Can somebody help me please?

My XP Home will not install Windows Updates.
They download but something is stopping the install process.
Where do I begin?
When shutting down the PC it attempts to install but shuts off a few seconds after install message.
How can I help you, help me?
TIA

Look in Event Viewer and see if any errors are being logged (they will be in RED)

Click Start then Run, type eventvwr.msc and press Enter or click OK

Look in all three categories listed on the left. Double click on any error to look at the details. Use the arrows to move up and down in the events listed. Post the content here if only a few. If there are a lot, copy them to a notepad window and save as eventerr.txt, then post a link to that file here using the Browse and Upload buttons below the message input area.

Thank you for taking your valuable time to help me. It is much appreciated.

In both the Application and Security areas, I have no errors for today’s date.

In the System area I have these errors;

Source= Service Control Manager.
The automatic LiveUpdate Scheduler service failed to start due to the following error: The system cannot find the path specified. This error occurred 6 times today.

Source= Service Control Manager
The AOL Connectivity Service failed to start due to the following error:
The system cannot find the path specified. This error also occurred 6 times today.

Source=WMPNetworkSvc
Service “WMPNetworkSvc” did not start correctly because QueryService encountered error “0x80004002”. In Windows Media Player, turn off media sharing, and then turn it back on. This error also occurred six times today.

Each sequence of these 3 errors occurred within 6 seconds of each other every time today.

In the Internet Explorer area there are no items.

When PC was new it was pre-loaded with AOL.
I thought I removed all things AOL in my add/remove programs.
I do still use AOL for my mail and have the stand alone AIM installed.
The motherboard in this PC was replaced last week.
The shop updated explorer to v7.
I had to reload AVG Internet Security 8 which was successful today.
I am able to use Windows Media Player but it is an older version than what I had before the PC died.

Is the new motherboard exactly the same as the old one? If not, was a repair install done? Was the chipset driver for the new motherboard installed?

If the above are okay, try the following to see if something is interfering with Windows Update:

First, disable Automatic Updates. Open System in Control Panel. Click on the Automatic Updates tab. Select Turn off automatic updates, click Apply then OK.

Click on Start then Run, type msconfig and press Enter.
Click on the Startup tab then the Disable All button.
Re-boot, try a manual Windows Update of 1 hotfix, see if it works.
If yes then use msconfig to enable several items at a time till you find the culprit.

If no, start msconfig again and click on the Services tab.
Check the Hide All Microsoft Services box then click the Disable All button.
Re-boot, try a manual Windows Update of 1 hotfix, see if it works.
If yes then use msconfig to enable services till you find the culprit.

Once you've found the culprit, uninstall it or find out how to eliminate it from your system. Simply disabling it in msconfig is a temporary fix at best. Enable everything else you disabled.

Don't leave your computer unprotected for too long though, just long enough to do the test, then make sure you enable your anti-virus and firewall protection again as soon as possible.

When done, go back into Automatic Updates and set it to Notify me but don't download or install them. That way you will know when new updates are available but you control when they are downloaded and installed.

The Motherboard is not the same as my original was a Dell this one appears to be from Biostar

The tech that worked on my PC will be back to work tomorrow. I could not ask him directly the questions you posed to me. I will do that tomorrow.
In the mean time, by disabling both startup and services, via msconfig, I was still not able to install an update.
MS Update gives me 2 options when I visit and they are; either install SP3 or install Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1 before it gives me other programs (updates) as an option.
Neither will install following your directions.

I am guessing he did a repair install fix, as when new, this PC did not have SP2 and I remember downloading that via dial-up overnight.

SP2 is in fact installed.

BTW - I tried to print your instructions.
My printer will not print, even through command prompt via troubleshooter.
Maybe missing, and need to reinstall, driver?

It seems my PC has reverted to when it was first new as in asking me to register software such as Office SB Edition 2003 and other programs I added since then.

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

Software Upgrade for Some Windows Components Required

To use Microsoft Update, you must first install the latest version of some Windows components. This will allow your computer to work with these new features on the site:
• More updates: Get updates for Windows and for popular Microsoft programs such as Microsoft Office in one place.
• Faster updates: The latest Windows Installer (MSI) improves the way updates are installed, delivering updates in the smallest possible packages in the shortest amount of time.
• Easier navigation: Now you can find updates by priority or by product while helpful links and important messages help ensure you are installing all high-priority updates for your computer.

Details


Download and Install Now

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Attempted to install one of two choices, the other being SP3

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

Some updates were not installed;
The following updates were not installed;
Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1

Again thank you for your help.
I hope you can see resolve to this other than a complete reformat and re-load.

This post has been edited by nscalenut: Aug 18 2008, 04:27 PM

Please try uninstalling Internet Explorer 7. That will revert you to IE6. See if that makes any difference.

You should also backup your data now, as a safety precaution. My suspicion is you will need to reinstall Windows XP again, and may need to do a Clean Install instead of a Repair Install.

One thing you can try though, is create a new Administrator level account via Control Panel / User Accounts. Log off your current account then login with the new one. Try a manual Windows Update of Microsoft Windows Installer 3.1, see if it works. If yes, then you have a corrupted account and I will provide directions for how to handle this.

I am using another PC for this reply.
Removing IE7 did not help something in my IE6 appears to be corrupt. I can not connect to the Internet; therefore an attempt to create a new user account is moot.

The good news is that I do, in fact, have everything backed-up to a 500G external hard drive. I try to back-up once a month.

At this point, I am going to do a re-format of my drive and re-install XP as I have all the discs that were sent from Dell when I purchased this PC new.

In closing, I would like to thank you for your time and effort in attempting to help me with my PC problem(s).
I have been a member here for 4 years or so and always appreciate the fine help I receive each time I ask.

To you Sir, and all your associates on this site who volunteer their time and knowledge to help those of us technology challenged, I want to say What the Tech is a First Class Act.

Please relay the message to your associates, and thanks again.
Another donation to this fine site via Pay-Pal has just been sent.

Please close this thread, as I know there are many others who request your time and wish to be helped.
I will re-format and re-load and be OK.
Again, Thanks!



This post has been edited by nscalenut: Aug 19 2008, 05:20 PM

Good luck. Please let me know how you make out.

Thanks for your concern.

I did a re-format and re-install.

For the past week seems like endless updates, and upgrades, not to mention all the re-loads.

But PC is alive and well and getting back to where it was.

Everything appears to be working as it should.

Again, thanks for all your help, time and consideration.

Hi Well done on getting it fixed.
Now your machine is working well and fully patched, with no undesirable elements present , it is a good time to take a disc image, so that in the event of further trouble that cannot be resolved by the usual means...you can reimage your drive and put it back exactly as it is now...........with all your settings and updates (to date) included. Reimaging can often be performed in the time that it takes to walk the dog,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and as well as paid for products, like Norton, Paragon, Acronis etc .,free applications (like Drive Image XML and Barts pre installed environment) are available
Regards
paws