force windows update to update?

[dbarton]

I had to restore OS from a backup and it seem like windows update is a bit confused. It say's some have been done, but I think thay have not..

It there a way to delete the Window Update pointer files, so that update is force to re-update some of these?

 

[MrChad]

It say's some have been done, but I think thay have not.

Why do you think that?

 

[NoelS]

Seems to me if you used a backup, the updates that were on your HDD at the time the backup was made would be the same updates you'd have when you put the backup back on your HDD... any updates after the time of the backup would have to be installed again. But not the ones before...

Why don't you believe what Windows wants to update? Just let it do its thing and accept it 🙂

Noel

 

[dbarton]

I saw a page that says I can delete the "c:\win\softwareupdate" directory, and windows update will try to do them all again..

Any disadvantage to this?

I thought I do that, then install service pack 3, and go form there..

 

[NoelS]

db,

As far as I can tell, the main disadvantage is the time it would take to re-download and install the updates. Also, many of them will require agreeing to MS Terms... so each time one of those comes up, you will need to be there to agree before auto update will re-commence.

Main advantage is you will feel that all updates are back...

Anyone else out there know any "more or less" about this subject?

Noel

 

[dbarton]

what about deleting them all, and then installing service pack 2?
that would save some time..

 

[RebateMonger]

You can likely get free MS support on this topic, since Microsoft gives free support for Windows Update issues.

 

[livingsacrifice]

Yea you can delete the softwareupdate directory. If it fails again you can check the log file located in c:\windows\windowsupdate.log should give an error why it's failing then you can simply do a google search for the error and see what turns up. I have this happen on occasion but it's normally when the Windows Agent installer fails to install.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
You can likely get free MS support on this topic, since Microsoft gives free support for Windows Update issues.

Yes! And in the left pane of Windows Update is a link to Microsoft Help and Support for update issues.