Thank you for your assistance. The linked article does match the symptoms I
am experiencing, including the fact that the updates I attempt to install do
not appear in my history. However, I tried both listed methods for fixing the
problem, and neither has worked; all updates still fail at the initialization
of installing.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> CrystalBall© sez...
>
> Updates are not installed successfully from Windows Update, from Microsoft
> Update, or by using Automatic Updates after you repair a Windows XP
> installation:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144
>
> NB: Also applies to clean installs, upgrade installs, and Recovery installs.
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
> AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
> DTS-L http://dts-l.net/
>
>
> bduddy wrote:
> > This is the same person... just saying that I am using Windows XP with
> > SP3,
> > which I was able to install using a manual method; I encountered the same
> > error when attempting to install in through Windows Update.
>
>