problems with automatic update

I have windows xp professionla installed on compaq evo d300v, I have automatic updates enabled. I tried removing all of the updates because of a problem that started occuring with my visioneer 7100 scanner, ad it appears that service pack 3 was not all the way uninstalled, it still appears in the add remove programs list, but I cannot uninstall it. Also I am getting the message The folowing updates were not installed. "Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1 and >NET Framework 3.5 Family Update for NET versions 2.0 through 3.5(KB951847) x86.

What install disk do you have? SP1, SP2, SP3 streamlined?

I currently do not have any install disk.

So, will a System restore work? (again?!?)

Somehow I doubt it.

Sometimes, you can resolve problems with updates that won't install correctly by clearing the update cache. You may have some damaged files that need to be purged. See: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/193385

As to the SP3 problem - you can go to C:\Windows\ and look for $NtServicePackUninstall$.

If you started with SP1 you would likely have 2 such entries (SP2 and SP3).

Click on the arrow beside the one with the newest date and then click on spuninst it should show an entry Service Pack 3.asms.

Thus, you know that is the SP3 uninstall entry. click on the spuninst.exe and get it running - there are some warnings and acceptance clicks after that but it should uninstall SP3.

As to the Windows download problem with Net 3.5, download and run the Installer Cleanup utility and look for the Net 3.5 entry. If there, remove it. Be careful.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301

And, yet another possibility on the .Net download can be a corrupted MSXML parser which causes a Registry Key for .Net to fail to install. You might need to install a fresh copy of MSXML 3.0 from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en . Just download and run the msxml3.msi file.

I installed the Windows install cleanup tool and when I run it I am getting the message Run_time error -2147024882 (800700)e. I would appreciate the help with this.Also I tried installing the download for the corrupted msxml parser and had no luck

You have some serious problems there, probably malware related, and I am unable to spend the time to get you sorted out.

Here is a site where that same thing happened - look at the complexity;

http://forums.pcpitstop.com/lofivers...p/t161417.html

Without a re-install, I can only say post at a site like that that specializes in really trashed systems.

My opinion only - someone else here may have other advice.

Could be malware, could just be a damaged Windows installation. Frankly, I've been really busy and I'm sorry if I'm losing track of the various Windows issues you've posted. But, I believe you've done fairly comprehensive malware scans already for your scanner issue? So, I'm thinking you are probably up for a repair installation. If I'm wrong about any of this, please feel free to correct me.

I've had .net installation issues myself more than once. I've to a degree just lived with them since the only resolution I could ever get of them is a reinstall of windows fresh and do the .net update without any other programs installed yet. If none of your updates are working at all then it would seem to me a virus or malware. However don't neglect to check your RAM. I've had that make updates and other things flake out.

What would be the best wya to check the Ram. I used the windows malicous software tool, and that could not detect any issues.

Memtest 86+ is my favorite memory tester, followed by Microsoft's Windows Memory Diagnostic, but you should be aware that memory diagnostics can be unreliable. If you run any memory diagnostics, it's best to let them run many passes. If you have some memory that you know is good available, it's usually better to swap it into the suspect system rather than running the memory tests.

The MS Malicious Software Removal Tool is actually excellent at what it does, but it is designed to focus on a fairly specific range of problems. And, those are usually nasties that might prevent Windows from updating correctly. But, it wouldn't hurt to run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and/or Spybot Search and Destroy. Since they are freeware, it just costs you your time. When installing Spybot be sure to DESELECT the option to use System Protection/Tea Timer.

I tried the malaware and spybot. Malaware foudn some issues and removed them, spybot did not find any issues. When tried to remove and reinstall the visioneer driver, it would not remove even with the tools from the website, this may be my issue, but I ahve a new disk for this computer arriving soon, and I am going to try the scanner on another computer. When I try to use the windows install cleanup tool, there are alot of visioneer driver files showing up.
I had done one more restore since my first post. I believe that these files are some of what is causing the error messgae that I am getting.