SOLUTION to Failed Updates XP Pro

I was having trouble installing updates on XP Pro, after my computer crashed
mid-update. Every time I would use windows update to download the updates, I
would get a message at the end "Updates Failed to Install"

I looked at the log - c:\Winnt\WindowsUpdate.log

and I saw the error message "Failed to delete old install directory at
C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Install. This may block future
installs."

I went into "C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Instal l", deleted the
directory "Install", and now update works.

Hope this works for you..

How do I find the log you went to? Pete

"Phil Zinger" wrote:

> I was having trouble installing updates on XP Pro, after my computer crashed
> mid-update. Every time I would use windows update to download the updates, I
> would get a message at the end "Updates Failed to Install"
>
> I looked at the log - c:\Winnt\WindowsUpdate.log
>
> and I saw the error message "Failed to delete old install directory at
> C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Install. This may block future
> installs."
>
> I went into "C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Instal l", deleted the
> directory "Install", and now update works.
>
> Hope this works for you..

Look in your c drive, its in your "Winnt" folder

The name of the file is " WindowsUpdate.log"


"Windows update failure to install" wrote:

> How do I find the log you went to? Pete
>
> "Phil Zinger" wrote:
>
> > I was having trouble installing updates on XP Pro, after my computer crashed
> > mid-update. Every time I would use windows update to download the updates, I
> > would get a message at the end "Updates Failed to Install"
> >
> > I looked at the log - c:\Winnt\WindowsUpdate.log
> >
> > and I saw the error message "Failed to delete old install directory at
> > C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Install. This may block future
> > installs."
> >
> > I went into "C:\WINNT\SoftwareDistribution\Download\Instal l", deleted the
> > directory "Install", and now update works.
> >
> > Hope this works for you..

Windows update failure to install wrote:
> How do I find the log you went to? Pete
>
Depends on your Windows system & whether it is on V4 or V5 of Windows Updates.
Look at your C drive (that's usually the case. If you have multi-boot setup, you'll know where to look).
Your Windows is either at C:\Windows or C:\WINNT (like Pete).
Then if it is V4 of Windows Update, look for file Windows Update.log (space after *s* , before *U*)
For V5, no space WindowsUpdate.log
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
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