KB979683 driving me crazy

Win XP Home SP2

Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683. It is
incapable of accepting that I have already done this, even though the
Windows Update web site's "review your update history" link confirms that I
have now done so some... <counts> ...nine times in the last 24 hours--which,
in itself, is a triumph of hope over experience.

I have tried the solution suggested at
<http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/4a6ea702-47e9-48c6-8460-6d3e9f6d9abe/>
but this hasn't solved the problem. Note: Windows won't accept the "net stop
cryptsvc" command while Zonealarm's "Truevector" service (I think this is
vsmon.exe, version 9.1.007.002) is running. With Zonealarm shut down I can
stop the service and rename catroot2 (no tmp* files are to be found in
Catroot), but Windows Update still keeps demanding I download and install
KB979683.

Aaaaaarrrgh!!!

--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

Read the known issues on this page, they explain what to do. There is a link
in that section to a fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979683
"Peter Boulding" <> wrote in message
news:...
>
> Win XP Home SP2
>
> Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683. It is
> incapable of accepting that I have already done this, even though the
> Windows Update web site's "review your update history" link confirms that
> I
> have now done so some... <counts> ...nine times in the last 24
> hours--which,
> in itself, is a triumph of hope over experience.
>
> I have tried the solution suggested at
> <http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/4a6ea702-47e9-48c6-8460-6d3e9f6d9abe/>
> but this hasn't solved the problem. Note: Windows won't accept the "net
> stop
> cryptsvc" command while Zonealarm's "Truevector" service (I think this is
> vsmon.exe, version 9.1.007.002) is running. With Zonealarm shut down I can
> stop the service and rename catroot2 (no tmp* files are to be found in
> Catroot), but Windows Update still keeps demanding I download and install
> KB979683.
>
> Aaaaaarrrgh!!!
>
> --
> Regards, Peter Boulding
> (to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
> Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

You cannot install some updates or programs:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798/

How do I reset Windows Update components?
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Is "Security Update for WinXP (979683)" listed in Add/Remove Programs?

What's the result of running the Fix It in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980966? [Ignore the reference to KB977165]

Why hasn't SP3 been installed by now? [1]

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

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)?

See the "How to obtain help" section of
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979683

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY
(and/or 1-866-234-6020 and/or 1-800-936-5700) in the United States and in
Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary. There is no-charge
for support calls that are associated with security updates. When you call,
clearly state that your problem is related to a Security Update and cite the
update's KB number (e.g., KB979683).

Or you can...

Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...spx?gprid=6527

Customers who experience issues installing Microsoft security updates also
can visit the following pages for assistance:
https://consumersecuritysupport.microsoft.com/
http://support.microsoft.com/ph/6527#tab3

For more information about how to contact your local Microsoft subsidiary
for security update support issues, visit the International Support Web
site: http://support.microsoft.com/common/international.aspx

For enterprise customers, support for security updates is available through
your usual support contacts.

==========================
[1] Support for WinXP (x86) SP2 ends on 13 July 2010. After that date,
computers running WinXP (x86) SP2 "will no longer receive software updates
from Windows Update" unless and until SP3 is installed. Extended Support
for Windows XP SP3 will continue through 08 April 2014.

. What does it mean if my version of Windows is no longer supported?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...f-support-mean

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002


Peter Boulding wrote:
> Win XP Home SP2
>
> Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683. It is
> incapable of accepting that I have already done this, even though the
> Windows Update web site's "review your update history" link confirms that
> I
> have now done so some... <counts> ...nine times in the last 24
> hours--which,
> in itself, is a triumph of hope over experience.
>
> I have tried the solution suggested at
> <http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/4a6ea702-47e9-48c6-8460-6d3e9f6d9abe/>
> but this hasn't solved the problem. Note: Windows won't accept the "net
> stop
> cryptsvc" command while Zonealarm's "Truevector" service (I think this is
> vsmon.exe, version 9.1.007.002) is running. With Zonealarm shut down I can
> stop the service and rename catroot2 (no tmp* files are to be found in
> Catroot), but Windows Update still keeps demanding I download and install
> KB979683.
>
> Aaaaaarrrgh!!!

On Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:58:16 -0400, "V" <> wrote in
<>:

>Read the known issues on this page, they explain what to do. There is a link
>in that section to a fix.
>
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979683

So there is: to the 'rename catroot2' fix which, as I explained in my
original message, turns out to be impossible to apply without first closing
Zonealarm, and which then does no good anyway.

--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

On Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:28:20 -0400, "PA Bear [MS MVP]" <>
wrote in <>:

>You cannot install some updates or programs:
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798/

<clickety>
<much, much later>
None of the conditions described in 822798 appears to apply. I have,
however, as detailed in my original message, tried recommended fix #3
(rename catroot2) without success.


