Windows Updates

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?

 

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.

 

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.

 

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
The catalog file is damaged or an invalid catalog.

 

Hi, bamaman66

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

 

The show updates box is ticked on control panel.

 

Hi, bamaman66

Sorry I could not be of any help then.

I can not see how you can delete your updates by accident because you would have to unhide them first to see them.

Take Care,
TheQuest

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.