Reinstalled WinXP on this laptop 4 times...Windows Update doesn't work.

[Ichinisan]

One of the machines installed Windows Genuine Advantage, then it continued to search for updates for another couple hours and it's still going.

The main one I was working on took ages to show the WGA install, but it did show me the important updates soon after and it has been installing them for the last hour.

 

[Ketchup]

Finished testing my XP Pro SP2 on my VM:

1. Went straight to update, error message.
2. Installed IE 8, went to update, error message.
3. Updated to SP3, long wait (maybe 10 minutes), installed Genuine Activation.
4. Once installed, went straight to update page: 122 High Priority updates.

Honestly, my XP3 install is pretty much to first thing I do by habit, so I don't know if anything has changed there.

 

[Ichinisan]

Finished testing my XP Pro SP2 on my VM:

1. Went straight to update, error message.
2. Installed IE 8, went to update, error message.
3. Updated to SP3, long wait (maybe 10 minutes), installed Genuine Activation.
4. Once installed, went straight to update page: 122 High Priority updates.

Honestly, my XP3 install is pretty much to first thing I do by habit, so I don't know if anything has changed there.

My VM testing was done with the X14-73974 disc (which includes SP3 already). I had waited a ridiculous amount of time (over 2 hours) and it never finished. At some point, I accidentally closed the window when I was right-clicking the taskbar (damn delay). The automatic updater in the system tray said there was 1 update ready to be installed. I installed it and rebooted. Now it has been "Checking for updates" for another 2 hours.

 

[Ketchup]

My VM testing was done with the X14-73974 disc (which includes SP3 already). I had waited a ridiculous amount of time (over 2 hours) and it never finished. At some point, I accidentally closed the window when I was right-clicking the taskbar (damn delay). The automatic updater in the system tray said there was 1 update ready to be installed. I installed it and rebooted. Now it has been "Checking for updates" for another 2 hours.

This copy of XP is interesting. It is an old copy of PRO (pre SP1) that does not require activation. A good friend gave it to me, and I believe he said it was an extra copy from a business he was upgrading (it's been years, so I could definitely be wrong on that). Since then, I slipstreamed SP1, and once again for SP2. By the time SP3 came out of course, we were on to newer things (aka Vista) so I never bothered.

Anyway, have you tried upgrading to IE8?

 

[RampantAndroid]

Finished testing my XP Pro SP2 on my VM:

1. Went straight to update, error message.
2. Installed IE 8, went to update, error message.
3. Updated to SP3, long wait (maybe 10 minutes), installed Genuine Activation.
4. Once installed, went straight to update page: 122 High Priority updates.

Honestly, my XP3 install is pretty much to first thing I do by habit, so I don't know if anything has changed there.

I have a similar experience - error message until I upgraded. I did not see any insane scan times.

 

[Ichinisan]

This copy of XP is interesting. It is an old copy of PRO (pre SP1) that does not require activation. A good friend gave it to me, and I believe he said it was an extra copy from a business he was upgrading (it's been years, so I could definitely be wrong on that). Since then, I slipstreamed SP1, and once again for SP2. By the time SP3 came out of course, we were on to newer things (aka Vista) so I never bothered.

Anyway, have you tried upgrading to IE8?

Yeah. On the main laptop I was working on. It didn't help. Only by waiting for hours (lost track of how many exactly) have I managed to get any updates.

 

[Ichinisan]

Are these copies of windows activated before you try to run Automatic Updates? Could be a problem?

Never saw any activation prompts. The test disc is volume license, so there's no activation required. The Compaq OEM disc has also never prompted me to activate.

 

[Ichinisan]

After so many rounds of ridiculous waiting, now all 3 systems can scan and list updates quickly, just like they should.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I went through this with a client's system about a week or two ago. Restored the HP P4 desktop with the original burned 8-CD restore set. It was XP SP1. I then installed SP3 off of a CD I had. Then I tried going to WU, and it sat there searching "forever", with SVCHOST.exe taking up 99% CPU time.

I had to google for the problem, and got led to a MS "Fix-It" link, for WU problems on XP.

I then had to disable "Automatic Updates" service, in order to get anything done.

