Windows Update New Problem WinXP (SP1) , win98SE 1

[rondin]

Windows update doesn't work any more on fresh installations,
i just installed windows XP (incl SP1) on 2 different computers and Windows 98SE as well. The first thing after the installation that i tried is to do the updates and it didn't work. It starts the download, it's reviewing all the updates and then it says " The following items failed to install. To try installing them again, click Review and install updates, and then click Install Now again. "
It's doing that with all the updates.
I tried installing the Hotfix for SP2 in XP and the patches for the worm as well independantly, it let me do it, but i cannot use windows update, i can only do individual updates.
I tried all the previus solutions that were posted in the forums so far, about renaming the CatRoot2 and reinstalling the hotfix, also i tried almost all the steps for troubleshooting in the windows update website and nothing worked as well. Although that shouldn't have anything to do since I did Fresh installations on all of them.
I have been trying to update for the past 3-4 days.

 

[jmatt]

Internet Explorer > Tools > Internet Options .
Click the Languages tab .
Make sure something is defined in there .

-----------------------------------------

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/troubleshoot

Windows Update Troubleshooter

http://www.infinisource.com/techfiles/winup-errors.html

Problems Accessing Windows Update

http://langa.com/newsletters/2000/2000-12-21.htm#2

Locked Out of "Windows Update

 

[bcastner]

I think there are several things going on:

1. You are pre-SP1, and pre-Hotfix for the changes in Windows Update since Fall, 2002.
2. The number of Hotfixes
3. Some blaster denial of service attack changes at the site.

You say you did all of the Windows Update Troubleshooter steps. This means that you have re-registered the two Windows Update controls, and the cryptographic controls. Assuming those steps were done, your IE security controls are set appropriately, your Date and Time are correct, and the first language option under Regional Settings is English (US), then try:

1. Repair the WU database:

Errors Occur When You Try to Install Updates from the Windows Update Web Site

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;817753

2. in c:\windows\system32\etc edit your HOSTS file by adding these two entries:

208.172.158.234 download.windowsupdate.com
208.172.158.234

http://www.download.windowsupdate.com

(Be sure notepad does not add a '.txt' extension to the HOSTS file)

Reboot and try again.

 

[rondin]

I've already tried all that... it has nothing to do with most of them.
I can access the Windows update site, I can scan and it's gonna find me the updates that need to be installed.
When i click review and install updates, it starts the download and it's actually not downloading anything.. it's just reviewing all the updates and then it says failed.. and it tells you to try again

Have a look at what is doing when updating

it's trying to update.. but it doesn't

and then i get the same errors in 98se and XP(SP1) under fresh installations:

 

[rondin]

bcastner the windows/system32/drivers/etc/hosts tricked worked... i guess it's something wrong with the windows updates servers

THANKS A LOTTTTTTTTTTTTT

 

[bcastner]

I thought it might.
You are most welcome.

At some point you should remove the entries and try to access the update site in its normal fashion. What these entries do is to gaurantee that you are hitting https: sites instead of http: sites. Perhaps the Hotfixes once installed will obviate the need to force secured site access.

At the moment the older trick of doing https:\\v4.microsoft.windowsupdate.com does not appear to work. I suspect this is part of the measures taken to avoid denial of service attacks from msblast.

 

[rondin]

ehmm.. this was a nice trick.. but i'm wondering how i can make it work with the 98se, they don't have an /etc/hosts file, i guess the only way that i can do that is thru a gateway of another machine... any hints for that ?
i tried putting

https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

but it didn't work

 

[ashpp]

win98 > Create a hosts file for it in the c:\windows directory

 

[cz]

Had same problem, See "Windows Update Troubleshooter" line item "Scan Hangs at 0%" and "Scan for updates freezes or stops at 0%". After installing the latest scripting engine 5.6 from

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/webdev.asp

I was able to perform the windows update without getting the "No updates were installed message".