My Windows Update function isn't working, so I'm trying to download and install the files I need to keep Windows 2000 updated. I have the latest Win2000 service pack - SP4 - installed. Do I have to install the first three as well? I read that the updates in the first three are all contained in SP4, but I'm not sure if that's true. Is it?
Do I Need to Install ALL Win2000 Service Packs, Or Just SP4?
- Thread starter Mister Dark
- Start date
mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
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You can install SP4 without doing the previous two SP's, correct. The other main updates you would probably want are Windows Media Player 9, DirectX 9.0C, and Internet Explorer 6 with SP1. After these, there are about 30 other security patches to cover the issues that remain afterwards. Unfortunately I don't have my list of them handy since I'm at home 
If your Windows Update function is not working, you may have been infected by a worm that prevents you from reaching Windows Update. The most likely cause of that is that your computer is plugged directly into a broadband modem without any firewall protection. You can start by downloading ZoneAlarm and installing it, then download McAfee Stinger and run Stinger while you're in Safe Mode.
After that, grab some current-version antivirus software if you need some (free 15-day trial of Norton 2005 is available here for example), install it, thoroughly configure it, and run an exhaustive scan. Download and run Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and address whatever issues it brings up.
If your Windows Update function is not working, you may have been infected by a worm that prevents you from reaching Windows Update. The most likely cause of that is that your computer is plugged directly into a broadband modem without any firewall protection. You can start by downloading ZoneAlarm and installing it, then download McAfee Stinger and run Stinger while you're in Safe Mode.
After that, grab some current-version antivirus software if you need some (free 15-day trial of Norton 2005 is available here for example), install it, thoroughly configure it, and run an exhaustive scan. Download and run Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and address whatever issues it brings up.
mechBgon - thanks for such an informative and detailed response! I really appreciate it.
My Windows Update function is indeed not working. I hadn't considered the possibilty that this could mean I already have a virus. I do have Zone Alarm and I installed it before connecting to the net for the first time with my current system, but my copy of ZA was a little outdated so I had to upgrade it by downloading a newer version ... Do you think I might have been at risk even with ZA installed? I also have AVG (anti-virus program) installed to watch for any suspicous activity, but I had to update that as well. I'll try that free Norton trial you mentioned and see if that spots anything.
Windows users like me who are on a 56k line are really caught in a catch-22. We have to be online for hours and hours in order to download all the different Windows security patches and updates, etc, which means that we are vulnerable to all those security problems the whole time we're waiting for our snail-paced modems to download the fixes ... I'm trying to save them all to disc so one day I can do a clean install with ALL the patches/fixes I need to keep me safe online ...
My Windows Update function is indeed not working. I hadn't considered the possibilty that this could mean I already have a virus. I do have Zone Alarm and I installed it before connecting to the net for the first time with my current system, but my copy of ZA was a little outdated so I had to upgrade it by downloading a newer version ... Do you think I might have been at risk even with ZA installed? I also have AVG (anti-virus program) installed to watch for any suspicous activity, but I had to update that as well. I'll try that free Norton trial you mentioned and see if that spots anything.
Windows users like me who are on a 56k line are really caught in a catch-22. We have to be online for hours and hours in order to download all the different Windows security patches and updates, etc, which means that we are vulnerable to all those security problems the whole time we're waiting for our snail-paced modems to download the fixes ... I'm trying to save them all to disc so one day I can do a clean install with ALL the patches/fixes I need to keep me safe online ...
mechBgon
Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
- Oct 31, 1999
- 30,699
- 1
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I'm a 56k dial-upper myself so I know what you mean. If you live in the US, I could mail you a CD with the patches you would need as of Dec. 14th, including SP4, WMP9, DX9.0C and full IE6SP1 installers, plus something I called "fastpatch."
Fastpatch is a batchfile that runs most of the the necessary post-SP4 security patches in one big batch, and then QChain.exe at the end, so they come out properly at the reboot. It patches issues in Windows, IE6, WMP, MSXML, MDAC, MS Java engine, and even WordPad :Q If you're in the US then send me a PM with your mailing address and I can send that off maybe Monday or Tuesday.
AVG would let you know if you had the worms I was thinking of, and ZoneAlarm would keep them out if they had not gotten in, so maybe I'm on the wrong track there. For the moment, log on with an Administrator-class account and go to C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC and you'll see a file called HOSTS. Right-click > Open With... and choose Notepad. Make sure the only IP address in there is
127.0.0.1 localhost
and if there are others, delete them all.
BTW, a couple other things that can keep Windows Update from working: ActiveX disabled, or the system time is badly off.
Fastpatch is a batchfile that runs most of the the necessary post-SP4 security patches in one big batch, and then QChain.exe at the end, so they come out properly at the reboot. It patches issues in Windows, IE6, WMP, MSXML, MDAC, MS Java engine, and even WordPad :Q If you're in the US then send me a PM with your mailing address and I can send that off maybe Monday or Tuesday.
AVG would let you know if you had the worms I was thinking of, and ZoneAlarm would keep them out if they had not gotten in, so maybe I'm on the wrong track there. For the moment, log on with an Administrator-class account and go to C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC and you'll see a file called HOSTS. Right-click > Open With... and choose Notepad. Make sure the only IP address in there is
127.0.0.1 localhost
and if there are others, delete them all.
BTW, a couple other things that can keep Windows Update from working: ActiveX disabled, or the system time is badly off.
That's an incredibly generous offer, mechBgon - are you sure you want to go to that much trouble? I'd definitely reimburse you for whatever it would cost you to mail such a CD ...
I went to the HOSTS file as you said and that localhost is the only one listed ...
I went to the HOSTS file as you said and that localhost is the only one listed ...
Man - thanks a lot! I really can't believe you're willing to be so helpful, but I sure appreciate it!
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