>How do I reset Windows Update components?
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

<downloads Microsoft Fix It 50202>
<runs it in default mode>
Damn: "The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing this
package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code is
2755."


>Is "Security Update for WinXP (979683)" listed in Add/Remove Programs?

Yes, it is--as being installed (along with a bunch of other stuff) on
14/4/2010 (UK date format).


>What's the result of running the Fix It in
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/980966? [Ignore the reference to KB977165]

Oh: this points to a later version of Fix It (50378).
<downloads and runs>
"Your computer appears compatible with Microsoft Security Bulletin MS10-015
(http://support.microsoft.com/technet.../ms10-015.mspx).
Please visit for [sic] Microsoft Knowledge Base article 977165
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977165) for additional information."

>Why hasn't SP3 been installed by now? [1]

I have a couple of months' grace, do I not?

Question: given that this problem has arisen, is the installation of SP3
likely to solve the problem? Or to exacerbate it?

>What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
>subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?

AVG 9.0.801; Superantispyware 4,34,0.1000; Malwarebytes 1.45. Only AVG (and
Zonealarm 9.1.007.002) have real time protection switched on.

>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)?

<shudders> No.


>See the "How to obtain help" section of
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/979683
>
>For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY
>(and/or 1-866-234-6020 and/or 1-800-936-5700) in the United States and in
>Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft subsidiary. There is no-charge
>for support calls that are associated with security updates. When you call,
>clearly state that your problem is related to a Security Update and cite the
>update's KB number (e.g., KB979683).

I'm in the UK.


>Or you can...
>
>Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
>https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...spx?gprid=6527

Done. The following sent:

=================================
Win XP Home SPP2:

Windows Update KB979683 keeps being offered for download despite successful
download and installation (yes, it appears in add/remove programs; the
'history' page at the Windows update web site tells me I've downloaded and
installed it multiple times).

On advice of MS MVPs, I have tried the 'rename catroot2' fix #3 in
<http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798/> (which doesn't work until you
close Zonealarm) but this hasn't solved the problem.

Likewise on the advice of MS MVPs I have tried downloading and running
Microsoft Fix It tools 50202 and 50378.

50202 failed: "The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing
this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code
is 2755."

50378: "Your computer appears compatible with Microsoft Security Bulletin
MS10-015
(http://support.microsoft.com/technet.../ms10-015.mspx).
Please visit for [sic] Microsoft Knowledge Base article 977165
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977165) for additional information."

Despite all the above, that damned shield icon in the system tray is *still*
telling me to download and install KB979683.
=========================================


<snip>


--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

"Peter Boulding" <> schrieb:

> Win XP Home SP2

You are aware that Windows XP SP2 will EOL in July, are you?

> Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683.

Here we go again:

KB979683 (MS10-021) is a kernel update and ever since these are released for
Windows XP, MS doesn't get those to install correctly as soon as it's an
OEM system (with OEM drivers installed) on which these kind of updates
should be installed on.

To get these updates for Windows XP installed properly on these systems,
you'll need to download the update from DownloadCenter:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en
*save* the file into a folder and execute the EXE with the parameter "/o"
(like "/overwriteoem") afterwards.

Let's assume you've downloaded the english version of KB979683 into a
folder "Downloads" which is located on your C: drive. In this case
please restart Windows in Safe Mode (hit the [F8] key after the BIOS
screen occured while booting your machine). Then enter the following
*including* all blanks and quote signs into "Run" in the Start menu
and hit [Enter] or click on OK afterwards:

"C:\Downloads\WindowsXP-KB979683-x86-ENU.exe" /o

After rebooting Windows, the update shouldn't be reoffered by WU/AU once
again.

Bye,
Freudi

On Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:58:42 +0100, I wrote in
<>:

>>Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
>>https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...spx?gprid=6527
>
>Done. The following sent:
>
>=================================
>Win XP Home SPP2:
>
>Windows Update KB979683 keeps being offered for download despite successful
>download and installation (yes, it appears in add/remove programs; the
>'history' page at the Windows update web site tells me I've downloaded and
>installed it multiple times).
>
>On advice of MS MVPs, I have tried the 'rename catroot2' fix #3 in
><http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798/> (which doesn't work until you
>close Zonealarm) but this hasn't solved the problem.
>
>Likewise on the advice of MS MVPs I have tried downloading and running
>Microsoft Fix It tools 50202 and 50378.
>
>50202 failed: "The installer has encountered an unexpected error installing
>this package. This may indicate a problem with this package. The error code
>is 2755."
>
>50378: "Your computer appears compatible with Microsoft Security Bulletin
>MS10-015
>(http://support.microsoft.com/technet.../ms10-015.mspx).
>Please visit for [sic] Microsoft Knowledge Base article 977165
>(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/977165) for additional information."
>
>Despite all the above, that damned shield icon in the system tray is *still*
>telling me to download and install KB979683.
>=========================================

SUCCESS! [1]

I received a lengthy reply within 24 hours, and the first fix offered
resolved the problem:

A) Close all web accelerators and security software. (I found that it
doesn't seem to be possible to fully close down AVG... two of its modules
fail to disappear when told to do so via the Windows Task Manager.)

B) Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. The procedure for doing this was
given as follows:
--------------------------------
1. Click "Start", "Run", type: "cmd" (without quotations) and press
"Enter". In the command window, type "net stop WuAuServ" (without
quotations) and press "Enter".
2. Click "Start", "Run", type: "%windir%" (without quotations) and press
"Enter".
3. Right-click the SoftwareDistribution folder and choose "Rename", type
SDOLD as the new name.
4. Click "Start", "Run", type: "cmd" (without quotations) and press
"Enter". In the command window, type "net start WuAuServ" (without
quotations) and press "Enter".
Note: This folder will be created automatically after starting Automatic
Updates service. Only Windows Update history will be lost. To check
which update is necessary, I suggest we check updates on update website.
Now try Update to see if the issue has been resolved.
--------------------------------

So:
C) Go back to Windows Update and download & install what's offered.

If, like me, you use the "custom" facility at the Windows Update web site,
you will find that previously hidden updates are once more offered for
download; you have to hide the things you just don't want (such as IE8) all
over again (expand, and check "don't show me this again").

KB979683 *was* again offered for download. I went through the
download/install/reboot procedure, and this time the update "took"--that is,
the damned shield icon offering KB979683 has at long last gone away, and the
Windows Update web site is no longer offering it.


D) Re-enable accelerators and security software.


The MS e-mail did offer alternative procedures to try if the above didn't
work (manual download of the problem update to disk from a specified
location, followed by installation in safe mode; and procedures for sending
them logs if even that didn't work) ... but happily I didn't need to follow
those instructions.



[1] Fingers crossed. I'll post again to this thread if, by any chance, the
damned problem reappears.


--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

On Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:37:51 +0200, "Ottmar Freudenberger" <>
wrote in <>:

>"Peter Boulding" <> schrieb:
>
>> Win XP Home SP2
>
>You are aware that Windows XP SP2 will EOL in July, are you?
>
>> Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683.
>
>Here we go again:
>
>KB979683 (MS10-021) is a kernel update and ever since these are released for
>Windows XP, MS doesn't get those to install correctly as soon as it's an
>OEM system (with OEM drivers installed) on which these kind of updates
>should be installed on.
>
>To get these updates for Windows XP installed properly on these systems,
>you'll need to download the update from DownloadCenter:
>http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en
>*save* the file into a folder and execute the EXE with the parameter "/o"
>(like "/overwriteoem") afterwards.
>
>Let's assume you've downloaded the english version of KB979683 into a
>folder "Downloads" which is located on your C: drive. In this case
>please restart Windows in Safe Mode (hit the [F8] key after the BIOS
>screen occured while booting your machine). Then enter the following
>*including* all blanks and quote signs into "Run" in the Start menu
>and hit [Enter] or click on OK afterwards:
>
>"C:\Downloads\WindowsXP-KB979683-x86-ENU.exe" /o
>
>After rebooting Windows, the update shouldn't be reoffered by WU/AU once
>again.
>
>Bye,
>Freudi

Thanks, Freudi: that's similar to fix #2 offered by the MS techy, but as you
will see elsethread fix #1--renaming, and thereby recreating, the
SoftwareDistribution folder--did the trick.

I doubt, BTW, that OEM drivers were the problem in my case unless supplied
with the motherboard or with the DVD drive; the PC was built for me from
fairly standard parts by a friend; there's nothing very special about it--no
unusual hardware, no hidden partitions, or any such.

--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music

Peter Boulding previously wrote:
> A) Close all web accelerators and security software. (I found that it
> doesn't seem to be possible to fully close down AVG... two of its modules
> fail to disappear when told to do so via the Windows Task Manager.)

I'd be willing to wager that a Clean boot of the system would have
*fully* disabled AVG and the update would have properly installed.

> B) Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. The procedure for doing this was
> given as follows:

Now we'll never know *IF* the update would have installed by configuring
the system to Clean boot, thus ruling out AVG as the cause of the
repeated reoffering, because they asked you to recreate the
SoftwareDistribution subfolder. Feh !

Peter ... suggest you configure AVG to not scan nor monitor the
locations mentioned in this MSKB:

Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running currently
supported versions of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158

I'll be curious to see what happens when the next Kernel update comes
out with AVG configured in that manner.
IF the same issue occurs despite AVG not monitoring those
files/locations, then try the Clean boot as it appears to be impossible
to completely shut down AVG's services/processes.

