Microsoft windows update won't work for me

First no error, just a blank page. (blank as in completely white with no text or graphics what so ever)

I typed net stop WuAuServ into a command shell and it told me
"The Automatic Updates service is not started.
More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3521."

Running %windir% cause a error message saying "windows cannot find "'E:\Windows'. Make sure you typed the name correctly and then try again. To search for a file click the start button then click search.

This reply is latter because I wasn't able to post (kept bringing me to the top of the screen when I tried) But I had my security on high, I've lowered it so I hope it works this time. Ill try and respond to the other suggestions a litle latter.

''rename the catroot and catroot2 folders in c:\windows\system32''

Rename them to what?

''make sure that Background Intelligent service is started and automatic''

Hmm? How do I do that?

''if it is a blank page then it is a dll file corruption so do sfc /purgecache and sfc /scannow''

It wants my XP pro cd, I lost that when I moved about 8 months ago.

''c:\windowsupdate.log file will tell what exactly is preventing the windows update''

There is no windowsupdate.log file.

I went through that thread and checked out all the stuff that seems to relate to my issue. I found no fix in it.

Could I please get some more help?

1. Type in "net stop WuAuServ" (without quotations) and press Enter.

I typed net stop WuAuServ into a command shell and it told me
"The Automatic Updates service is not started.

IMHO, from the suggestion #1 and your reply subsequent, your system has told you why the update service doesn't work. It is up to you to make this work.

2. Click Start, click Run, and type in "%windir%" (without quotations) and press Enter.

Running %windir% cause a error message saying "windows cannot find "'E:\Windows'. Make sure you typed the name correctly and then try again.

Entering the word, %windir%, on the Run line and pressing Enter, is nothing more than a simple convenience -- in most instances -- for a user to progress to the folder on a hard drive where the Windows operating system files are installed -- and when used, the path to that folder is ascertained from a registry address. Perhaps the address in the registry is wrong but I'm sure you know where the Windows folder exists and you can get there by clicking Start, Programs, Windows Explorer.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to SDold.

You never said whether you did or not.

4. rename the catroot and catroot2 folders in c:\windows\system32

Rename them to what?

Please consider directions of this sort are nothing more than you have the choice of name and can be any name you choose or it could be something like adding an extension to the existing name. If nothing else, simply put a period after the name found and then type either bad or perhaps old, and then press Enter. What we're trying to do by renaming is to circumvent the system from finding what has been used before and by renaming, it cannot do so.

5. ''make sure that Background Intelligent service is started and automatic''

Hmm? How do I do that?

Perhaps and perhaps not, the member may mean that explained in my reference, #7.

6. ''c:\windowsupdate.log file will tell what exactly is preventing the windows update''

There is no windowsupdate.log file.

I agree, but there is a "Windows Update.Log" -- note the spacing -- provided that the update feature has ever been used or certain errors are not received (which you mentioned but never gave us the exact information displayed on the monitor) - "Updates from the Windows Update Web site are not installed and an "Error 0x80070005: Access is denied" error message is logged to the Windows Update.log file (Q836926)."

7. ''if it is a blank page then it is a dll file corruption so do sfc /purgecache and sfc /scannow''

It wants my XP pro cd, I lost that when I moved about 8 months ago.

IMO then, you're SOL in getting this anomaly fixed and any others subsequently because you have no CD.

8. I went through that thread and checked out all the stuff that seems to relate to my issue. I found no fix in it.

Could I please get some more help?

Sorry.

No one has asked you to check your "services" and see if "automatic update" is turned on...Start-run-type in services.msc expand to full page. You can also get to it from the control panel, administrative tools, services. This is where you can turn stuff off or on depending on your needs. Make sure your auto update is set to automatic.

If he would follow the advice:

Two things, I showed him to turn off automatic updates, and it was already off. This in fact IS the problem.

Then he needed to follow the rest of the instructions, but I believe he stopped there. Later on in the post it shows how to turn automatic updates back on after renaming the correct folder.

