RE: Did XP Repair - Now No Updates

I have been struggling for many days with this exact same issue.
Repaired XP Pro SP2 and ever since, no updates! Then, I found this from
Microsoft. Worked like a charm. It involves make additions/changes to the
registry (which we all know is very touchy), but as it turned out, the
machine I was working on was missing all of the entries listed in this
bulletin. Once I added them and rebooted, the updates started flying in!
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910341/en-us

"DeadIntuit" wrote:

> I just did a fresh install of XP 2 weeks ago. Everything was working
> amazingly well for Windows XP Pro SP2.
>
> Then I tested this little piece of BS software from a friend who said it
> created no problems on his PC running Windows 2000.
>
> Well, XP didn't like it at all. As soon as I installed the lil devil, IE 7
> started crashing on me. Then the XP help and support screen error'd out on
> me. Then System restore error'd out too.
>
> So in desparation (Not wanting to have to do a clean install ALL OVER
> AGAIN), I ran repair off my Windows XP Pro with Service Pack 2 disk.
>
> Now I can get security updates. God knows I want them considering how
> vulnerable Winows is.
>
> Below is a Knowledge Base Article in MS Support.
> Here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555615/en-us
>
> The summary defines my problem, but the resolve sure doesn’t cure the
> Problem.
>
> Ideas?
>
> ============= KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLE =================
>
> It says to install Service Pack 2 (Downloaded the latest version from MS),
> but there is still a security update that has to go along with that. I can't
> even get the update system to download the files, even though it lists what
> is needed, supposedly downloads them, says they are ready to install but
> shows ZERO megs downloaded. I click on the customized download or
> Automatic/Recommended and then it relists all the 78 security updates needed
> and THEN SAYS they all failed to install.
>
> SUMMARY
> Windows XP Repair installation causes Automatic Updates to no longer
> recognize that updates are needed, leaving the computer in a vulnerable state
> until Service Packs and updates are re-applied
>
> SYMPTOMS
> After performing a repair install of Windows XP using the Repair feature of
> Windows Setup, your computer will no longer automatically download updates
> via the Automatic Updates process even if it has been configured to do so.
> There is no warning or error reported and no visible sign that Automatic
> Updates is no longer functioning as it was configured to.
>
> Since the repair install will remove all Windows Service Packs and security
> updates that may have been installed on your computer, you cannot rely on
> Automatic Updates to re-apply Windows Service Packs or updates that the
> computer is now missing. You will need to manually install Windows Service
> Packs and updates to protect your computer. Until you do your computer will
> be unprotected against any vulnerabilities that were previously resolved by
> Windows Service Packs or security updates.
>
> CAUSE
> A Repair install of Windows removes any Windows Service Packs and updates
> that were previously installed. The repair install also replaces Windows
> Update client files on your server with older versions of these files. As a
> result, Automatic Updates believes your computer is still up-to-date and will
> not download or install any Windows Service Packs or updates that the
> computer needs after the Repair install. Since Automatic Updates believes
> the computer is up-to-date on Windows Service Packs and updates, no warnings
> or error messages are generated.
> Back to the top
> RESOLUTION
> To resolve the Automatic Updates problem (and to protect your computer
> against vulnerabilities) go to either the Windows Update or Microsoft Update
> web sites and install any needed Windows Service Packs or updates. Once you
> have downloaded and installed at least one critical update from the Windows
> Update or Microsoft Update web site, Automatic Updates will once again
> correctly detect, download or install Windows Service Packs or security
> updates depending on what settings you have selected for Automatic Updates on
> your computer.
>
> ======== END KNOWLEDGE BASE ARTICLE =======
>
> So I did a manual install of Service Pack 2 – rebooted and the same problem
> exists. M/S Updates system scans and comes up with 78
> needed security updates. Including one for Service Pack 2. So I try
> to do the automatic download and install and it says it failed. Which
> doesn’t surprise me because in the same window with the list of all
> the security updates I need, after it has supposedly downloaded them,
> next to the install button it says:
>
> Download size (total): 0 KB *
> Estimated time at your connection speed: 0 minutes *
> (*Downloaded; ready to install)
>
> Then of course it goes on to say the installs all failed.
>
> Does anyone know where or how I can get the Service Pack 2 Security
> Update by manually downloading it and then how to install it?
>
> --
> Mike Claggett