Reformatted XP SP3 and Microsot Update not working

I recently reformatted my computer and installed XP SP2. I've installed very
little software so far, and Microsoft Update has suddenly stopped installing
anything. I think the only update I got installed was SP3, then the next
time I opened up Microsoft Update in a browser it gives me a long list to
install, but fails to install everything; the downloads completely
successfully, but the updates don't work. I tried downloading a random
update directly from the KB article, and it worked fine.

Updates that come through the little yellow icon on the status bar do the
exact same thing.

Random point of interest: before I'd even installed Office 2007, two
different updates appeared in the list of available updates that were for
Office 2007. I tried installing Office to see if this would maybe solve
something, but it did not. At this point all I have installed is WinRAR,
Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft Money Plus, Office 2007 Ultimate, Virtual
CloneDrive, and my ATI drivers.

I don't see a way to attach files to the newsgroup, but here's a section of
one of the KB update .log files that appears to be very similar in most of
the logs from the failed updates:

1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp4.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp3.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp2.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp1.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\driver.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\fp40ext.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\fp40ext1.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\wms4.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\wms41.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ims.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ims1.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ins.cab does not exist
1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ins1.cab does not exist
1.141: Starting AnalyzeComponents
1.141: AnalyzePhaseZero used 0 ticks
1.141: No c:\windows\INF\updtblk.inf file.
1.141: OEM file scan used 0 ticks
1.156: AnalyzePhaseOne: used 15 ticks
1.156: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatch analysis disabled; skipping.
1.156: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatching is disabled.
1.156: FindFirstFile c:\windows\$hf_mig$\*.*
1.172: KB951072-v2 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not
correct.

I'd really appreciate some help. It's frustrating to have a fresh install
of XP break the same day you get it installed...

PBristow wrote:

> I recently reformatted my computer and installed XP SP2. I've installed
> very little software so far, and Microsoft Update has suddenly stopped
> installing anything. I think the only update I got installed was SP3,
> then the next time I opened up Microsoft Update in a browser it gives me
> a long list to install, but fails to install everything; the downloads
> completely successfully, but the updates don't work. I tried downloading
> a random update directly from the KB article, and it worked fine.
>
> Updates that come through the little yellow icon on the status bar do the
> exact same thing.
>
> Random point of interest: before I'd even installed Office 2007, two
> different updates appeared in the list of available updates that were for
> Office 2007. I tried installing Office to see if this would maybe solve
> something, but it did not. At this point all I have installed is WinRAR,
> Visual Studio 2008, Microsoft Money Plus, Office 2007 Ultimate, Virtual
> CloneDrive, and my ATI drivers.
>
> I don't see a way to attach files to the newsgroup, but here's a section
> of one of the KB update .log files that appears to be very similar in
> most of the logs from the failed updates:
>
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp4.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp3.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp2.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\sp1.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\driver.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\fp40ext.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\fp40ext1.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\wms4.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\wms41.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ims.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ims1.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ins.cab does not exist
> 1.141: ref tag c:\windows\system32\ins1.cab does not exist
> 1.141: Starting AnalyzeComponents
> 1.141: AnalyzePhaseZero used 0 ticks
> 1.141: No c:\windows\INF\updtblk.inf file.
> 1.141: OEM file scan used 0 ticks
> 1.156: AnalyzePhaseOne: used 15 ticks
> 1.156: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatch analysis disabled; skipping.
> 1.156: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatching is disabled.
> 1.156: FindFirstFile c:\windows\$hf_mig$\*.*
> 1.172: KB951072-v2 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is
> not correct.
>
> I'd really appreciate some help. It's frustrating to have a fresh install
> of XP break the same day you get it installed...

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

--
Vincenzo Di Russo
Microsoft® MVP - Most Valuable Professional since 2003
Windows Internet Explorer, Windows Desktop Experience & Security
My MVP Profile: https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Vincenzo
My Blog: http://blogs.dotnethell.it/vincent/