WindowsUpdate no longer works on 2003 Server

[navigat0]

I recently installed some server applications IAS and WINS on my 2003 server. To ensure I was fully patched I opened IE and chose Tools | Windows Update. To my surprise I received a message saying I needed to update my browser from IE5 to IE6. (I didn't know they shipped IE5 with Win2k3 server >:| )

I checked and my IE is version 6 (6.0.3790.0) and the windows update sites are all listed in my trusted sites zone with ActiveX and Scripting Enabled). I've searched high and low and visited the windowsupdate/troubleshooting page all to no avail. Any ideas??

 

[M3John]

Do you have IE security enabled? when you goto Add/Remove Programs --> Add/Remove Windows Components, see if IE Enhanced security is installed.

Worst comes to worst, just download the "network" version of IE6 SP1.

 

[navigat0]

Sorry for the late reply apparently I'm not getting my email notifications. IE security is installed/enabled and the sites are members of the trusted zone. It actually used to work, but no longer does. As a last ditch effort I did install the "network" version of IE hoping that it would also solve the issue; But alas I am still unable to use Windows update successfully.

Thanks for the thought though.

 

[panini]

have you tried running windows update using automatic updates from control panel instead? just a thought - worked for me the other day when i couln't get windows update running from ie for some reason

 

[M3John]

What is the exact error message when you error out from the windows Update process?

 

[navigat0]

See also - Windows Update" from the sidebar in Control Panel also results in the message below.

HOWEVER - I disabled Atuomatic updates and magically I was able to visit the site. Wary, yet amused, I re-enabled automatic updates and much to my surprise I could still successfully reach the windows update site. I guess it was just a(nother) wierd quirk.

Here's the exact message displayed:
Thank you for your interest in Windows Update

Windows Update is the online extension of Windows that helps you get the most out of your computer.

You need to be running a version of Internet Explorer 5 or higher in order to use Windows Update.

Download the latest version of Internet Explorer

Once Internet Explorer is installed, you can go to the Windows Update site by typing

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

into the address bar of Internet Explorer.

If you prefer to use a different Web browser, updates to Windows may be downloaded from the Microsoft Download Center.