How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353


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

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



Peter Boulding wrote:
> On Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:37:51 +0200, "Ottmar Freudenberger"<>
> wrote in<>:
>
>> "Peter Boulding"<> schrieb:
>>
>>> Win XP Home SP2
>>
>> You are aware that Windows XP SP2 will EOL in July, are you?
>>
>>> Windows update keeps insisting that I download and install KB979683.
>>
>> Here we go again:
>>
>> KB979683 (MS10-021) is a kernel update and ever since these are released for
>> Windows XP, MS doesn't get those to install correctly as soon as it's an
>> OEM system (with OEM drivers installed) on which these kind of updates
>> should be installed on.
>>
>> To get these updates for Windows XP installed properly on these systems,
>> you'll need to download the update from DownloadCenter:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...DisplayLang=en
>> *save* the file into a folder and execute the EXE with the parameter "/o"
>> (like "/overwriteoem") afterwards.
>>
>> Let's assume you've downloaded the english version of KB979683 into a
>> folder "Downloads" which is located on your C: drive. In this case
>> please restart Windows in Safe Mode (hit the [F8] key after the BIOS
>> screen occured while booting your machine). Then enter the following
>> *including* all blanks and quote signs into "Run" in the Start menu
>> and hit [Enter] or click on OK afterwards:
>>
>> "C:\Downloads\WindowsXP-KB979683-x86-ENU.exe" /o
>>
>> After rebooting Windows, the update shouldn't be reoffered by WU/AU once
>> again.
>>
>> Bye,
>> Freudi
>
> Thanks, Freudi: that's similar to fix #2 offered by the MS techy, but as you
> will see elsethread fix #1--renaming, and thereby recreating, the
> SoftwareDistribution folder--did the trick.
>
> I doubt, BTW, that OEM drivers were the problem in my case unless supplied
> with the motherboard or with the DVD drive; the PC was built for me from
> fairly standard parts by a friend; there's nothing very special about it--no
> unusual hardware, no hidden partitions, or any such.
>

On Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:51:16 -0700, MowGreen <> wrote
in <>:

>Peter Boulding previously wrote:
>> A) Close all web accelerators and security software. (I found that it
>> doesn't seem to be possible to fully close down AVG... two of its modules
>> fail to disappear when told to do so via the Windows Task Manager.)
>
>I'd be willing to wager that a Clean boot of the system would have
>*fully* disabled AVG

<looks up "clean boot">

Oh, right. I imagine it would.

>and the update would have properly installed.

I'm not so sure about that. See below.

>> B) Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. The procedure for doing this was
>> given as follows:
>
>Now we'll never know *IF* the update would have installed by configuring
>the system to Clean boot, thus ruling out AVG as the cause of the
>repeated reoffering, because they asked you to recreate the
>SoftwareDistribution subfolder. Feh !

TBH I don't understand what's special about KB979683 that would cause its
installation to behave differently from a bunch of other Windows patches
downloaded and installed at the same time (the April group of XP updates)
and under the same conditions (were none of the others kernel updates?). Nor
do I understand why, if AVG were the cause, renaming (and thereby
recreating) the SoftwareDistribution folder would have solved the problem,
given that the subsequent standard download/install of KB979683--with AVG
running normally--ran without a hitch.

AVG (unlike, for example, Norton) is a fairly well-behaved AV app.

>Peter ... suggest you configure AVG to not scan nor monitor the
>locations mentioned in this MSKB:
>
>Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running currently
>supported versions of Windows
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
>
>I'll be curious to see what happens when the next Kernel update comes
>out with AVG configured in that manner.
>IF the same issue occurs despite AVG not monitoring those
>files/locations, then try the Clean boot as it appears to be impossible
>to completely shut down AVG's services/processes.
>
>How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
>http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

OK... IF the problem occurs again with another Windows Update patch, I may
try your advice as regards file location exclusions and clean boot, but I'd
assume that KB822158, which relates to "Microsoft Windows when it is used
with antivirus software in an Active Directory domain environment or in a
managed business environment" isn't meant to be applicable to this home-user
PC.


Anyway, I posted my solution (which was, after all, method #1 suggested by
MS tech support) because this thread might be found by others experiencing
the same problem--and who might be desperate to get rid of that damnably and
persistently insistent shield icon...

You may feel that it's an uninformative workaround and yes, it may fail to
prevent a recurrence of the problem with another update, but I'm not a
Windows Update MVP (I used to be an MS Word MVP, but that's another story)
and it did have the following virtues: (1) it was easy to do, and (2) it
worked.


--
Regards, Peter Boulding
(to e-mail, remove "UNSPAM")
Fractal Music and Images: http://www.pboulding.co.uk/ and
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/defa...&content=music