Recent Changes - Search:

Tips & Tricks

Windows Tips

Vista Tips

MS Server Tips

Apple Tips

Linux Tips

Networking Tips

Business

PVRTips

powered by PmWiki

WindowsWillNotUpdate

What to Do When Windows Does Not Update?

Windows Update occasionally gets a bee under its bonnet and simply refuses to work. Really, should that surprise anyone?

Unfortunately, unlike some other Windows problems, this one seldom goes away on its own. You have to fix it. And the exact cause isn't always easy to diagnose and fix.

If you're running Windows XP, and Windows Update tells you that one or more updates couldn't successfully install, try these batch files. One for the 32-bit version of XP, and another for the 64-bit version. Simply download and run the appropriate one.

Note: If your browser is Firefox, it displays the contents of the file (plain, ASCII text) rather than actually downloading it. The easiest workaround (other than using Internet Explorer) is to copy the text to Notepad and save it as a file with the .bat extension rather than the default .txt.

When you run the batch file and it displays a message box, click OK.

If the batch file doesn't work, try the Windows Update Agent. You can download versions for the 32-bit version of XP, the 64-bit version, and the Itanium. Once you've downloaded the file:

  1. Click Start, then Run, then the Browse button.
  2. Locate and double-click the file you just downloaded. Doing so will insert the path and file name into the run box.
  3. Enter the text /wuforce (be sure to enter a space before the slash) after the file name. Press ENTER and follow the wizard.

If your not using XP, or if neither of those fixes work, you might try downloading the problematic update manually, then installing it off of your hard drive. I doubt it will work, but it's worth a try. In Internet Explorer (not Firefox), go to the Microsoft Update Catalog to find and download the problem updates.

Finally, there's the Windows Update Troubleshooter, where you stand a good chance there of finding the cause of and solution for your particular problem. Once again, this Web page really doesn't like any browser except Internet Explorer.

There's a separate Vista Troubleshooter. Amazingly, this one works just fine in Firefox.

References

PC World - Lincoln Spector Retrieved on 15 Sep 2008


All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
Privacy Policy | About Wikitec | Disclaimer | Copyright

Edit - History - Print - Recent Changes - Search
Page last modified on 2008-09-15 09:32