EDIT: Second workaround added October 24, 2009

I've seen a number of posts from those who are running Windows XP where Security update KB971486 is being repeatedly offered. A User kindly submitted the KB971486.log from a system that was experiencing this issue and this is what was showing in the log Apparently, the kernel files (ntoskrnl.exe and ntkrnlpa.exe) were being detected as OEM drivers. Thus the installation of the files contained in the update was never carried out and the update was then reoffered.
A symptom of this issue is that the User is not prompted to restart the system after KB971486 supposedly installs. When an update replaces the kernel the system must be restarted no matter which Operating System one runs.
If, after installing KB971486, you are prompted to restart the system and after it's been restarted you are offered KB971486 again, then see the second workaround.

NOTE: The other issue involved with the repeated reoffering of KB971486 is caused by the presence of unsigned system files .

The first workaround is:

1) IF KB971486 is listed in Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel, then uninstall it and restart the system.
2) Manually download the update from the Microsoft Download Center and save it.
Recommend it be saved directly to the root drive (the drive where Windows is installed to, usually C:\):

Security Update for Windows XP (KB971486) x86 - 32 bit

Security Update for Windows XP x64 Edition (KB971486)

3) Once the download completes close all open programs and browsers
4) Install KB971486 by clicking Start > Run > Browse
Click the My Computer icon in the left frame
Click on the root drive in the right frame (in this case it's C:\), click the Open button

Click once on WindowsXP-KB971486-x86-ENU.exe to highlight it, click Open
Add the /o switch to overwrite the OEM infs

C:\WindowsXP-KB971486-x86-ENU.exe /o

Note that there's a space between the e and the /

Then click OK and the update will install.
When it's finished installing there should be a restart prompt.
Do so and the update will not be repeatedly offered.

Note: The above workaround for installing kernel updates was provided by MVP Ottmar Freudenberger

The second workaround is not related to the above OEM .inf file issue. It pertains to the number of unsigned system files. To find out if the repeated installation issue is being caused unsigned system files do the following:

Click Start, click Run, type sigverif.exe and then click OK.
Click Advanced
Click 'Notify me if any system files are not signed'
Click the Logging tab, make sure the Save the file signature verification results to a log file check box is selected
Under Logging options, the Log file name should be showing as SIGVERIF.TXT. If it is click OK
If it's not, type in SIGVERIF.TXT and put a mark next to Append to existing log file
Click Start

Be patient as the tool will take some time to run.
When the tool finishes it's operation click the Advanced button of the File Signature Verification tool again.
Click the Logging tab.
Click the View Log button. SIGVERIF.TXT will now open.

A system that is experiencing the unsigned files issue will show an entry that looks like this at the top of SigVerif.txt


The SigVerif.txt from my XP SP3 system shows the following, which means that the system files are digitally signed and thus, there will be no reoffering iof KB971486 once it's installed and the system is restarted.


To resolve this, do the following:

1) Log in as an Administrator. If your User Account has Administrator Privileges, log in with that Account.
NOTE: XP Home Edition has no Administrator account showing on log in unless the system is booted to Safe Mode.
If your User Account has Admin Privileges there is no need to boot to Safe Mode and log in as the Admin

2) Open a Command Prompt ( Click Start > Run > type in cmd, click OK )
3) At the Command Prompt type the following commands, pressing Enter after each command
You can copy&paste the commands after the prompt by right clicking after the > and choosing Paste

net stop cryptsvc
ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 oldcatroot2
net start cryptsvc
exit
4) Navigate to this subfolder - WINDOWS\System32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}
5) Delete all tmp*.cat files from the folder. If no files that start with
tmp exist in this folder, do not remove any other files. The .cat files in
this folder are necessary for installing hotfixes and service packs.

Do not rename the Catroot folder. The Catroot2 folder is automatically recreated by Windows, but the Catroot folder is not recreated if the Catroot folder is renamed.

Once these steps are done, go to Windows or Microsoft Update and see if the update installs now.
Or, manually download KB971846 and Save it, do not choose to Run it.

If the system is Windows XP x86 (32 bit) the update can be downloaded from here

If the system is Windows XP x64 (64 bit) click here

When the download completes, close all open programs and browsers and then install KB971486.
The prompt to restart the system should now appear.
Restart and the update should be properly installed now.