Windows update problem

[bluewest11]

Hello. I am currently looking at a computer with the Windows 2000 Pro OS installed. I have tried to update the OS with the "critical updates" from the "Windows update" site. However, when I begin the download it appears to commence in the normal way but does not actually install anything only telling me the update failed due to "unknown error". Being a Windows 98SE man myself I am un-familiar with W2K and I was wondering if I have missesd something before I format the PC and reinstall the OS. Any help here would be appreciated, thx.

[Oodball]

Make sure you are logged on with an account that has admin rights. Also, how do you access the internet on the PC. (i.e. through a firewall ...)

[bluewest11]

There are no Firewalls running at this time. I have also made sure security is set at medium allowing relivant ActiveX controls to function. Regarding admin privileges, There is only one user account on this system and any passwords that could have been setup for admin access to this OS have been delibrately left out for convenience. I will have another go at the update and reinstall the OS if it fails. I'll post my progress back here later. Thx.

[Lowland]

Just a few thoughts

Settings>Control Panel>AdministrativeTools>Services
Is the Windows Installer service set to disabled?
Default (I think!!) is manual

Another thought is that you should be prompted to download an Installation Manager programme from MS when installing updates (certainly for the first time) Did this happen?

Lastly, is your O/S registered? With MS?

Good luck

[bluewest11]

[quote]Originally posted by Lowland:
<strong>Just a few thoughts

Settings>Control Panel>AdministrativeTools>Services
Is the Windows Installer service set to disabled?
Default (I think!!) is manual

Another thought is that you should be prompted to download an Installation Manager programme from MS when installing updates (certainly for the first time) Did this happen?

Lastly, is your O/S registered? With MS?

Good luck</strong><hr></blockquote>

I've checked the settings like you suggest and set the Installer to auto but still the OS did not update so I set it back to manual and still no luck. This OS has also been registered with MS. I have managed to reduce the 9mb of critical updates available to around 1mb by installing the express service pack 2. I wonder if there is a problem with W2K updates site at MS at this time?

[bluewest11]

This explains the problems I have been having for the past few days

<a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23666.html" target="_blank">http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/23666.html</a>

[DocPC]

Windows update sites for all OS's has been up and down for about 3 days. Read the main page of Windrivers for the story.

[Sowulo]

And I have personally seen four systems trashed by trying to download and install the critical updates over the past several days......

[bluewest11]

Well I finally managed to get all the critical updates for my W2K Pro but I still get the feeling all is not well at MS Updates. The best way to do it in my opinion is to get the SP2 and install first to take care of most of the criticals then finish off at the updates site for the remaining 1.3mb or so of criticals left to install. Good luck!

[celeste9519]

I agree with updating the OS first, but then I try to update IE before the critical updates. IE has so many problems that if you update it first, you critical updates are even smaller.

Just my 2 cents