updates refuse to install

helo peeps....
am having a rather annoying problem. nothing that can't be sorted by formating my hard disk-bt i dnt want to have to transfer over 10gb of files!!!
the problem is whenever i try to install microsoft updates it does not allow me to.
it shows the various avaliable updates but when it comes to installing it does not allow me to. it says that:
Failed Updates
For help installing an update successfully, see the solution under each problem description.
Problem: A problem on your computer is preventing updates from being downloaded or installed
Solution: To fix the problem, try installing the updates again. If that doesn't work, use the Troubleshooter to try solve the problem


The update history does not show the failed updates. it doesnot record it at all.
I have nod32, outpost pro, system safety monitor, windows defender and spyware blaster running.

I tried disabling outpost, win defender n SSM bt that didn't change nothing.

Anyone got an idea as to what did that? could it be i disabled some essential services?
also i recently installed tuneutilities. could i have messed up with something?

 

Thanks for the prompt reply Peter. i went to registry but how do i know which one to edit.
I have no idea which one is causing the problem. Should i change NetFramework 2.0 or 1.1?

 

i have the same problem with a few updates. Easy answer is note the updates you need and download them from

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/Security/default.mspx

worked every time for me so far

 

thx for the quick reply lads.
i tried renaming the patches in NF1.1 and NF2.0 but it didn't change anything.
I don't think it will have anything to do with my FW.
Am seriusly considering formatin my HD!!

 

I had the same issue last month. It turned out that RegCure deleted some reg files in Office. I contacted MS and received this reply, I hope it works for you:

Step 1: Enable Office Source Engine service

==================================

The issue could occur if the Office Source Engine service startup type is set to "DISABLED". However, Windows Installer cannot start this service if this service is disabled. To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Determine the status of the Office Source Engine service. To do this, follow these steps:

a. Click "Start", click "Run", type "services.msc" (without the quotation marks), and then click "OK".

b. In the list of services, double-click "Office Source Engine".

c. View the option that appears in the "Startup type" list.

2. If the start type is set to "DISABLED", modify the startup type to a setting of "Manual". To do this, right-click "DISABLED" list, click Properties, General tab. And then select "Manual" in the "Startup type" list, and then click "OK".

3. Try to install the Office Update locally again.

Step 2: Repair Office 2003

===================

1. Click Start, and then click Control Panel. If Control Panel is not in Classic View, click Switch to Classic View.

2. In Control Panel, double-click the Add or Remove Programs icon.

3. In the Currently installed programs list, click to select Microsoft Office 2003 product. Click Change.

4. In the Maintenance Mode Options dialog box, select "Reinstall or Repair", and then click Next.

5. Click to select "Detect and Repair errors in my Office installation" and the click "Install" button.

Step 3: Disable Local Installation Source

=================================

I think that disabling the LIS would clean-up the registry setting and might fix the issue. If the update requires source from cache and if it is binary update, the first attempt at install might fail and the install will switch to full file for the next detection cycle.

1. Download the Local Installation Source Tool from the link below:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...A3-695B-42C3-9045-B812BA0FED3E&displaylang=en

2. Extract LisTool.exe and LisTool.chm to some location.

3. Run the GUI tool (LISTOOL.exe) and choose the Disable LIS option. Click next. Select all the check boxes in the subsequent dialog. Then proceed to Finish.

4. Try doing a detect and install again.

Is this issue resolved? If not, let's go ahead to check the following point.

Step 4

=======

Our recent research shows that the "Tune-Up" or cleanup feature in certain security software and system maintenance software, such as Webroot Spy Sweeper, RegCure, Windows Live Safety Center, etc can delete the Office registry keys unexpectedly. That can cause Office update to be unable to be installed. If you have any of software of this kind installed on the computer, you can restore the registry by running the backup file they created.

If you use our beta product: Windows Live Safety Center, this software backups the registry to: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Windows Live Safety Center\BackUp, where <username> stands for the name you use to logon Windows. In this folder, double-click the .reg file created by the Microsoft Safety registry cleanup to restore the registry keys.

