How do I clear automatic updates so they will all download again?

[btcomm1]

Ok so I did a repair install on this computer. I went to windowsupdate.com I installed what needed to be installed and it gave me a list of updates. I checked all but IE7 and started it. It downloads some of them. It fails some and then downloads others after it's failed some of them. Is windows update brokened right now? Or is there some way I can clear all the update history so that it will not fail to download any updates?

 

[boomerang]

I've had this happen before and the next day the updates were downloaded. I can't explain why.

 

[Smilin]

You may have updates with dependencies in there.

If you do your download/reboot/download cycle you should reach the point where no downloads are available at that point you're good.

If you ever want to 'reset' things then simply apply the last service pack and it will roll back any updates since then.

 

[Smilin]

question though:

When you did the repair, did you provide media with the same service pack that you were at previously? If not, you'll want to service pack before hitting windows update.

 

[btcomm1]

Yes I did, the media is the exact media that was using to install windows in the first place it has SP2 on it. I really do think the windows updates that are failing is because they are brokened because some did work others do not. Then I did the IE7 update through the website it started downloading without a problem, the other updates all it will do is say failed when trying to download, go to the next one and fail. So if you did all or almost all of your updates in the past and you just decided to do the IE7 update you wouldn't even know there was a problem with the update website, I even installed some manually and they no longer appear on the list of critical updates, it's just frustrating because if it is a problem with the computer and not the website then it's not going to resolve it'self.

Could there be something on the computer that would cause certain updates to work just fine and others to fail? If so can I just clear out whatever that would be?

If not then I would be reasonably sure that those updates that won't work today will be fixed by microsoft so that they do work.

 

[Smilin]

I would imagine the website is fine.

What caused you to do the repair to begin with?

 

[Bozo Galora]

Why would you assume all updates are related/needed to your particular PC and its confiuration?
Why dont you use the Autopatcher if you are so worried about the MS site?
http://www.autopatcher.com/autopatcherxp/

 

[mechBgon]

Here are a couple things that may help:

1) try the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility and see if that helps. I had a stubborn Windows Defender update that kept failing at the Microsoft Update site, and this got it resolved.

2) try Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 2.01. Run it, and it'll give you download links for the patches you need. You can download & run them directly.

Any good? Oh, and if you want that movie clip, I still need your email address to email it to.