Windows Updates

[bamaman66]

I had all of my windows updates installed and I was deleting a lot of files. Somehow I have lost my updates. They do not appear on the control panel under add and remove programs. When I go to the Windows updates site it says that I do not need any major updates. When I do a qfecheck it only shows one update. How can I reinstall these updates if they are gone?

[WSFuser]

do u use ccleaner? i know ccleaner lets u delete the hotfix uninstallers. perhaps it also deletes the entries from add/remove programs.

dont worry tho, teh hotfixes are still installed u just cant uninstall them.

[NICK ADSL UK]

-{ Quote: "I had all of my windows updates installed and I was deleting a lot of files. Somehow I have lost my updates. They do not appear on the control panel under add and remove programs. When I go to the Windows updates site it says that I do not need any major updates. When I do a qfecheck it only shows one update. How can I reinstall these updates if they are gone?" }-

Hi bamaman :)
Security Tool:
Find out if you are missing important Microsoft product updates by using MBSA (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx).

Regards

[bamaman66]

I ran MBSA and it said the catalog file is damaged or an invalid catalog. Yes I do use ccleaner but I do not have the block checked for hotfix uninstallers.

[WSFuser]

try running MBSA 1.2.1 instead of v2.0. u may also want to read teh following two threads:

Catalog File is Damaged or Invalid (http://www.mcse.ms/message1772907.html)
The catalog file is damaged or an invalid catalog. (http://www.mcse.ms/message1804454.html)

[TheQuest]

Hi, bamaman66

-{ Quote: "They do not appear on the control panel under add and remove programs." }-
Is the Show Updates box checked [ticked], it is near top centre of the add and remove programs, because without the tick you will not see Windows Updates.

Take Care,
TheQuest 8)

[bamaman66]

The show updates box is ticked on control panel.

[TheQuest]

Hi, bamaman66

-{ Quote: "The show updates box is ticked on control panel." }-
Sorry I could not be of any help then. :ouch:
-{ Quote: "I had all of my windows updates installed and I was deleting a lot of files. Somehow I have lost my updates." }-
I can not see how you can delete your updates by accident because you would have to unhide them first to see them. :blink:

Take Care,
TheQuest 8)

[bamaman66]

I downloaded mbsa 1.2.1 and it showed I have all my security updates. I still don't understand why they do not show up in the add/remove programs. I don't know what I could have deleted that would remove them from the add/remove programs. There is an entry in add/remove programs for "Windows Updates" but the hotfixes are not shown under it.

[Texcritter]

Hi bamaman66

If you look in the registry you should be
able to see all your update uninstall registry keys
they all start kb----- (- being a number)
Maybe these have been deleted

For Windows XP Home

Start
Run ...... type in regedit
navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

[MikeBCda]

If you wiped out the Uninstall folders for these (or for that matter, for just about any app), usually they'll no longer show up in Add-Remove.

[bamaman66]

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows
\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

My hotfixes are all shown here and when I go to Windows Updates it says that I do not need any hotfixes but I am confused where they went from my add/remove programs.

[zcv]

First, turn on View Hidden files:
Go to My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View tab, scroll down to Show hidden files and tick.

Next, double click on the Windows folder. Do you see folders that begin with $NtUninstallKB + numbers? If there, they will be at the beginning, right under $hf_mig$.

If not there, MS updates will not show in the Add/Remove panel because the uninstall routines are not present. No harm - you just cannot uninstall the patches.

I get rid of them on a semi-annual basis just to get the clutter out. I do back them up for a year though.