Windows Update Version 5 Problem

I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of the Windows Update site,
so consequentially I'm having trouble getting new updates to XP since they're
only posted to version 5. I ran the Windows Validation site so I know my copy
of XP is legit, but for some reason whenever I go to Windows Update it
redirects me to version 4 - even if I manually tell it to go to version 5. I
have tried all of the suggestions on the web like clearing the IE cache and
deleting the Windows Update ActiveX control and re-registering several
Windows Update related dll files. I also tried the Microsoft KB suggestion of
enabling ActiveX - but since ActiveX was already enabled, the KB article
didn't help me any. I believe the problem lies with how Microsoft's site
determines what version of Windows you're running. For example, when I go to
the Windows Media Player 10 download page, it tells me I'm running Windows
2000. I had to find the download for the standalone installer to get WMP 10.
If the Windows Update site uses this same method to determine what version of
Windows I'm running, it would explain why I'm getting redirected to version 4
since only XP can use version 5 at this time. So the question is - why do
Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000 when I'm not? It doesn't seem
to be service pack related, because I reverted back to SP1 and still couldn't
access version 5.

Thanks!

"SeanFromIT" wrote:

> I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of the Windows Update site,
> so consequentially I'm having trouble getting new updates to XP since they're
> only posted to version 5. I ran the Windows Validation site so I know my copy
> of XP is legit, but for some reason whenever I go to Windows Update it
> redirects me to version 4 - even if I manually tell it to go to version 5. I
> have tried all of the suggestions on the web like clearing the IE cache and
> deleting the Windows Update ActiveX control and re-registering several
> Windows Update related dll files. I also tried the Microsoft KB suggestion of
> enabling ActiveX - but since ActiveX was already enabled, the KB article
> didn't help me any. I believe the problem lies with how Microsoft's site
> determines what version of Windows you're running. For example, when I go to
> the Windows Media Player 10 download page, it tells me I'm running Windows
> 2000. I had to find the download for the standalone installer to get WMP 10.
> If the Windows Update site uses this same method to determine what version of
> Windows I'm running, it would explain why I'm getting redirected to version 4
> since only XP can use version 5 at this time. So the question is - why do
> Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000 when I'm not? It doesn't seem
> to be service pack related, because I reverted back to SP1 and still couldn't
> access version 5.
>
> Thanks!

"SeanFromIT" <> wrote in message
news:9E08D3B1-07B8-4E62-999D-...
>I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of the Windows Update site,
....
> why do Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000 when I'm not?


This could be a question of User-Agent--what is IE sending
with its requests and what is being received.


(extract from a recent reply concerning a similar symptom)

I suspect it is not your browser which is telling you that but the
application your browser is connecting to. The thing that you have
to think about then is what might be between your browser and the
application. You mention some kind of security package. Can it
intercept the requests that your browser makes and modify them?
Specifically can it make changes to the User-Agent string that each
request contains? If so, that could explain your symptom.

It's pretty simple to test this idea by comparing the User-Agent string
which should be sent with the User-Agent string which is received.
For example, here are some suggestions I recently gave a user who
had two different machines to use for comparison.

<excerpt>
What do you see if you enter this in an IE Address bar on each?

javascript:navigator.userAgent

(the property name is case sensitive; so notice that uppercase A.)


However, what is more important about the User-Agent string
is whether it reaches its destination. Some network security products
may modify it; so it is also useful to compare what a remote site claims
to actually see, with what the above IE window showed you.

Steve Gibson's ShieldsUP! site has one such remote service.

< http://grc.com/default.htm >

(Choose Browser Headers once you allow it to Proceed.)


Another site which you could use for comparing browser functionality is:

< http://www.gemal.dk/browserspy/ >


Post back your detailed observations if you need more help.


HTH

Robert Aldwinckle
---
</excerpt>

Thanks for replying!

I checked out the UserAgent and on both my machine and
the ShieldsUp Browser Headers check it shows:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.01;
RapidBrowser 5.2.0; Q312461; Maxthon; SV1; .NET CLR
1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)

Microsoft sites should see that as Windows XP, shouldn't
they?

>-----Original Message-----
>"SeanFromIT" <>
wrote in message
>news:9E08D3B1-07B8-4E62-999D-
...
>>I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of the
Windows Update site,
>....
>> why do Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000
when I'm not?
>
>
>This could be a question of User-Agent--what is IE
sending
>with its requests and what is being received.
>
>
>(extract from a recent reply concerning a similar
symptom)
>
>I suspect it is not your browser which is telling you
that but the
>application your browser is connecting to. The thing
that you have
>to think about then is what might be between your
browser and the
>application. You mention some kind of security
package. Can it
>intercept the requests that your browser makes and
modify them?
>Specifically can it make changes to the User-Agent
string that each
>request contains? If so, that could explain your
symptom.
>
>It's pretty simple to test this idea by comparing the
User-Agent string
>which should be sent with the User-Agent string which is
received.
>For example, here are some suggestions I recently gave a
user who
>had two different machines to use for comparison.
>
><excerpt>
>What do you see if you enter this in an IE Address bar
on each?
>
>javascript:navigator.userAgent
>
>(the property name is case sensitive; so notice that
uppercase A.)
>
>
>However, what is more important about the User-Agent
string
>is whether it reaches its destination. Some network
security products
>may modify it; so it is also useful to compare what a
remote site claims
>to actually see, with what the above IE window showed
you.
>
>Steve Gibson's ShieldsUP! site has one such remote
service.
>
>< http://grc.com/default.htm >
>
>(Choose Browser Headers once you allow it to Proceed.)
>
>
>Another site which you could use for comparing browser
functionality is:
>
>< http://www.gemal.dk/browserspy/ >
>
>
>Post back your detailed observations if you need more
help.
>
>
>HTH
>
>Robert Aldwinckle
>---
></excerpt>
>
>
>.
>

<> wrote in message
news:085601c4b3bd$9fea74b0$...
> Thanks for replying!
>
> I checked out the UserAgent and on both my machine and
> the ShieldsUp Browser Headers check it shows:
>
> Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.01;
> RapidBrowser 5.2.0; Q312461; Maxthon; SV1; .NET CLR
> 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
>
> Microsoft sites should see that as Windows XP, shouldn't
> they?