I installed the Fix-it, and it required Net 2.0 or higher. I clicked the link it showed, to download Net 3.5 SP1, but it was a network installer. It would constantly time out before I figured out how to disable "Automatic Updates". In fact, the first time, I tried using a standalone Net 4.0 installer, but that wasn't recognized by the Fix-It. Anyways, with Net 3.5 SP1 finally installed, running the Fix-It again, downloaded and installed PowerShell. With that installed, then it did its magic. It said that it repaired Windows Update components. It then prompted me to test what I was attempting to do that wasn't working. Well, that didn't work the first time I tried it. So the second time around, I rebooted first.

Then Windows Update started working normally.

I do agree with your premise, I think MS somehow intentionally borked XP so as to not be updatable, forcing people to upgrade to 7 or 8. I mean, that tactic is classic MS.

 

[Ketchup]

I do agree with your premise, I think MS somehow intentionally borked XP so as to not be updatable, forcing people to upgrade to 7 or 8. I mean, that tactic is classic MS.

I don't know about that. I mean, why wouldn't they just take the site down completely if they were shooting for that?

 

[CZroe]

I don't know about that. I mean, why wouldn't they just take the site down completely if they were shooting for that?

Because then they'd be blamed for the wave or compromised computers ruining the 'net for everyone..

 

[Ketchup]

Because then they'd be blamed for the wave or compromised computers ruining the 'net for everyone..

Well, we are getting closer and closer to EOS, aren't we.
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/endofsupport.aspx

 

[Hero1711]

Simple solution: Install XP (any SP), update using WSUS Offline Update - remember to include SP updates when building the offline update package (WSUS Offline Update).

 

[Mushkins]

I installed the Fix-it, and it required Net 2.0 or higher. I clicked the link it showed, to download Net 3.5 SP1, but it was a network installer. It would constantly time out before I figured out how to disable "Automatic Updates". In fact, the first time, I tried using a standalone Net 4.0 installer, but that wasn't recognized by the Fix-It. Anyways, with Net 3.5 SP1 finally installed, running the Fix-It again, downloaded and installed PowerShell. With that installed, then it did its magic. It said that it repaired Windows Update components. It then prompted me to test what I was attempting to do that wasn't working. Well, that didn't work the first time I tried it. So the second time around, I rebooted first.

Just throwing it out there, but .Net 3.5 and .Net 4.0 are different products, different installations, and 4.0 is not backwards compatible. It failing with 4.0 but not 3.5 installed wasn't an error, it was working as designed

 

[LSANTHRAX]

Simple solution: Install XP (any SP), update using WSUS Offline Update - remember to include SP updates when building the offline update package (WSUS Offline Update).

Going to second this. This is what we use when we do a XP install at work anymore because of how flaky updating through the normal channels has become over the past few years. I normally just keep a flash drive handy to use for this purpose.

 

[Via]

Well, I know exactly what you guys are talking about now. I've been struggling with an XP install for two days now. This is really embarrassing for MS. Either support the damn thing until you said you were going to, or don't say you're going to.

Not only does Windows update not work for me, it completely screws my PC. If I leave it on the CPU immediately jumps to 100% usage upon booting it and I can't do anything. If I go into task manager and end it manually the PC acts wonky. The only choice I had was to turn off automatic update. Of course - if I manually try to update it searches forever (like some have mentioned).

I downloaded SP2 and SP3 (and IE8, among some other things) to an external drive and installed them. After installing SP3 the wireless card in the PC stopped working, leading me on an hours-long internet scavenger hunt. I tried everything I could find until stumbling on the suggestion to "allow Windows to control the wireless card". So I went where it said to go and Windows was already controlling the wireless card. Figuring I had nothing to lose I turned it off, and what do you know - the damn thing started working again. What a frustrating experience.

I doubt things are going to get better. If I'm only planning on playing games with this thing should I start over and stick to service pack 1? Or are there necessary things for gaming in the later SPs?

 

[pcslookout]

I had that same problem. Just get Windows XP with SP3 already and be done with it.

 

[Ichinisan]

I had that same problem. Just get Windows XP with SP3 already and be done with it.

That didn't work for me.