windows xp updates

As a technician I have done 100s of installations and download updates from Microsoft without any problems.
About 3 weeks while I was re-installing windows xp , i noticed i couldn't do the updates anymore. I have used the same procedure to install the basic OS.

Now I notice that some of the services are not running and the firewall is disable. This has happened in at least 5 computers. Using Windows XP Home or PRO and using a disk with SP3 already integrated. I have used this method for many years..

By now I am pretty sure that Microsoft is doing this and my suspicion is that they want everybody stop using XP.

Any one can try to install a fresh copy of windows and do the updates to further confirm are welcome.
I post this here since I couldn't find any other place.

 

Do you or does your company have a VLK (Volume License Key) for the OS? If you're trying to install to several computers from a CD meant for only one computer, then, yes Microsoft will disable features.

 

Thanks. This is not a VLK. I use a generic installation disk and use the license that is in the sticker in the PC i am repairing. I repeat I have done more 100 installation using the same disk and had no problems in the past.
You see if you did an installation yourself with a windows installation CD with SP3 integrated you will see that the update page gives you an error message 0x8024D001 which points to problems with SP3. After a lot of search at their site they tell you that you need to install the update manager. Now this was installed automatically in the past but not anymore. I think they want to discourage people from using Windows XP, because this problem causes frustration.

 

Usually, the first time a notice comes up in the system tray about updates being ready for your computer, the first item that's installed is a permanent copy of the Package Installer. This is needed for the ensuing updates to install properly and it reduces the size of the downloads. What I did, knowing that this is invariably the case, was download the package installer from Microsoft (KB898461) — I've attached a .ZIP archive with the file in it.

After you've installed Windows XP, drivers, etc., run the app.

Another thing I do is after IE8 is installed, I go to Microsoft Update in IE and get my updates from there instead of waiting for the notification to show up in the System Tray.

 

Thank you. This solves the problem.