'Looking for Updates' times out

Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1 &
three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After install
Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that check.
Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and left it
searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer 3.1
which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win firewall,
lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old but
has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this prob,
seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The only
items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.

Hey John,

Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband or
dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into your
computer?

Derrick

"john" wrote:

> Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1 &
> three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After install
> Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that check.
> Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and left it
> searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer 3.1
> which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win firewall,
> lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old but
> has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this prob,
> seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The only
> items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.

I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.

"Derrick MS" wrote:

> Hey John,
>
> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband or
> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into your
> computer?
>
> Derrick
>
> "john" wrote:
>
> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1 &
> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After install
> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that check.
> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and left it
> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer 3.1
> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win firewall,
> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old but
> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this prob,
> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The only
> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.

John,
See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 8:27 AM "Looking for updates times out"

"john" <> wrote in message
news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
>I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
>
> "Derrick MS" wrote:
>
>> Hey John,
>>
>> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
>> or
>> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
>> your
>> computer?
>>
>> Derrick
>>
>> "john" wrote:
>>
>> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
>> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
>> > &
>> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
>> > install
>> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
>> > check.
>> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
>> > left it
>> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
>> > 3.1
>> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
>> > firewall,
>> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
>> > but
>> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
>> > prob,
>> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
>> > only
>> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.

ooops sorry about that John. See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 9:30 AM
"Unable to use Microsoft Update (Error 0x80072F78)

"john" <> wrote in message
news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
>I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
>
> "Derrick MS" wrote:
>
>> Hey John,
>>
>> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
>> or
>> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
>> your
>> computer?
>>
>> Derrick
>>
>> "john" wrote:
>>
>> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
>> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
>> > &
>> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
>> > install
>> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
>> > check.
>> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
>> > left it
>> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
>> > 3.1
>> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
>> > firewall,
>> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
>> > but
>> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
>> > prob,
>> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
>> > only
>> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.

Thanks, but this is strictly a Windows update problem, although I have tried
MS Update to see if it worked-it didn't. I'm doing a clean format/install
and I immediately go to Win Update before anything else is added-now 0 for 7.
But this install disk has worked before with no prob. Someone just posted
"How to fix Win Update [BITS/AU]" looks promising but...
Thanks again.

"SBS 2003 User" wrote:

> ooops sorry about that John. See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 9:30 AM
> "Unable to use Microsoft Update (Error 0x80072F78)
>
> "john" <> wrote in message
> news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
> >I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> > update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> > posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> > Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> > expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
> >
> > "Derrick MS" wrote:
> >
> >> Hey John,
> >>
> >> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
> >> or
> >> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
> >> your
> >> computer?
> >>
> >> Derrick
> >>
> >> "john" wrote:
> >>
> >> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> >> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
> >> > &
> >> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
> >> > install
> >> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
> >> > check.
> >> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
> >> > left it
> >> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
> >> > 3.1
> >> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
> >> > firewall,
> >> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
> >> > but
> >> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
> >> > prob,
> >> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
> >> > only
> >> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.
>
>
>

John,

You are spending an aweful lot of time trying to debug this problem. Have
you tried to simply contact Microsoft directly with the free phone number
they provide for this? 1-866-PC-SAFETY?

https://www.microsoft.com/technet/se...n/alertus.aspx

Best of Luck

"john" wrote:

> Thanks, but this is strictly a Windows update problem, although I have tried
> MS Update to see if it worked-it didn't. I'm doing a clean format/install
> and I immediately go to Win Update before anything else is added-now 0 for 7.
> But this install disk has worked before with no prob. Someone just posted
> "How to fix Win Update [BITS/AU]" looks promising but...
> Thanks again.
>
> "SBS 2003 User" wrote:
>
> > ooops sorry about that John. See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 9:30 AM
> > "Unable to use Microsoft Update (Error 0x80072F78)
> >
> > "john" <> wrote in message
> > news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
> > >I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> > > update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> > > posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> > > Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> > > expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
> > >
> > > "Derrick MS" wrote:
> > >
> > >> Hey John,
> > >>
> > >> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
> > >> or
> > >> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
> > >> your
> > >> computer?
> > >>
> > >> Derrick
> > >>
> > >> "john" wrote:
> > >>
> > >> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> > >> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
> > >> > &
> > >> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
> > >> > install
> > >> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
> > >> > check.
> > >> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
> > >> > left it
> > >> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
> > >> > 3.1
> > >> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
> > >> > firewall,
> > >> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
> > >> > but
> > >> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
> > >> > prob,
> > >> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
> > >> > only
> > >> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.
> >
> >
> >

Although I do like to figure things out for myself, I have been exchanging
emails with MS support for about two days. Some things to try but no help
yet-kinda slow seem to be in Asia and a major time diff.

