Failed Updates – How to correct Windows updates that download but fail install
December 20th, 2006
I wrote a quick little tutorial about an issue that I have had in the past and once again cropped up when I purchased a new Toshiba laptop. The issue? You basically have a brand new Windows install (This has happened to me in Windows 2000 and Windows XP) and one of the first things you do is install your antivirus software and then run the Windows Updates… at least that SHOULD be what you do.
So you run the Windows updates and it goes through the detection process without any issues. You select the updates you want to install and it starts to download them. As you look on in the status window, you suddenly notice that even though each install apparently downloads, they completely fail to install! Well, it’s an issue with the Microsoft Updates site not being in your list of trusted sites. Want to learn how to fix it? Click here to read my first official tutorial created on the Pixel2life Publishing System, which is currently in beta and due for release in a couple of weeks.
I guess while I’m at it, I should mention that I will be now using the Publishing System for all of my tutorials now, but I will continue to post a small announcement on here and add them to my complete tutorial list. And no worries, you’ll see a big announcement when you guys can start using the system to host and publish your own tutorials!
Enjoy!
Dan
never had an issue with installing windows updates, great tut none the less.
Thanks D
Ive been having this problem recently on my new build, Thanks for sharing!
I have had a lot of problems lately, I did a clean install, still wasn’t working completely right ,so I ran the repair windows. And everything was fine, except I couldn’t do updates, and keeps saying failed. I tried installing the windows installer 3.1 redistribitable this time and that didn’t help this time, awhile back that worked and I got my dates until I had my latest problem.
I ran across your site and did as you said to do in internet explorer to add microsoft to the list. I followed your instructions carefully and tried the updates and still no go. Any thing else I might try that you know of would greatly be appreciated. I would like to get the updates, otherwise I guess I will leave it off and take my chances if it won’t go.
Hi Lela,
Where does it fail exactly?
I ran into a problem with the updates not installing and finally figured it out. THe user account was corrupted and to fix this issue I made a new account and transfered the files form one account to the other. Check this site out http://www.filehippo.com
steve