If you use RegCure, you may refer to their KB article to restore the registry:

http://support.regcure.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=125&nav=0,15

You can contact the software manufacturer to obtain the information about registry backup and restore in their software if other software of this kind is installed.

I hope the above information is helpful to you.

If however, the issue still persists after restore the registry keys or you don't have the above software installed at all, let's follow the steps below to reinstall Office to correct this problem.

Step 5: Reinstall Office (Please ensure that you have the Office installation CD before performing this step)

===================

Before you perform the following steps, please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles to learn more about backing up the Outlook data and Office program settings.

287070 OL2002: How to Back Up, Restore, or Move Outlook Data

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=287070

312978 HOW TO: Use the Save My Settings Wizard to Back Up Settings in Office XP

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=312978

Note: The articles also apply to Office 2003.

1. Download and install the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/9/D/E9D80355-7AB4-45B8-80E8-983A48D5E1BD/msicuu2.exe

2. After you install the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility, click Start menu-> All Programs-> Windows Install Clean Up.

3. Highlight Microsoft Office 2003 entry in the list and then click Remove. Quit the Utility.

NOTE: If you have got any other old or redundant office entries or other Office stand alone products such as Visio in the list, please remove them together.

4. Close all applications.

5. Click Start menu-> Run, type "regedit" (without the quotation marks) in the Open box and press Enter.

6. Expand the registry tree on the left pane and locate the following two registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Office

7. Right-click on this key and click Delete to delete those keys.

8. Open Windows Explorer, and then browse to the "C:\Program Files" folder

If it exists, rename the "Microsoft Office" to "Microsoft Office OLD"
If it exists, rename "OfficeUpdate" to "OfficeUpdateOLD"
If it exists, rename "OfficeUpdate11" to "OfficeUpdate11 OLD"

9. Click Start menu-> Run, type "%Temp%" (without the quotation marks) in the Open box and press Enter.

10. Empty the %Temp% folder.

NOTE: If some files can't be deleted, please skip them, which don’t influence the result of the troubleshooting.

11. Empty the Recycle bin.

12. Restart your computer and install Office 2003.

13. Then, go to Office Product Updates Web site to check for all available updates:

http://www.officeupdate.com/ProductUpdates/default.aspx

I hope the above information is helpful to you. If the problem still occurs, please help me capture screenshots of all error messages you encountered and send them to me so that I can make a further research.

To capture the image, we can perform the steps below:

(a) When the error message appears, press the Print Screen key several times (this key is located to the right of the F12 key on the keyboard)

(b) Open Paint ['start' => 'All Programs' => 'Accessories' => 'Paint'].

(c) Click Edit (menu) -> Paste or press Ctrl + V.

(d) Click File (menu) -> Save. Save it as a .jpg or .gif file and send it to me as an attachment.

Please also collect Office Update log and send them to me.

Office update log

=============

--Click Start menu-> Run, type "%Temp%" (without the quotation marks) in the Open box and press Enter.

--All client updates for Office 2003 create log files in the Temp\OHotfix folder. The log files have names similar to the following:

OHotfix(#####).log

OHotfix(#####)_Msi.log

Note: These numbers start at 00001 and are incremented for each additional update.

Therefore, if you run the same update again or you run a new update, the next pair of log files will be numbered 00002.

For each update installed, two log files are created. The first log file is created by the Ohotfix.exe bootstrap Setup file, and the second log file is created by the Windows Installer (Msiexec.exe). The pair of Setup and Windows Installer log files have the same number (#####) in their respective log file's name. Therefore, you can easily match them as part of the same installation.

...screamer

 

once again thk u to all of u....
Screamer i tried them all but it still dnt work, the only thing, i did not reinstall office. i tried downloading update without having office installed.
still, nothing.
i wil b updating u after i install office.
thks once again

 

Hi vbnmu,

Mentioning that you may have disabled some essential service's, please view the following link's.
~ I'm not sure which is the most current ~

http://wiki.castlecops.com/How_To_Fix_Windows_Update

http://www.castlecops.com/t106642-How_To_Fix_Windows_Update_BITS_AU_Newly_Edited.html

As for registry cleaning, avoid the hype. Never remove anything your not "specifically" looking for!


GF