I suspect your problem may be the zero in Windows NT 5.01.
It is usually written as Windows NT 5.1 and if the checking routine
of the web app is looking for NT 5.0 to mean Windows 2000
that would explain your symptom. AFAIK Windows 2000 can not yet
use WUv5.

How did you get that User-Agent, do you know?

BTW the method of overriding User-Agent has changed and isn't
well documented yet IMO. Here is a reply from Jesper Ohlsson [MSFT]
I usually cite when the subject comes up:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ngxa06.phx.gbl


HTH

Robert
---


>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>"SeanFromIT" <>
> wrote in message
>>news:9E08D3B1-07B8-4E62-999D-
> ...
>>>I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of the
> Windows Update site,
>>....
>>> why do Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000
> when I'm not?
>>
>>
>>This could be a question of User-Agent--what is IE
> sending
>>with its requests and what is being received.
>>
>>
>>(extract from a recent reply concerning a similar
> symptom)

....

Not sure how I got it! But THANK YOU!! I followed the
directions on that site and found a "Platform" string
in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Cur rentV
ersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent" that had the
5.01 in it. I changed it to 5.1 and now the Windows
Update Version 5 site comes up. Thanks again! :-)


>-----Original Message-----
><> wrote in message
>news:085601c4b3bd$9fea74b0$...
>> Thanks for replying!
>>
>> I checked out the UserAgent and on both my machine and
>> the ShieldsUp Browser Headers check it shows:
>>
>> Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.01;
>> RapidBrowser 5.2.0; Q312461; Maxthon; SV1; .NET CLR
>> 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
>>
>> Microsoft sites should see that as Windows XP,
shouldn't
>> they?
>
>I suspect your problem may be the zero in Windows NT
5.01.
>It is usually written as Windows NT 5.1 and if the
checking routine
>of the web app is looking for NT 5.0 to mean Windows
2000
>that would explain your symptom. AFAIK Windows 2000
can not yet
>use WUv5.
>
>How did you get that User-Agent, do you know?
>
>BTW the method of overriding User-Agent has changed
and isn't
>well documented yet IMO. Here is a reply from Jesper
Ohlsson [MSFT]
>I usually cite when the subject comes up:
>
>http://groups.google.com/groups?
hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&selm=sjQieLXjDHA.688%
40cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl
>
>
>HTH
>
>Robert
>---
>
>
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>"SeanFromIT" <>
>> wrote in message
>>>news:9E08D3B1-07B8-4E62-999D-
>> ...
>>>>I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of
the
>> Windows Update site,
>>>....
>>>> why do Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000
>> when I'm not?
>>>
>>>
>>>This could be a question of User-Agent--what is IE
>> sending
>>>with its requests and what is being received.
>>>
>>>
>>>(extract from a recent reply concerning a similar
>> symptom)
>
>....
>
>
>.
>

"SeanFromIT" <> wrote in message news:089101c4b96d$659a2070$...
> Not sure how I got it! But THANK YOU!! I followed the
> directions on that site and found a "Platform" string
> in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Cur rentV
> ersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent" that had the
> 5.01 in it. I changed it to 5.1 and now the Windows
> Update Version 5 site comes up. Thanks again! :-)


Great news! Thanks for the feedback.

I'm hoping this will eventually get properly documented
so users don't have so much uncertainty about where to look
and what to change.


Robert
---


>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>><> wrote in message
>>news:085601c4b3bd$9fea74b0$...
>>> Thanks for replying!
>>>
>>> I checked out the UserAgent and on both my machine and
>>> the ShieldsUp Browser Headers check it shows:
>>>
>>> Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows NT 5.01;
>>> RapidBrowser 5.2.0; Q312461; Maxthon; SV1; .NET CLR
>>> 1.0.3705; .NET CLR 1.1.4322)
>>>
>>> Microsoft sites should see that as Windows XP,
> shouldn't
>>> they?
>>
>>I suspect your problem may be the zero in Windows NT
> 5.01.
>>It is usually written as Windows NT 5.1 and if the
> checking routine
>>of the web app is looking for NT 5.0 to mean Windows
> 2000
>>that would explain your symptom. AFAIK Windows 2000
> can not yet
>>use WUv5.
>>
>>How did you get that User-Agent, do you know?
>>
>>BTW the method of overriding User-Agent has changed
> and isn't
>>well documented yet IMO. Here is a reply from Jesper
> Ohlsson [MSFT]
>>I usually cite when the subject comes up:
>>
>>http://groups.google.com/groups?
> hl=en&lr=&c2coff=1&selm=sjQieLXjDHA.688%
> 40cpmsftngxa06.phx.gbl
>>
>>
>>HTH
>>
>>Robert
>>---
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>"SeanFromIT" <>
>>> wrote in message
>>>>news:9E08D3B1-07B8-4E62-999D-
>>> ...
>>>>>I run Windows XP SP2 but cannot access version 5 of
> the
>>> Windows Update site,
>>>>....
>>>>> why do Microsoft sites think I'm running Windows 2000
>>> when I'm not?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>This could be a question of User-Agent--what is IE
>>> sending
>>>>with its requests and what is being received.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>(extract from a recent reply concerning a similar
>>> symptom)
>>
>>....
>>
>>
>>.
>>