Windows shows update to install everyday - even if never on-line

I have Windows XP SP3.

Two weeks ago, went to update.microsoft.com. No activex control would appear.

Updated to IE8. Same problem.

Ran AVG full scan and MS Windows Live Security Scan. No problems found.

This week (30 or 31 March) received automatic updates. Seemed to install
with no problems.
Now everytime I shutdown Windows says updates need to be installed.
I have tried disconnecting from the internet before I start the computer;
start up and then shut down - still get updates to be installed.

Also, still cannot get activex control on update page; cannot view update
history.

Any help would be appreciated.

Fred K wrote:
> I have Windows XP SP3.
>
> Two weeks ago, went to update.microsoft.com. No activex control
> would appear.
>
> Updated to IE8. Same problem.
>
> Ran AVG full scan and MS Windows Live Security Scan. No problems
> found.
>
> This week (30 or 31 March) received automatic updates. Seemed to
> install with no problems.
> Now everytime I shutdown Windows says updates need to be installed.
> I have tried disconnecting from the internet before I start the
> computer; start up and then shut down - still get updates to be
> installed.
>
> Also, still cannot get activex control on update page; cannot view
> update history.
>
> Any help would be appreciated.

Download, install, run, update and perform a full scan (separately) with the
following two applications (freeware versions are the ones to use for this):

SuperAntiSpyware
http://www.superantispyware.com/

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.com/

After performing a full scan with one and then the other and removing
whatever they both find completely, you may uninstall these products,
if you wish.

Reboot.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\net stop wuauserv
--> Click OK.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32 %SystemRoot%\system32\wups2.dll
--> Click OK.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemRoot%\system32\net start wuauserv
--> Click OK.

Download the latest version of the Windows Update agent from here (x86):
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237
.... and save it to the root of your C:\ drive. After saving it to the root
of the C:\ drive, do the following:

Close all Internet Explorer windows and other applications.

Start button --> RUN and type in:
%SystemDrive%\windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe /WUFORCE
--> Click OK.

(If asked, select "Run.) --> Click on NEXT --> Select "I agree" and click on
NEXT --> When it finishes installing, click on "Finish"...

Reboot.

Download/Install the latest Windows Installer (for your OS):
( Windows XP 32-bit : WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe )
http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/d...displaylang=en

Reboot.

Log on as an user with administrative rights and open Internet Explorer and
visit http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ and select to do a CUSTOM scan...
(Every time you are about to click on something while at these web pages -
first press and hold down the CTRL key while you click on it. You can
release the CTRL key after clicking each time.)

Once the scan is done, select just _ONE_ of the high priority updates
(deselect any others) and install it.

Reboot again.

If it did work - try the web page again - selecting no more than 3-5 at a
time.

The Optional Software updates are generally safe - although I recommend
against the "Windows Search" one. I would completely avoid the Optional
Hardware updates.

Come back - let us know if that worked.
.... Really - come back and let everyone know if that worked.

If it seemed to have failed, do this:

Check the staus of these two services:
- Automatic Updates
- Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK. In the list of
services, find those two, right click on them one at a time and choose
properties. In the Startup type list, what is each of them set to?

Report that here.

Then:

Click Start, and then click Run.
In the Open box, type: %windir%\windowsupdate.log
and then click OK.

Scroll down towards the bottom for the latest entries to locate any error
code(s) or explanation as to why the page cannot be displayed.

You can copy/paste the last 50 or so lines here...

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html