Help I am having serious amounts of trouble trying to get my machine to do a windows update I have checked my log files and it has never done one, I go to the ms site and when i click on the express install button it goes into a download screen frame and then just stops they only way i an get rid of that screen is to Ctrl alt del and shut down the update which then stops the update link and i have not got anywhere.
I ahve not got service pack 2 installed and it wont do that either. any ideas. nothing to complicated its be kind to the over 40s night

Firstly do you have Service Pack 1 installed ?

If not you will have to install Service Pack 1 first.

Then install service pack 2.

Originally posted by parrotface
Firstly do you have Service Pack 1 installed ?

If not you will have to install Service Pack 1 first.

Then install service pack 2.

Service pack 1 is built in to service pack 2 so there is no need to install service pack 1 first ;)

Foxprom:
Are you using a Firewall or Router? If you aren't receiving any error messages, i'd say something is blocking the Microsoft scan.
Also.....
Check that 'Automatic Updates' is turned on in 'Services' as well
Goto start then click on control panel then click on administrative tools and select services. Now look down the list and find automatic updates. In the line of information it will tell you if it is turned on. If it isn't turned on, right click on it and select properties from the menu. On the next page click on startup type and change it to automatic. Click on apply and reboot your computer and try again.

Did this work?

Originally posted by Foxprom
Help I am having serious amounts of trouble trying to get my machine to do a windows update I have checked my log files and it has never done one, I go to the ms site and when i click on the express install button it goes into a download screen frame and then just stops they only way i an get rid of that screen is to Ctrl alt del and shut down the update which then stops the update link and i have not got anywhere.
I ahve not got service pack 2 installed and it wont do that either. any ideas. nothing to complicated its be kind to the over 40s night

ME THINKS YOU HAVE A VIRUS ;)

Pirate copy or genuine?

pirate but it has worked well for a year

pirate or not - that wont cause this problem

Make sure you have a backup of everything important on your PC before you start.

You can download SP2 from Microsoft's web site and install it yourself. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/maintain/winxpsp2.mspx and select "Download and Deploy Service Pack 2 to Multiple Computers." It's a big download (272mb).

However, if you've been surfing on a vanilla XP install with no security updates you may have inadvertantly picked up some spyware / adware programs which may be causing the problems with Internet Explorer and Windows Update.

the problem is going to be more spyware based than virus based, i had a particulalrly tenacious sod on one of the puters at work and it was blocking any downloads from microsoft or antispyware sites and persistantly direct IE to a sale site, had to start the machine in safe mode and track down the regixtry emtries, was hard work but finally got rid of it!!

dave

in my limited experience i have found neither sp1 or sp2 will download onto pirate software, i have suffered the same experience of it "freezing" it has usually resulted in a full install,'cos some of the files have been corrupted at some point.
similarly some of the office updates apparently recognise "pirate" products & don't allow full or correct updates.

Unfortunately if you have a pirate copy it does matter ! Known serial numbers are programmed in to all the service packs Windows and Office) so that they won't install.

No sympathy if you have a dodgy copy, don't complain cos you think you have saved a few quid.

Actually parrotface that's not always the case. SP1 had a number of known dodgy serials programmed into it which did indeed stop it installing (there is a crack for this however). With SP2 Microsoft took the view that there were so many dodgy copies of WindowsXP out there with the security holes that SP2 plugged that it would be unwise to do the same. The dodgy copies could cause problems for the legal ones and so forth. SP2 will install just fine on most pirated versions of XP.

Foxprom - you will need to install SP2, then run something like Adaware to get rid of spyware, and then download and run some anti-virus software. I suspect however that if you try to download SP2 as RJ45 suggests you’ll find your connection freezes before it’s finished. Give it a try though, if you’re really suck PM me your postal address I can send you SP2 on CD (as it’s such a lovely morning and I’m in such a good mood) :)

thaks fearfull, your pm is locked, can you mail me at chris@foxprom.co.uk


I feel that the problem is related to my XP version although it was supplied on my machine rather than me trying to save a few quid by buying a rip copy.

I have downloaded service pack 2 but it wont install as it says my licence key is invalid, maybe i will have to spend some cashh annd get a proper version of xp a bit agreved though as my nnew laptop has it on that is all legit but i do not use that on the net at this time and am not sure about conecting it up.

Originally posted by Foxprom
thaks fearfull, your pm is locked,

How very odd. Mind you, haven't used it in ages. Anyone know why this would be?

Actually, I've done a bit of digging and it appears that MS have changed their mind about this. SP2 certainly didn't used to do this, I've installed it on a few machines but not recently.

Originally posted by Foxprom
I have downloaded service pack 2 but it wont install as it says my licence key is invalid,

Hmmm, I feel this could be a clue........

The following is still illegal, and should never actually be read or carried out by anyone. :wink:

Anyway, install XP on your machine using the license key off the laptop, they'll both work. MS just block the main pirated keys that are made up or used hundreds of times, I've never had a problem using the same key for a few personal machines.

You wil probably have to ring the microsoft number and go through the automated process of entering the liscence key, that probably wont work and you will be put through to an operator who ask you to read the windows key off the bottom of your laptop. If they ask why you are re-installing, just tell them you have replaced the hard drive, they don't know por care what the individual liscence was sold with. They will then give you some other long number to activate windows and all will be good.
:)

thanks to everyone for your assisitance and offers with this problem I have called in a favour or to and have now got it on the way wiht a mate of mine to fix it all might be out of touch for a day or two but that wont matter to much to some.