XP SP3 Install - Clueless About Updates

[Elliot77]

Long-time XP user here, and for most of that time I've refused to do any Windows Updates.

 

Well, I'm now rethinking that - hence this post.

 

I'd like to get the most important updates, and only those that apply to my system/usage if possible.

 

Any recommendations?

 

I'm not even certain if I can still download updates to be honest.

 

Thank you

[Monroe]

I don't know why you couldn't just run the regular MS Update check on IE8 and see what happens. I hadn't checked for any additional XP updates since September but I wanted to close out 2014 with a nice clean updated backup image of my XP setup going into 2015.

I last had some updates show up in June but they were only because I had the MS Office 2007 Compatibility Pack installed with MS Office 2000.

That is also the case again when I just ran the MS Update check last week ... there were two updates shown:

Microsoft Office 2007

Windows 7, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 (KB2920790)

12/09/2014 - 9.4 MB

Date Published: 11/26/2014

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Security Update for Microsoft Office 2007 (KB2920792)

12/09/2014 - 4.2 MB

Date Published: 11/26/2014

Of course there are no more actual XP updates showing up but I just wanted to be sure for my last 2014 image backup. I wasn't aware that there were Microsoft Office 2007 updates available for December.

I cleaned up and updated some software programs ... added these two MS Office 2007 December updates and am ready for whatever shows up in 2015.

This is what I just did ... maybe others can offer more information and help. Have you tried running the MS Update service to see what shows up for downloading? I assume that all the earlier updates are still available but maybe I am wrong in that regard.
...

Edited December 25, 2014 by monroe

[Monroe]

I thought some other replies might be posted offering some ideas ... just wanted to mention what I do with the .NET Framework 3.5 update that keeps showing up for me ... I stopped at .NET Framework 2.0 just to have it available for a few programs. Whether you need it at all or just the 2.0 version ... would be what you decide.

 

I do have the .NET Framework 3.5 update downloaded and stored on a CD if I would ever want it installed one day.

 

So some of those updates will be a judgement call on your part ... I would think all security updates should be downloaded and then carefully look at the others.

 

Others might have some suggestions.

...

Edited December 25, 2014 by monroe

[submix8c]

Yep!

http://xdot.tk/

and make a slipstream

-or-

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/171171-introducing-unofficial-windows-xp-sp4/

and make a slipstream.

 

In any case, for a running XP, install IE8 and run Windows/Microsoft Update. There's a direct link to MS for IE8 in the first link above.

 

You may need to also install this ( ) -

http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/157027-windows-update-agent-which-version-do-you-have/

(note: read through the topic to find the attached "build" script and instructions)

You -may- not need it.

[Elliot77]

Thanks everyone.

 

I enabled Auto Update and BITS and tried MS online windows update. The site updated my computer to something like the current installer, then the site got stuck in a loop alternating between two readouts:

[Ponch]

Do you have a possbility to enable the ActiveX thingy at the 1st screenshot? Like a yellow line up your screen?

[dencorso]

Please do locate inside C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 and report the versions of the following files:

• muweb.dll
• wuweb.dll
• LegitCheckControl.DLL

[Elliot77]

Do you have a possbility to enable the ActiveX thingy at the 1st screenshot? Like a yellow line up your screen?

 

No I don't

 

 

Please do locate inside C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32 and report the versions of the following files:

• muweb.dll
• wuweb.dll
• LegitCheckControl.DLL

 

 

wuweb.dll - 7.0.6000.374

muweb.dll file is missing (checked hidden as well)

LegitCheckControl.DLL - 1.9.40.0

[dencorso]

I see...

So, then, download from the links I'm giving here and install the following updates:

• WindowsXP-KB892130-ENU-x86.exe - Windows Genuine Advantage Validation v1.9.42.0 (KB892130);
• WindowsXP-KB898461-x86-ENU.exe - Permanent copy of the Package Installer for Windows (KB898461);
• WindowsXP-KB942288-v3-x86.exe - Windows Installer 4.5 (KB942288).

IIRR, each may require a reboot. After both reboots, try again Windows Updates, and lets see what happens... (I guess some more things will be needed, but let's go one step at a time, OK?).

[Elliot77]

Packages successfully installed. No reboots required, but I did one anyway.

 

Win Update is still getting stuck in the loop I referenced previously.

[dencorso]

OK. Now let's install:

 

The last official MS IE8 Cumulative Update (KB2936068), and the last official out-of-band update for IE8 (KB2964358), too.

After the needed reboots, try again windows update, from the Tools menu in IE8.

[Elliot77]

Completed, but no dice (same loop as mentioned). Probably a dumb question, but could this have anything to do with my having implemented the IE8 fix for the serious security vulnerability discovered after XP support ended?

[dencorso]

Which fix? The one you mention is fixed by KB2964358 you've just installed.

In any case, go to the Control Panel, Security Center, and turn off Automatic Updates, if you hadn't already done it. We want the site to work manually so that you can hide the two nagging updates before anything, when it starts working at last. The nagging updates are, of course, KB293427 (the XP EoS nag) and KB905474 (the WGA Notifications nagger, unneeded, not to be confused with KB892130, the WGA Validation, which is fundamental for the functioning of the system and we just updated some posts above).

Then grab this update but do not install it: WindowsUpdateAgent-7.6-x86... instead of installing, open it with 7zip and extract from inside it a file named WUA-Downlevel.exe and put it into a temporary folder created just for this. Open a DOS box inthat folder, and then run the following command:

WUA-Downlevel /wuforce <enter>

Afterwards reboot and remove the temporary folder. Then go to windows update, and report what happens, please.

[dencorso]

Unless the contents of my previous post were enough to solve your issue (which I doubt), here's what's next:

Open IE8, click again on the "Windows Update" option in the "Tools" menu. After the page loads, click on "Change Settings" on the Microsoft Update page (circled in red on the attached pic) to disable Microsoft Update and revert to Windows Update. Do it. And if Windows Update starts to work, select "Custom", then let it create the available updates list, then hide those two I mentioned above. Close IE8, reopen it and go again to Windows Update, select "Custom", then let it create the available updates list, and confirm the hidden updates remain hidden. Close IE8, reopen it and go again to Windows Update and accept the invitation to upgrade to Microsoft Update, select "Custom", then let it create the available updates list, and confirm once again the hidden updates remain hidden and, if so, apply the high priority updates. In any case, please, do let us know how it went.

[Elliot77]

Which fix? The one you mention is fixed by KB2964358 you've just installed.In any case, go to the Control Panel, Security Center, and turn off Automatic Updates, if you hadn't already done it. We want the site to work manually so that you can hide the two nagging updates before anything, when it starts working at last. The nagging updates are, of course, KB293427 (the XP EoS nag) and KB905474 (the WGA Notifications nagger, unneeded, not to be confused with KB892130, the WGA Validation, which is fundamental for the functioning of the system and we just updated some posts above).Then grab this update but do not install it: WindowsUpdateAgent-7.6-x86... instead of installing, open it with 7zip and extract from inside it a file named WUA-Downlevel.exe and put it into a temporary folder created just for this. Open a DOS box inthat folder, and then run the following command:WUA-Downlevel /wuforce <enter>Afterwards reboot and remove the temporary folder. Then go to windows update, and report what happens, please.

I had unregistered vgx.dll (but have now re-registered it).

I extracted WUA-Downlevel.exe to a temp folder, navigated to that folder in dos, then ran the command. I received an "extraction failed - the directory or file cannot be created." message (I realize I may have made a beginner's error somewhere here).