Windows XP security updates failing to install

[Gustavus]

I have Windows XP with SP2 installed and running with no problems. Each time I boot up a box pops up saying there are updates available and do I wish to download them. I click for the download, but many -- not all --- fail in the installation. Is this because I won't let it install SP3, or is there something else going on. Out of the many security updates Microsoft has made recently maybe six always fail to install. All others installed OK.

Thanks

 

[mechBgon]

A lack of SP3 shouldn't cause that. When SP3 has been out for a year, there will be no further updates for SP2, if Microsoft follows their usual policy, and at that point you would not see any updates offered.

Try downloading the necessary updates, saving them, and then rebooting into Safe Mode to install them. One way to get download links easily is to scan the system with the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer, which will cough up links to missing up dates. MBSA download page

 

[KGB]

Gus,

Have you done any recent spyware / malware / rootkit scans?

You could be infected with some nastiness.

 

[Gustavus]

mechBgon and KGBMAN
Thanks for the replies. I have a very good collection of antimalware which I run regularly, so I am pretty confident the machine is not infected. Can never say that for sure though. Not too long ago a trojan called blue screen.joker managed to get through although SuperAntiSpyware detected it. The files were both hidden and locked so it took both SAS and Unlocker Assistant a couple of reboots to clear it out. Even in safe mode several of the latest security updates fail to install. It has to be machine specific -- my machine specific that is. The machine I use for internet browsing is an older one built on an ABIT TH7II motherboard. I keep thinking I will replace it with one of my newer ones, but am so used to it I never can quite bring myself to dump it. The newer machines have installed most -- but not all -- of the latest security updates. There is something a bit funny about MS security updates as far as I can tell.