"install important updates" at Windows XP SP3 shutdown - huh?

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Re: "install important updates" at Windows XP SP3 shutdown - huh?

> And now when I try to review my update history via Windows Update in
> IE, this message appears: "You have not yet installed updates from
> this website or by turning on automatic updating on your computer. To
> select and install updates now, go to our Home page. "

WYSIWYG: Renaming (or deleting) the Software Distribution folder will have
that effect.

nospam1@nospam.xxy wrote:
> On Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:23:53 -0700, "MowGreen [MVP]"
> <mowgreen@nowandzen.com> wrote:
>
>>> Does http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=779 seem
>>> useful in terms of my regaining control over my Windows updates?
>>> Again, I had it configured to notify me of updates and let me pick
>>> which to install, but Windows this month shielded me from seeing what
>>> it was trying to do. I followed the steps in that link, but I assume
>>> I'll have to wait until November 11 to see if they work.
>>
>> I repeat, all Automatic Updating is shown in the WU.log, even the
>> updating of the software components that are required to update the
>> system.. There is no need to rename/delete the entire Software
>> Distribution
>> folder to remove unwanted updates. They are located in the Download
>> folder.
>
> Okay, this question is embarrassingly 101, but I did follow the
> instructions in the techrepublic blog linked to above (basically,
> after stopping three associated services, renaming the Software
> Distribution folders in \windows and in \windows\system32, and
> renaming the \windows\system32\catroot2 folder, then restarting the
> services).
>
> And now when I try to review my update history via Windows Update in
> IE, this message appears: "You have not yet installed updates from
> this website or by turning on automatic updating on your computer. To
> select and install updates now, go to our Home page. "
>
> Is that because WU update history sees nothing yet in the
> newly-created Software Distribution and/or catroot2 folders?
>
> I assume that once I start installing updates, they'll show up, but
> instead of having a history going back to the beginning of my XP
> installation, I'll have a history going back to the renaming of the
> folders. Correct?

 

[MowGreen [MVP]]

Re: "install important updates" at Windows XP SP3 shutdown - huh?

IF you just renamed SoftwareDistribution, then you can preserve the
DataStore.edb file located in the renamed folder.
That's what contains the updating history shown on the MS update sites.
It's in SoftwareDistribution\DataStore.
However, if updating issues were caused by it, then those issues will
reappear if you import DataStore.edb to the newly created
SoftwareDistribution folder hierarchy.
Isssues with DataStore.edb are caused by antivirus software scanning it
while it's " locked ":

Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2009]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


nospam1@nospam.xxy wrote:

> On Sat, 18 Oct 2008 10:23:53 -0700, "MowGreen [MVP]"
> <mowgreen@nowandzen.com> wrote:
>
>
>>>Does http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/window-on-windows/?p=779 seem
>>>useful in terms of my regaining control over my Windows updates?
>>>Again, I had it configured to notify me of updates and let me pick
>>>which to install, but Windows this month shielded me from seeing what
>>>it was trying to do. I followed the steps in that link, but I assume
>>>I'll have to wait until November 11 to see if they work.
>>
>>I repeat, all Automatic Updating is shown in the WU.log, even the
>>updating of the software components that are required to update the system..
>>There is no need to rename/delete the entire Software Distribution
>>folder to remove unwanted updates. They are located in the Download folder.
>
>
> Okay, this question is embarrassingly 101, but I did follow the
> instructions in the techrepublic blog linked to above (basically,
> after stopping three associated services, renaming the Software
> Distribution folders in \windows and in \windows\system32, and
> renaming the \windows\system32\catroot2 folder, then restarting the
> services).
>
> And now when I try to review my update history via Windows Update in
> IE, this message appears: "You have not yet installed updates from
> this website or by turning on automatic updating on your computer. To
> select and install updates now, go to our Home page. "
>
> Is that because WU update history sees nothing yet in the
> newly-created Software Distribution and/or catroot2 folders?
>
> I assume that once I start installing updates, they'll show up, but
> instead of having a history going back to the beginning of my XP
> installation, I'll have a history going back to the renaming of the
> folders. Correct?