Windows XP updates won't download

My PC won't allow me to install MSN Premium through my service provider Verizon after it was removed to try and correct the problems that I will decribe. It also won't let me update to Windows Media Player 11 or Service Pack 2. None will install all the way. Additionally online I can't totally use sites that involve ActiveX scripts even though all my sercurity and premission settings are correct. I run an antivirus, registry cleaner and spy sweeper. I ran the XP install disc for repair. It did not help. What is blocking my Windows updates and scripting on certain sites?

 

What browser are you using? If you're running Internet Explorer, try Dial-A-Fix. Check all the boxes in the 'Repair Windows Update' section, all the box in the 'SSL' section, and all the boxes in the 'Registration Center' and click Go. Then reboot. That has fixed Windows Updates and general browsing trouble many times (for me anyway).
Dial_A_Fix http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4899.html

I hope this helps!

(Don't worry; you cannot possibly do any damage with Dial_A_Fix. It doesn't delete or add anything. The first few times I ran it I was a bit intimidated, but it's all good)

 

Are your browser settings set to allow scripts?
In Internet Explorer:
1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.
2. In the Select a Web content zone to specify its security settings box, select a zone.
3. In the Security level for this zone box, move the slider to setting you prefer, or click Custom Level to customize your settings.
http://joelkilgore.com/security.jpg
I'm not certain of the exact procedure in Firefox and/or Safari or Opera.
But they are probably very similar

 

Thanks for the swift replies guys.

dlb: I keep trying to download Dial-A-Fix but all it does is open my iTunes. What am I doing wrong?

joelsz: All my settings to run scripts and downloads are good. Do you think the problem is in my Windows XP OS?

 

:confused That's a new one! Usually you'd just click on one of the links where it says 'Major Geeks TX' and it'll download. There's no trick to it. If you're referring to the downloaded file and not being able to install it, well, it doesn't install. It's a zipped file; right click it and select Extract All... and click Next a few times. After a bit you should see a file called Dial-a-fix with a blue cog-wheel type thingy. Double click it.

 

Thanks so much for the help. I did download and run Dial-a-fix and was deluged by error codes, a few of which I've tried to insert here. The first one was during the Fix update: "An error occurred during registration of the file." Here are most of the rest. Hope you can read them. Am I looking at a totla reinstall of Windows XP? Let me know if I inserted the screens. I can't see them in the post.

 

I don't know if your having similar problems as me, but I got rid of SpySweeper when I reinstalled and none of the problems came back. I would often have to turn it off to get updates and sometimes I had to forcably stop its engine in the services section to get things to work. When they made it impossible to stop it (with a new version, webroot holes) I gave up and uninstalled the darn thing. My system still had problems until I reinstalled.

I think what happened to Webroot is happening to alot of software companies (possibly Nero as well). They fire all their high paid top programmers and replace them with out of school, low wage programmers. The resulting fiasco with new releases can be disasterous. Look to what happended to Nero7 and Webroot SS 5.x as examples of company greed and moronity.

My license is still good to november, but I learned my lesson and will not screw my system because I want to get my moneys worth of aggravation .

 

OK- if Dial_A_Fix gave you bunches of errors, then you have some problems with your DLL files. Many times the quickest and easiest way to fix this is with a safe reload of Windows. You can also try the system file checker: click Start, click Run, type cmd and press Enter. A black window should open and you should be at what looks like a DOS prompt. Insert your XP disc and click Exit when the big blue XP window opens. In the 'DOS' window, type sfc /purgecache and press Enter. Let it run. It usually takes under a minute, but can take over 3 or 4 minutes. When it's done type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This can take much longer, so be patient. I've seen this take over an hour. You may get a prompt telling you to insert your Windows CD even though it's in the drive; just click Retry. If this comes up alot and you have 2 CD/DVD drives, move the disc to the other drive. Now let it run. When it's done type exit and press Enter. Reboot and hopefully all will be well. NOTE: there's a space between the sfc and the slash / in the commands above. Have you tried a system restore to a date before you noticed the problems?

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely try this. If it doesn't work looks like I'll be doing a reload. I haven't tried a system restore because some of the problems are from quite a while back and there are lots of files I don't want to lose. When reloading Windows XP what is the best way to back up my hard drive? I have too much stuff to put it all on CDs or flash drives. I seen programs you can buy to do this. What would be the best option? Also after the reload would I have to reinstall all my drivers, etc.?