As for what to name it to, anytime someone tells you to rename the folder, it really does not matter what you name it. Windows is looking for a folder with that exact name, if you rename the folder to that same name but put a 2 at the end, then you will be able to identify the old folder easily but windows will not see it at all. In the case of the update folder, Windows will then create a new folder with the name it needs and put new uncorrupted files in it.

As for where Windows is, well who knows, you haven't said if this is a dual boot, but if windows is on E: instead of C: that may cause a problem. If it is on C: then your system thinks it is on E: and that is a major problem.

If you have a product key (sticker) you can make a copy of someone elses CD and reinstall windows if you want. If Windows is on a partiton other than C:, I recommend disconnecting all drives except C: and the CDRom and install again.

If you have an old drive even if it is slaved and it used to be a C: drive, Windows will install itself to E: because the old drive is C: and the CDRom is D: so E: is the next drive letter available.

If you disconnect it during the install XP will be C: cd will be D: and the old drive will be E: after you reconnect.

Two things, I showed him to turn off automatic updates, and it was already off. This in fact IS the problem.

Are you talking to me or to a audience? Its not a problem. I had disabled autoupdate some time ago. Along with msn messenger and other annoying programs defaulted to on and hard to get ride of in XP.

Then he needed to follow the rest of the instructions, but I believe he stopped there.

I followed your instructions the best I could. Don't be so damn hard on me. BTW who are you talking to?

Later on in the post it shows how to turn automatic updates back on after renaming the correct folder.

I didn't realize some instructions were turning on auto update. Which would explain why it was on. Fortunately easy enough to disable in its settings though.


As for where Windows is, well who knows, you haven't said if this is a dual boot, but if windows is on E: instead of C: that may cause a problem. If it is on C: then your system thinks it is on E: and that is a major problem.

Windows is on a partition other than C:, I recommend disconnecting all drives except C: and the CDRom and install again.

I do duel boot. Win98se and XP pro. My hdd is partitioned in half. I was trying to set one half as fat32 and one half as NTFS. Didn't work that way. both halves are fat32. Been considering investing in partition magic. I specifically installed XP to E, why do you see it as so important that it be installed as C?

There are some programs, don't ask me which ones, I am taking the word of Bob Proffitt on this, that will not work correctly unless WIndows is on C:

That being said, when you post for help, giving everyone all the facts will help eliminate a lot of guessing and give us more to look at for possible problems.

Not knowing about the dual boot did in fact create several posts and discussion about possible errors, that if we had known this was the case, we would not have wasted time looking at.

You have stated you turned off automatic updates, if your turn it back on does it fix the problem or is it something else?

Because if it is turned off in the services area, you can't update. That is true whether you do a manual update or automatic. If you want to turn off automatic updates, do it through the control panel.

having problems? You need to have automatic updates enabled and set on automatic in services to get Windows updates.

It doesn't mean the updates are found automatically. You can disable that part of it by right clicking on My Computer then properties or through the control panel.

Automatic update enabled or not does not make a difference to accessing http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Or putting it another way, if I have automatic update enabled I still can't access that webpage.

Autoupdate doesn't seem to provide any real updates to download. I know windowsupdate would. But I can't access it. I just get a blank page. I mention this again because you seem to be implying that autoupdate can sub for the windowsupdate webpage.

You dont have to do it in a command shell, glb613 is correct. If you are looking to save resources, services is the place to go. Look, none of us want micosoft to control our machine, your point is well taken. However updates are important for a healthy os. I set my machine to prompt when an update is available. There has been updates which cause problems. I wait before I download and install to make sure no one is having problems. That being said, by defalt xp sets many services on automatic which are nothing more than resourse hogs. I have 18 services disabled which xp has on automatic by defalt...One of the worst hogs being system restore...with proper backups you dont need it. Also turn everything off in startup except your anti virus and spyware programs.

To be honest I've not heard of anyone not being able to get updates manualy at the ms update site. I cant imagine what you could have changed to do that. At any rate, here is a link to guide you as to what you may want to disable in services. If it helps, I turned mine off one at the time to see the effects and kept going.

http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm

Your reply seems to be a new problem worthy of it's own post.

Bob