BleepingComputer.com: vista wont download and important update

A while back I downloaded a hotfix recomended by my computer to fix an issue with corel paint. Since then Vista wont allow me to run an important update which sayes it is available but then sayes update failed. The update is Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update (KB959209) x86

Download size: 1.4 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Important

This update is applicable to Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2. The Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Family Update provides compatibility roll-up updates for customer reported issues found after the release of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 License Terms.

More information:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=133330

Help and Support:
http://support.microsoft.com

Any ideas how to fix it?

In order to fix this failed update, we must first clean up your .NET framework installation. Download and run this file. It will remove the .NET framework from your computer so that we can reinstall it later (and solve the non-installing update). My sister's laptop did the same, as well as our home desktop (failed update). But don't worry, it is very easy to fix.

After running this cleanup tool, it will ask you to reboot. Please do so.

Next, download and install this file. This will reinstall the .NET framework onto your computer.

After another reboot, download and install this file. This will update the .NET framework to what it should be (what the automatic update was failing to do).

Now, check Windows Update again, and see if anything shows up.

this worked well. Thank you so much!

You're welcome!!

Since the OP's problem has been solved and I can't cause any confusion, I'd like to ax a question keyboardninja

I thought with Vista that the .net was an integral part of the OS and couldn't be uninstalled (it can be updated but not completely axed). Would you mind clarifying this for me? LOL trying to teach myself, I spend have my time LOST.............

Educate thine self!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework

LOL...

No, it's just another piece of software...it's not hard-wired into the OS (you can find it in the "Programs and Features" list if it's installed). You can get along fine without it, but some programs require that you have the .NET framework installed and updated before you can install them (Paint.NET is one I know of, specifically).

Sometimes, the .NET framework can get corrupted, apparently, and will not update. The only way to solve this is to completely remove it (using the cleanup tool), reinstall it, then manually update it. I've seen it happen on a total of 3 computers now (including the OP's computer). I don't know how common it is (Google could probably tell you), but at least it is an easy fix.

Cheers!!

You can uninstall the updates 3.5 and higher from programs and features but not the 3.0 that comes with Vista. From your google link lol:

.NET Framework 3.0, formerly called WinFX,[20] was released on 21 November 2006. It includes a new set of managed code APIs that are an integral part of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems. It is also available for Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 as a download. There are no major architectural changes included with this release; .NET Framework 3.0 uses the Common Language Runtime of .NET Framework 2.0.[21] Unlike the previous major .NET releases there was no .NET Compact Framework release made as a counterpart of this version.

To clarify, I'm not arguing what against you just showed worked, I'm trying to understand lol. The link you gave for the uninstall of .net, wasn't a KB that explains it. I tried to help a guy here 6 or so months ago where part of his problem was that the .net stuff was corrupted. We tried everything we could find to get rid of .net but were unable to do so. Obviously I didn't find your link, but hence is my confusion. That .net cleanup tool you linked isn't dated, of the 4 remarks posted I see, the OLDEST is 4 days. Is this something new or did I not research the issue correctly? The last link (the google one) was for Xp...............

I see...

I am trying to understand myself... lol. No, that cleanup tool is not available from Microsoft. I searched the internet about a month ago trying to figure out how to fix this never-installing update on my mom and sister's computers. I came across a forum post (in a different forum) with instructions on how to cleanup and reinstall the .NET framework (the same instructions I gave to rkrplus1). The person that posted the fix also gave the link to the cleanup tool hosted on that Skydrive. See here.

I didn't claim to know exactly how all this worked...I just knew how to fix it. My knowledge of computer programming is limited (one semester of MATLAB), but I am still pretty good with simple fixes like this. Google helps a lot.

Google helps a lot, but folks like you help more lol. Thanks.

I'm trying hard to relearn this stuff (my first college computer course was in 1982) but I often feel like a 3 year old who has fallen into the deep end of the pool.............. It's hard to ask questions about solutions folks give usually because people think you are sharp shooting their advise, not simply asking for info or understanding.

Thanks again.

DeathStalker, on Mar 31 2010, 10:26 PM, said:

Haha..I'm flattered. And you're welcome.

Yeah, I know the feeling....the first month of my current History course was like that (felt lost).

Sorry if I came across as that way. I did not intend to. I was trying to satisfy your curiosity without having to take another computer course first myself...lol (to fully understand it myself to be able to explain it to you). I am always happy to explain if there is confusion. But in this case, my knowledge stops here: you CAN run the cleanup and reinstall it...I don't know WHY.

This post has been edited by keyboardNinja: 31 March 2010 - 10:38 PM

You didn't come across that way, I just wanted to be sure I didn't. 'nuff said. Thanks for the info, sometimes we ahve to be satisfied by knowing something works without know HOW it works. LOL I learned in my first semester Calculus class that I wouldn't learn enough to prove Calculus worked until my third semester...............

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Okay.

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Yeah, sometimes you just have to take it at face value and move on with life. I've been stumped more than a few times by computers (or the fix involved), but have just had to let it go...

Haha....yeah, I'm currently enjoying my core classes...Cal I, II, and III included. There are definitely things I'd rather spend my time on...but hey, that's what you get when you pick engineering.

I think we've taken this topic far enough off the beaten path to stop here.

Cheers!

Heh...what'd I tell you? My XP virtual machine won't install this update, either.

It'll do what my sister's and mom's computers were doing: install the update successfully, reboot, then it shows up again...over and over.

Oh well, at least I know how to fix it!!

Bleepin' computers....

LOL