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

Bruce.

Bruce. added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

>> Bruce, I'm certainly not going to bug you or anybody about
>> this, but for me and others to understand better your total
>> picture, and also help ourselves, what kinds of AV and other
>> malware protection/scanners do you have?
>
> I have Trend Micro Internet Security 2007. I've tried
> disabling it but the KB890830 update still refuses to install
> correctly. It reports "done!" but the yellow shield quickly
> pops up again and loops forever on this update.
>
> As I said, every other update released yesterday installed
> perfectly. KB890830 is the only one that won't stick.
>
OK, Bruce, thanks for the update. Good luck in finding the root
cause of your problem. As I said yesterday, I am not an MS-
basher, and DO use the malicious software removal utility, but
hardly as my main protection. Seems you do also. I've not had
your problem nor really any update that wouldn't stick or
wouldn't install at all, so maybe I've been lucky. There's an old
saying that goes like "if you're lucky, you don't have to be
smart but if you're smart you don't have to be lucky." Some truth
to that, I suppose, but I've found that you really need both.
When it comes to the ever increasing complexities of O/S's and
even apps and HW, the chances of getting some kind of difficult
to diagnose problem increases.

Just asking, not badgering. But, since you've had so much trouble
with this particular KB update, and you've got very good
protection that is likely far more effective, wouldn't it reduce
your frustration level at least to let it pass this month and see
if it corrects itself with the next release? I say this NOT to
**** you off but if you're at all like me, I have a very low
tolerance for PC-related frustration caused by errant software or
updates, so I try to be both prudent/safe and lowest risk.
Obviously, each of us needs to live their own lives and I will
again wish you good luck and have a great week!

As for me, I had no PC trouble but did make it to Woodward
yesterday to take some car pictures during the day and my wife
and I had another great 2 hours of cruising the Woodward Dream
Cruise last night. We MAY get in one more night of cruising after
dinner before the 4-lane road turns into a 4-lane parking lot in
both directions. In prior years, that has occured on Thursday
night, Friday during the day, and Saturday for the real cruise is
just a nightmare to drive. But, I'd much prefer to indulge my
love of cars and suffer some inconvience and frustration in
traffic than the same on an overgrown adding machine that won't
work! <grin>

--
HP, aka Jerry

"HEMI-Powered" <> wrote in message
news:Xns998E4EA3A23D8ReplyScoreID@216.168.3.30...
> wouldn't it reduce
> your frustration level at least to let it pass this month and see
> if it corrects itself with the next release?

Nothing frustrates be more than an unresolved problem. :-)

As you probably saw in my other post, for whatever reason, manually
downloading the fix and installing took care of the problem. I should be
set ... at least until next month. :-)

Thanks for your suggestions.

Bruce.

Bruce. added these comments in the current discussion du jour
....

> "HEMI-Powered" <> wrote in message
> news:Xns998E4EA3A23D8ReplyScoreID@216.168.3.30...
>> wouldn't it reduce
>> your frustration level at least to let it pass this month and
>> see if it corrects itself with the next release?
>
> Nothing frustrates be more than an unresolved problem. :-)

I'm with you, Bruce! But, to the extent I can - which often is
never - I also apply both the 80/20 Rule and the Law of
Diminishing Returns, both of which are good mathematically-
related reasons to only go so far on a problem that is not at all
crucial.

I had a REAL problem with XP crashing with a BSOD whenever I
tried to access a CD that was burned with UDF rather than Joliet.
Took six months to solve it. THAT was critical, as I was forced
to use my older PC to get content from the useless optical.

But, since I personally view MS's utility as a useful adjunct to
other ways I protect myself from "malicious software", NOT the
primary way, means that if it somehow can't or won't install, I
don't get frustrated about that. I can and do fall back on the
extensive protections I described to you earlier. But, just
because that is MY philosophy hardly means it is or should be
yours, nor does it mean that I try to jam my ideas down your
throat, I just explain my rationale to you (and any lurkers) and
let people reach their own conclusions.
>
> As you probably saw in my other post, for whatever reason,
> manually downloading the fix and installing took care of the
> problem. I should be set ... at least until next month. :-)
>
> Thanks for your suggestions.
>
NO problem. There's often more than one way to skin the cat, and
many people who have the normal automatic update function fail do
succeed by going to the update center and getting it manually.

BTW, Bruce, just for the record, what is YOUR view of the
robustness and effectiveness of MS's tool vs. the specialized
commercial products? I've already cited mine, I'd be interested
in yours or others, other than "I want all the MS updates no
matter how much work it takes." Thanks.

--
HP, aka Jerry