There are similar issues that have happened to me over the past couple of
years. Occasionally, updates to Zone Alarm, Norton AV, or the anti-Spyware
programs I use have interfered with Windows Update. Usually, it seems to
involve script blocking or blocking some process or connection to the SSL
port (443). I disable each program one at a time (I'm also using a hardware
firewall - so it's not a huge risk), and can usually identify the culprit.
Often the problem is solved, in general, on a subsequent update of the
AV/ZA/ASW.
However, once it was "none of the above." Something similar to your problem
happened to me about a year ago, while I was using Win XP Home SP1, Norton
AV, Zone Alarm, and Pest Patrol (all updated daily). Apparently, I got some
kind of Trojan, Virus or WebBug through e-mail that blocked Windows Update,
Symantec Live Update, as well as interfering with Symantec's intelligent
updater virus update program. Everything else worked fine. (I have pretty
good reasons why I'm fairly sure it was a virus/trojan/Web Bug, but it's too
long to go into here).
Like your problem, I had to use Task manager to kill the Windows Update
processs in the beginning, as it froze. But, it got to the point where only
a hard power-down would solve it. After several weeks of trying, and
searching websites using my other computer, I only finally got around this by
wiping the HD and reinstalling Windows on my laptop, as I upgraded to WinXP
Professional (so I'd have better control over the security settings on my
PC). I don't know if just upgading would have killed the process/program
that was interfering. It did not reappear when I restored my data (i.e.
e-mail, documents, photos).
I subsequently restored the whole backup to another hard disk, but was not
able to detect the threat even 90 days later (when I needed to delete the
backup/restoration, because I needed the room on my HD). To date, while I
have seen similar issues described, I've not seen a malicious threat
described that exactly matches what I think I had.
Bottom line: there are critters out there that can get around Anti-Virus,
Firewalls, and AntiSpyWare. 99.9999% of the problems probably do not
directly involve these issues. But, if you are one of the .0001% that gets
one, you'll have a hard time getting around it.
Good Luck!
"Sandy" wrote:
> Has anyone come across a solution to get windows update to open. I am using
> sp1 and windows xp home.
>
> When I go to the site, I get no error messages, no screen. It just locks up
> and I have to use control/alt/delete to access the task manager and end
> windows update task to get out of it. My pc runs fine otherwise. Windows
> update was working fine a week ago. All with the same programs and settings I
> am using now.
>
> I am really concerned about the security of my computer while online. I use
> DSL and am online all day. I keep my virus updates current everyday and use
> zone alarm as well as ad aware and spy bot. But with the internet the way it
> is I am still concerned because windows updates are another important thing I
> thought to keep the software up to date.
>
> Oh well, does someone know anything to help. Surely Microsoft can tell us
> something.
>
> Thank you,
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