Updates after a system restore to an earlier date

Dell Dimension 4700, Intel P4 system, Windows XP with SP1 & SP2:
I had to do a system restore to a time before I had accomplished some
Windows updates. I assume that these updates were lost. When I run updates
now the updates system thinks they have already been accomplished, because
they had been in the past. What can I do to make sure my system is actually
scanned instead of the updates center just going by their internal records.
I'm assuming this is what is happening since it says I don't need any
updates, but I did need them between the date of my system restore point and
the date of my error which caused me to need a system restore.

"Major Newbie",

You are very likely just fine, and do not need updates. Each time you
access the Windows Update site, there is an updated scanning tool that
scours both the registry and the file version of system files and drivers.
This is why in some drastic cases, a troubleshooting step is given that has
a user delete their entire SoftwareDistribution folder without any adverse
effects. If your history was required, this would be destroyed every time
it is tried.

To somewhat independently verify this, please try the Microsoft Baseline
Security Analyzer, which is available for Windows XP, Windows 2000 and
Windows Server 2003 ONLY. Here is the link, and all you need to do is save
it to a directory you will remember, execute the file, and agree to the End
User License Agreement to get it started. The great part of it is that you
can launch this tool to scan your workgroup, a subnet, or a huge block of
machines:

http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...SASetup-EN.msi

Sincerely,

Pat Walters [MSFT]


"Major Newbie" <> wrote in message
news:7F0F8486-2596-40AD-A7D1-...
> Dell Dimension 4700, Intel P4 system, Windows XP with SP1 & SP2:
> I had to do a system restore to a time before I had accomplished some
> Windows updates. I assume that these updates were lost. When I run updates
> now the updates system thinks they have already been accomplished, because
> they had been in the past. What can I do to make sure my system is
> actually
> scanned instead of the updates center just going by their internal
> records.
> I'm assuming this is what is happening since it says I don't need any
> updates, but I did need them between the date of my system restore point
> and
> the date of my error which caused me to need a system restore.

Thank you very much for your reply. It answered my question completely.

"Pat Walters [MSFT]" wrote:

> "Major Newbie",
>
> You are very likely just fine, and do not need updates. Each time you
> access the Windows Update site, there is an updated scanning tool that
> scours both the registry and the file version of system files and drivers.
> This is why in some drastic cases, a troubleshooting step is given that has
> a user delete their entire SoftwareDistribution folder without any adverse
> effects. If your history was required, this would be destroyed every time
> it is tried.
>
> To somewhat independently verify this, please try the Microsoft Baseline
> Security Analyzer, which is available for Windows XP, Windows 2000 and
> Windows Server 2003 ONLY. Here is the link, and all you need to do is save
> it to a directory you will remember, execute the file, and agree to the End
> User License Agreement to get it started. The great part of it is that you
> can launch this tool to scan your workgroup, a subnet, or a huge block of
> machines:
>
> http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...SASetup-EN.msi
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Pat Walters [MSFT]
>
>
> "Major Newbie" <> wrote in message
> news:7F0F8486-2596-40AD-A7D1-...
> > Dell Dimension 4700, Intel P4 system, Windows XP with SP1 & SP2:
> > I had to do a system restore to a time before I had accomplished some
> > Windows updates. I assume that these updates were lost. When I run updates
> > now the updates system thinks they have already been accomplished, because
> > they had been in the past. What can I do to make sure my system is
> > actually
> > scanned instead of the updates center just going by their internal
> > records.
> > I'm assuming this is what is happening since it says I don't need any
> > updates, but I did need them between the date of my system restore point
> > and
> > the date of my error which caused me to need a system restore.
>
>
>