winxp update hangs / doesn't progress

I just upgraded to XP from win2000.
When I select either Express install or custom, the update process proceeds
to:
"Windows Update is looking for available updates..."
but then continues indefinitely with the scrolling colour progress bar.
Oddly enough, just after installing XP, the automatic updates thingy ran and
installed a load of updates.
I've found no info on this anywhere, any info?

I have found that this problem is very common in Windows XP machines. I have
no idea why it happens, but once it happens, you will probably experience it
again and again. The following article has worked for me to fix it until the
next time I want to update. So I suggest, for lack of any better solution,
that you bookmark the following URL so you can get to it again easily. Just
follow the instructions and hopefully it will solve the problem for you too.

http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...cleid=11&ln=en

JRM

"K" wrote:

> I just upgraded to XP from win2000.
> When I select either Express install or custom, the update process proceeds
> to:
> "Windows Update is looking for available updates..."
> but then continues indefinitely with the scrolling colour progress bar.
> Oddly enough, just after installing XP, the automatic updates thingy ran and
> installed a load of updates.
> I've found no info on this anywhere, any info?
>

"JR" <> wrote in message
news:0DE12103-F3ED-48D9-A57B-
....
> "K" wrote:
>> I just upgraded to XP from win2000.

> http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.co...cleid=11&ln=en


JR

We don't know which level of WU OP is using.
It could be WUv4 in which case this suggestion
would not apply. (E.g. no SoftwareDistribution folder yet)


---

"K",

We need a bit more information. Would you mind running through another
attempted installation on the Windows Update website and sending us back the
results? Here's how:

Conventions:
- In these instructions, keys on the keyboard are wrapped, such as: <Enter>,
so an instruction of: Type: cmd <Enter> means type the three letters cmd and
then press <Enter>.
- Combinations such as <Ctrl>+<S> and <Ctrl>+<Shift>+<End> mean to press and
hold the keys in order while then pressing the last key. For example, press
the <Ctrl> key and hold, then press the <Shift> key and hold, and then press
the <End> key as if you were typing a single letter of the alphabet.

On Windows XP:
1. Close all Internet browsers
2. Open a single Internet Explorer window.
3. In the Internet Explorer window, click Tools
4. Click Windows Update
5. When you reach the Windows Update site, please look down at the System
clock and note the time. 6. Let the clock minute move forward one, so that
there is no other activity associated with this attempt.
7. Click Custom Install
8. Let it run for between one and two minutes -- long enough to verify that
it is repeating the behavior.
9. Close the Internet Explorer window.
10. Click Start
11. Click Run
12. Type: %WINDIR%\WindowsUpdate.log
13. Press <Enter> or Click OK
14. When the log opens, scroll down to the hour and minute you memorized in
step 6.
15. Starting at the beginning of the first entry for that minute, click and
drag down and to the right selecting the rest of the log, or just press the
following keys: <Ctrl>+<Shift>+<End>
16. Click Edit, then Copy, or just press the <CTRL>+<C> keys.
17. Reply to this posting.
18. When that window opens, Tell us what update you attempted to install,
and where it failed from your observation.
19. After this, on a new line, state the following and press <Enter>: Log
entries follow:
20. Place the cursor on the line under the entry from step 19, and then
click Edit, then Paste, or just press the <CTRL> and <V> keys.
21. The log entries copied in steps 15-16 should have copied into your
posting.
22. Send it to us, and we'll take a look at this failure.

On Windows 2000
Repeat steps 1-22 above, with the following changes:
7. When you reach the Windows Update site, click Scan for updates
12. The file is "%WINDIR%\Windows Update.log" (please INCLUDE the quotes and
notice the space between windows and update)

On Windows 98
This is identical to Windows 2000, but %windir% does not exist in Windows
98. Instead:
12. Change %WINDIR% to %WINBOOTDIR%

Sincerely,

Pat Walters [MSFT]


"K" <> wrote in message
news:5E29345D-3095-4D5E-B3AA-...
> I just upgraded to XP from win2000.
> When I select either Express install or custom, the update process
proceeds
> to:
> "Windows Update is looking for available updates..."
> but then continues indefinitely with the scrolling colour progress bar.
> Oddly enough, just after installing XP, the automatic updates thingy ran
and
> installed a load of updates.
> I've found no info on this anywhere, any info?
>