Windows Updates Will Not Install

I keep getting popups asking me to install "Microsoft Windows Install 3.1"... if i click install, it gets to the end of the process, and then says that some of the update could not be installed, and to restart my computer... when i boot up, nothing has changed, and i am asked to install the update again...

But Im not able to deselect it from the install list and click close... so im always being asked to install it to no avail... i tried manually installing it, and i got the same response... is this a problem, and if not, can i prevent it from asking me to install it?

I also noticed that I do not have, and cannot install (via manual download) Windows XP Home SP3... is this a problem?

Thanks!

Edited by colinweadick, 15 April 2010 - 02:21 PM.

Windows Installer Clean Up Utility try that and see if it works.

FWIW: Version 3.1 is outdated by a few years, if you are referring to Windows Installer as what you are trying to install.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

Louis

thanks for that... yeah thats the one that it wanted me to install... i almost always install updates, so it seems odd that it would want me to install one that old...

Windows Installer Clean Up Utility wouldnt install... a popup came up that said: "the feature you are trying to use is on a network resource that is unavailable. Click OK to try again, or enter an alternate path to a folder containing the installation package 'msicuu.msi' in the box below."

Trying again doesnt work. As far as i know, im not on a network... i do run through a router though.

I would just download/install version 4.5...it will replace the 3.1 files.

Louis

hey there... yeah the 4.5 worked and now the messages are gone! thanks!

so do i need SP3 then?

Hi,

in general it's always best choice to keep you operating system updated.
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/safely-connecting-a-computer-to-the-internet/#xp

/Peter

yeah i thought i had... but then i went to the windows update site, and i had the opportunity to download about 50 different updates... all of them worked except sp3, oddly enough... sp3 got most of the way installed, and then said there was an error.

System manufacturer and model?

Well...if you needed 50 updates before SP3...I would not be surprised that the system burped. There's another 60 or 70 that you will need after installing SP3.

SP3 can be downloaded and installed from desktop...no one has to use the WUS.

XP SP3 Download

Louis

hi

i have a dell dimension 3000, pentium 4, 3 ghz... ill try the link you sent...

im pretty sure i tried to install sp3 from the same link before, but it wouldnt install... if maybe its cause other updates werent yet installed... it doesnt work, ill let you know exactly what it says.

hey hamluis, so i tried installing sp3 from the link you sent... i got this error msg:

"access is denied."

I clicked OK, and got this msg:

"service pack 3 installation did not complete.

select OK to undo the changes that have been made."

You don't install SP3 from that link...you download it and install it from your desktop.

Did you click the button "Download"?

Dell - Installing SP3 - http://support.dell.com/support/topics/glo...&doclang=en

Dell - SP3 FAQ - http://support.dell.com/support/topics/glo...&doclang=en

Louis

Edited by hamluis, 25 April 2010 - 04:13 PM.

yes, sorry thats what i meant... i went to the link you suggested, and clicked DOWNLOAD... it downloaded successfully, but would not install.

ill read over those pages you sent and let you know the results...

thanks for the tips

hey there

so i got it figured out...

first on this link, (support.microsoft.com/?kbid=950717), you'll find some prerequisites to installing SP3... it mentioned the error message that occurred everytime i tried to install SP3 ("Access is denied.")

and so it redirected me here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949377/

after following all the steps, SP3 installed correctly, and i was able to install a whole new batch of updates

problem solved!

thanks for all the help guys!

colin

Glad you resolved it, happy computing .

Louis