Re: Windows XP SP 2 failure to install updates

Hi
I''m new to this and I have the same problem.
You quoted "The default DCOM settings for Authentication and Impersonation
levels must be set to at least 'Connect' and 'Identify'"
Where do I set these levels?????
Thanks
GRD

"Enquiring Mind" wrote:

> Hi,
>
> To anyone that might have experienced a similar problem, and to any
> Microsoft developers that might be monitoring these newgroups for ideas for
> improvements to the Windows operating system:
>
> The problem was not to do with the additional update, but with the settings
> of the computer. The default DCOM settings for Authentication and
> Impersonation levels must be set to at least 'Connect' and 'Identify'. After
> making these changes I was able to install the Windows updates.
>
> How did I discover this? With great difficulty, and after considerable
> expenditure of time. I had to learn that a) there's a WindowsUpdate log file
> in the Windows folder; b) that if the log reports a 'failed to spawn a COM
> server' error, then one must check the DCOM settings for the computer, and
> modify them as described above.
>
> The conclusion is that the Windows Update error reports are almost next to
> useless for the user who is not a trained System Administrator. And yet
> Windows XP is touted as being user-friendly. The ways of trying to deal with
> the problem suggested by Windows Update were also next to useless. I
> followed the Troubleshooter link, entered some of the words in the error
> message into the Troubleshooter search box that is offered, and drew 0 hits.
> Subsequent research in the newsgroups revealed that this wasn't the first
> time that the problem has occurred.
>
> Some gentle suggestions to Microsoft developers and usability researchers:
> 1. Rather than just reporting 'Problem: A problem on your computer is
> preventing
> updates from being downloaded or installed' why not also suggest that the
> problem may be investigated by inspecting the WindowsUpdate log file (since
> most non-administrative users will not be aware of its existence).
> 2. If the error occurred internally due to a DCOM error, why not report
> something like: 'DCOM default settings error - check with system
> administrator'?
>
> Regards,
>
> Enquiring Mind
>
>
>
> "Enquiring Mind" <Enquiring.Mind@nospam.btopenworld.com> wrote in message
> news:%23jsVibRUHHA.1364@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
> > Hi there,
> >
> > I have a desktop and a laptop both running Window XP SP2. On 23/01/07 I
> > ran Windows Update on the desktop, and on 24/01/07 on the laptop. Both
> > times Windows XP updates were downloaded and installed successfully.
> >
> > Then yesterday (14/02/07) I ran Windows Update on the desktop, and 10
> > Windows XP updates were downloaded and installed successfully. When today
> > (15/02/07) today I ran Windows Update on the laptop *11* updates were
> > downloaded but 'were unable to be installed'. On examination of the
> > updates, I noticed that they included the update:
> >
> > Security Update for Windows (KB923723)
> >
> > that had not been downloaded the day before on the desktop.
> >
> > Windows Update rports: ' Problem: A problem on your computer is preventing
> > updates from being downloaded or installed'.
> >
> > To investigate the problem I searched the hard drive for a file by the
> > name of the update and found one called KB923723.cat. Is this blocking the
> > installation of the updates?
> >
> > Can anyone suggest a solution to the problem?
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> >
> > Enquiring Mind
> >
> >
>
>
>