D
dorinc29
Guest
Re: Windows XP SP 2 failure to install updates
"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
> >
> >
>
>
>
Hello Enquiring Mind.
I am not as experienced as you are with microsoft settings or administrative
rights.
I also have the dreaded "A problem on your computer is preventing updates
from being downloaded or installed" message that prevents me from installing
updates. My awkward method is to manually download the updates. I would
greatly appreciate if you could elaborate on how to change the DCOM settings
so as to be able to update the windows system? I don't even know what DCOM
stands for, or where these settings are located.
Regards,
Dorin
"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
> >
> >
>
>
>
Hello Enquiring Mind.
I am not as experienced as you are with microsoft settings or administrative
rights.
I also have the dreaded "A problem on your computer is preventing updates
from being downloaded or installed" message that prevents me from installing
updates. My awkward method is to manually download the updates. I would
greatly appreciate if you could elaborate on how to change the DCOM settings
so as to be able to update the windows system? I don't even know what DCOM
stands for, or where these settings are located.
Regards,
Dorin