"Dale Networkguy" wrote:

> John,
>
> You are spending an aweful lot of time trying to debug this problem. Have
> you tried to simply contact Microsoft directly with the free phone number
> they provide for this? 1-866-PC-SAFETY?
>
> https://www.microsoft.com/technet/se...n/alertus.aspx
>
> Best of Luck
>
> "john" wrote:
>
> > Thanks, but this is strictly a Windows update problem, although I have tried
> > MS Update to see if it worked-it didn't. I'm doing a clean format/install
> > and I immediately go to Win Update before anything else is added-now 0 for 7.
> > But this install disk has worked before with no prob. Someone just posted
> > "How to fix Win Update [BITS/AU]" looks promising but...
> > Thanks again.
> >
> > "SBS 2003 User" wrote:
> >
> > > ooops sorry about that John. See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 9:30 AM
> > > "Unable to use Microsoft Update (Error 0x80072F78)
> > >
> > > "john" <> wrote in message
> > > news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
> > > >I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> > > > update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> > > > posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> > > > Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> > > > expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
> > > >
> > > > "Derrick MS" wrote:
> > > >
> > > >> Hey John,
> > > >>
> > > >> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
> > > >> or
> > > >> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
> > > >> your
> > > >> computer?
> > > >>
> > > >> Derrick
> > > >>
> > > >> "john" wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> > > >> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
> > > >> > &
> > > >> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
> > > >> > install
> > > >> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
> > > >> > check.
> > > >> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
> > > >> > left it
> > > >> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
> > > >> > 3.1
> > > >> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
> > > >> > firewall,
> > > >> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
> > > >> > but
> > > >> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
> > > >> > prob,
> > > >> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
> > > >> > only
> > > >> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.
> > >
> > >
> > >

no need to do the email thing - if you call they will talk

I've been talking to them for over 6 hours over the last few days. When it
gets to weird its best to call 1-866-PC-SAFETY and let Microsoft pay to fix
their problem and to document and discover that a bug exists. My Indian, New
Delhi, support network is growing

One of the interesting steps we took was to reinstall Automatic Updates by
right clicking the au.inf file and INSTALL and choose an XP media disc for
the source files. In my case it didn't fix the underlying problem which I'm
seeing a link to RPC services lately. Still it was a step I've not read on
the newsgroup threads on this issue. It is a continuing wild guess right now
what the actual source is though as things are borken :P.

"john" wrote:

> Although I do like to figure things out for myself, I have been exchanging
> emails with MS support for about two days. Some things to try but no help
> yet-kinda slow seem to be in Asia and a major time diff.
>
> "Dale Networkguy" wrote:
>
> > John,
> >
> > You are spending an aweful lot of time trying to debug this problem. Have
> > you tried to simply contact Microsoft directly with the free phone number
> > they provide for this? 1-866-PC-SAFETY?
> >
> > https://www.microsoft.com/technet/se...n/alertus.aspx
> >
> > Best of Luck
> >
> > "john" wrote:
> >
> > > Thanks, but this is strictly a Windows update problem, although I have tried
> > > MS Update to see if it worked-it didn't. I'm doing a clean format/install
> > > and I immediately go to Win Update before anything else is added-now 0 for 7.
> > > But this install disk has worked before with no prob. Someone just posted
> > > "How to fix Win Update [BITS/AU]" looks promising but...
> > > Thanks again.
> > >
> > > "SBS 2003 User" wrote:
> > >
> > > > ooops sorry about that John. See my post to Ian dated 9/5/2006 9:30 AM
> > > > "Unable to use Microsoft Update (Error 0x80072F78)
> > > >
> > > > "john" <> wrote in message
> > > > news:389E6C65-5BCD-49FD-BA72-...
> > > > >I have six other XP machines on this switch/router which, of course, all
> > > > > update fine. But I'm not sure it's my problem anymore. Two other people
> > > > > posted immediately after me that are having the same or simillar problem.
> > > > > Thanks for your help, I may try going straight into the router but I'm not
> > > > > expecting much since I have tried a good machine in this port.
> > > > >
> > > > > "Derrick MS" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > >> Hey John,
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Have you tried downloading from any other computer? Do you run broadband
> > > > >> or
> > > > >> dial up? Do you run a router or do you plug your gateway directly into
> > > > >> your
> > > > >> computer?
> > > > >>
> > > > >> Derrick
> > > > >>
> > > > >> "john" wrote:
> > > > >>
> > > > >> > Update looks for updates for 20 min & times out. Repeatable on six
> > > > >> > absolutely clean installs of XP. Two different XP versions, three SP1
> > > > >> > &
> > > > >> > three SP2 installs. Two different HDDs. Different memory. After
> > > > >> > install
> > > > >> > Update will update itself with the WGA tool and appears to pass that
> > > > >> > check.
> > > > >> > Then will endlessly search for new updates. Once I just gave up and
> > > > >> > left it
> > > > >> > searching & when I came back it had identified KB898461 & Win Installer
> > > > >> > 3.1
> > > > >> > which it installed. But now it just searches. Have turned off Win
> > > > >> > firewall,
> > > > >> > lowered security settings, cleaned out temp files. This machine is old
> > > > >> > but
> > > > >> > has run XP for 18 months with no problems updating and, except for this
> > > > >> > prob,
> > > > >> > seems to be running fine now. I'm at a loss-CPU, motherboard, PS? The
> > > > >> > only
> > > > >> > items I can't swap out. Thanks for any input.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >