windows update failed

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I use Microsoft update for XP sp2 every week or so.
Tonight it failed to install all 11 high priority updates.
error code 0x80200010
The help offered by MS is completely confusing.
Help.

signing off tonight, back tomorrow morning.

[I_Forgot]

What were you expecting?

I_F

[KP11520]

Hi Andrew,

When you connect to the Windows Update Web-Site, are you using Mozilla Firefox or IE? Maybe something has changed with Microsoft (something downloaded last update session) and it has to be through IE now. They seem to be tightening the belt with unauthorized software pirating and other browsers impede their checking.

Or NOT!

Clean everything in your computer before trying again. Run Ad-Aware, Spybot and whatever Virus program you have and also clean out IE (Delete Browsing History) under tools. Delete everything (temporary files, cookies, browsing history, and form data) except for Passwords unless you don't have any stored then delete everything. There will be a few things to re-do like websites on your drop down browser, etc., but you also get rid of a lot of garbage.


And stop visiting those NASTY sites.... you know.... other DIY sites! LOL

Regards//Keith

[theAnonymous1]

Originally posted by KP11520
Maybe something has changed with Microsoft (something downloaded last update session) and it has to be through IE now.

I thought windows update only ever officially worked through IE. For other browsers you need to use something like this site....

http://windowsupdate.62nds.com/

I've never had an update fail in the ~7 years I've used XP. I use IE to update so w/e.

EDIT: BTW Andrew, windows ony releases updates on the first Tuesday of every month (unless there is a severe security threat), so there is really no need to update every week.

[sek]

Hi Andrew,

error 0x80200010 relates to the network link being broken. You either tripped over your ethernet cable, have got a security problem, or your security software might be in your way (which should be deactivated during the course of the update).

Additionally, cleaning some directories in "%Windir%\SoftwareDistribution\" might help overcome a broken update software on your machine. In "Download" there might be residuals of a failed update attempt while "SelfUpdate" might contain a broken update engine.

Additionally, the file "ReportingEvents.log" might contain clues about what went wrong.

But before you go through all this hassle, just retry once more in case it was their fault.

Cheers.

[AndrewT]

Give me some time to work through those options.
I'll get back.

ps,
Firefox allowed me to update previously.

But my trial of Mcshield expired and I uninstalled it.

[sek]

Firefox works with "Windows Update", but not with "Microsoft Update".

A previous update session might have installed the "Microsoft Update" program, which is a so called "ActiveX" control and requires "Internet Explorer".

Cheers.

[lousymusician]

A few weeks back I suffered a major PC failure (the power supply fried and took out the motherboard). Once I got the replacement hardware booted up, I could not boot from the HD. Repairing Windows XP from the CD got me back up and running, with no apparent loss of data on the drive.

But, from that point on Windows Update would not run successfully. I had updates configured to run auomatically, so it was not a browser problem as such.

It took a lot of searching around, but I finally found a page in MS's support area that revealed my problem - restoring Windows from the disc was known to prevent future updates from installing. There were detailed instructions on how to fix the problem. Updates are now working again.


Googling your error turned up this page (among many others) that looks like it has some useful suggestions:


http://www.cforum.net/forums/t242075-0x80200010.html

[AndrewT]

Hi all,
thanks for all your help.
Updates completed.

But, I'm still confused.
Updates failed twice on 1.3.8.

Today (5.3.8) I disabled AVG and 2 updates installed successfully.
But the 11failures did not show up.

Looked back at history and found that the 11updates that had failed on 1.3.8 had installed successfully, unattended, on 2.3.8.

AVG is switched back on.

I wonder if I tried to use Firefox for update, but that MS update uses IE?

[jnb]

The browsers are supposed to be compatible. HTML is an open standard. Perhaps MS has their own reason.