problem:can't do windowsupdate, and more

[Grimmy]

So I took on the task of trying to fix a guy I work with's computer. Here are just some of the things I have done and what it's not doing.

I have taken the HD out and put it in my case, and scanned his HD with McAfee. There was like one cookie it couldn't get rid of, Adware-Url.gen or something like that. I also installed the free version of AVG.

Now, the things it won't do. I do to windows update, and it just loads a blank page. I did try a different url, the v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com and that page loaded, but it just sat there. Never did finish checking for updates.

Also, when I installed AVG, it tells me that it needs to be updated, but it won't connect to the site to get the updates.

Another thing I just found out tonight, I was going to create another user account, but when I went in to user accounts, the screen was blank and I couldn't create another one.

Another thing is I go to search for files, and there are no boxes to type in, it's just all blue, no buttons or anything.

I am running out of ideas, other then to try to repair the OS with the install disc and seeing it that will work. After that I think it might be time to do the ol reformat.

The specs on this are as follows:

window media center 05 OS
Dell Dimension 5100
Pentium 4@3GHz
1BG ram


It apears if sp2 is installed, yet they must have not chosen to use IE7.

Any help would be apperciated.

[Caged Anger]

First off, i know its beaten around a lot, but have you tried system restoring back a few weeks? I hate it myself, but its saved my bacon a few times.

As for the winblows updates, try Dial-A-Fix (http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Dial-a-fix.shtml).

Also, if you have your OS install disk, pop it in, cancel the install screen, then open a run dialogue and type "sfc.exe /scannow"

[Grimmy]

I can't do a system restore. When I open it up, all I get is a blank white screen. :(

I did a lot of searching, and found some things to try from microsoft's site. This one best descibes the problem I am having, just ran out of time to try it last night, was getting tired.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;831430#XSLTH3121121124120121120120

Sounds like it's a problem with IE and Java. I tried installing IE7, but not sure what all happened. I had to reboot, and upon rebooting and logging in, it was as if I did nothing and IE7 was no where to be found.

[Grimmy]

OK, I tried doing the stuff mentioned in the above link in my last post. I did this:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type regsvr32 jscript.dll, and then click OK.
3. Click OK.
4. Click Start, and then click Run.
5. In the Open box, type regsvr32 vbscript.dll, and then click OK.
6. Click OK.

I get an error when I try the jscript.dll one. The message says: DllRegisterServer in jscript.dll failed. Return code was: 0x80004005. The vbscript.dll was fine.

So I continue to do the following:

1. Click Start, and then click Run.
2. In the Open box, type msconfig, and then click OK.
3. Click Expand File.
4. In the File to restore box, type the name of the file that you want to restore.
5. In the Restore from box, type the path of the Windows XP .cab file where you want to restore the file, or click Browse From to locate the Windows XP .cab file.

Note The Windows XP .cab files are stored in the I386 folder on the Windows XP CD.
6. In the Save file in box, type the path where you want to extract the new file, or click Browse To to locate the folder that you want.
7. Click Expand.
8. In the System Configuration Utility dialog box, click OK. If you are prompted to restart the computer, click Restart.

Maybe I am doing something wrong, but when I stick my CD in to select the source, it will only let me select .cab files. Not sure which one I should use. I took a pic of it for reference and attached this to the post.

I also tried the registry editting, but I stopped after I couldn't find the first key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{f414c26 0-6ac0-11cf-b6d1-00aa00bbbb58}\In procServer32

I searched for {f414c260 and it returned no results, so I don't think it's there.

Sorta stuck on what I should try to do next. Any ideas?

[Grimmy]

Ok, I think I got it. I was able to put in the windows install disk, and I went as if I was going to do a fresh install and it gave me an option to do a recovery install (which took as long as doing a fresh install) and it booted to the login screen, selected a user, and was able to update AGV, and I am currently running windows update. Once I get that done, I can run through the rest of it and get rid of some of the other baddie stuff. :)

[Grimmy]

Well I guess I was wrong. Everything else was fixed, but the windows update wanted to upgrade the the 3.1 installer, and not sure what all went wrong, but it wouldn't install. I even tried downloading that app and installing it that way and it would tell me access was denied. :(

Well done messing around, formatting as I type. That'll teach it :P

[Caged Anger]

dial a fix should have fixed that lasrt problem, try it again

at the helpdesk i often see systems where the downloads go bad or something and updates grind to a halt.