can't install windows updates

Hi I hope you can help me........I have windows XP home edition. My problem started about 2 months ago. I have the auto updater set for windows, it notified me that I had new updates downloaded to install, however I just keep getting the message that windows was unable to install these updates. There are 76 of them. I can't find any useful info on microsofts website, anyone here have any ideas?

 

Well, the fastest way to a resolution is to update manually (Start --> All Programs --> Windows Updates, choosing the 'Custom' option)

When that fails, you will be taken to a webpage with a hexadecimal error code (looks like 0x00008645).

If you could get us that, we can likely fix whatever is stopping the updates.

 

Hi,
I'm sorry, I wasn't clear- I downloaded the updates fine, I just can't install them. Every time I try, either from Microsoft or the little yellow shield on my tray, I get a box that says "the updates are being installed", and below that it says "initializing instillation", then it changes to "some updates could not be installed", with below it "the following updates were not installed", with a long list of the updates below it. And it's now up to 80 updates that won't install.
Any ideas?

 

I forgot to mention, I did try what you suggested anyway, but the same thing happened, and I never got a page with an error code.

 

See if this applies:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798

 

Let's try this, go to the "Windows Update Log" and look for any "Errors". This gives a clearer indication as to the exact nature of the problem. (The 0x800A138F error message is a "General" error THE real error number is in the log. A list of possible error messages is in a table at the bottom of this page.)

The windows update log is in the following place:

C:\Windows\Windows Update.log

 

Hi, I have attached as much of the windows update log as I can, it all looks like Greek to me, however I did see errors. Could you take a look at it please?
Thank you so much!

 

It is a possibility is that the default DCOM access permissions on the machine have somehow become corrupted. This can sometimes happen if the DCOMCnfg tool is used to view or edit the default access permission ACLs.

You can check this by doing the following:

1. launch regedit.exe
2. Locate the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Ole
3. Look for the value "DefaultAccessPermission" (NOT DefaultLaunchPermission)

If this value exists, it is possible that the value has been corrupted or are incorrect. If you don't have the need for specific default permissions, you can restore the original permissions on the machine by deleting this value (do not delete the entire reg key, just that one value.)

 

DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING ELSE IN REGEDIT!

This is kinda like the blood vessels of your system. If you don't feel comfortable being in here, then ask someone with more experience to do it for you, please.

Hope it helps.

 

Or trial dial-a-fix. This seems to work with most windows updates issues.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4899.html

When you extract the file, run dial-a-fix, then check the green check mark, then press go.
A date/time box will come up, make sure that the time and date is set correctly, and the time zone is correct.

Any errors post here.

Note #14023, this may take a bit o' time.