windows updates

Christopher · Dec 21, 2011, 11:46:40

Hi all,firstly thanks for all your help with my previous question re wireless security.As I mentioned in my last post our kids bought my wife a note book recently and I'm having a problem downloading and installing important windows updates to it,there are now 10 of them to do and it seems to take forever to download them and when it does and then tries to install them I get an error and am asked to try again.I thought I would just try to D/L 2 small updates but after about an hour I get same prob again,I'm sure I'm doing something wrong so if someone could give me some help with this I would be very grateful.I should add that I don't have this problem with my desk top and never have.
Thank you

Rik · Dec 21, 2011, 11:48:26

What is the exact error message?

I'll just move this post over to the Windows board so it gets the best 'airing'.

Glenn · Dec 21, 2011, 11:50:29

What OS does the notebook have, Windows 7 Home 32bit?
Are you trying to download the updates via the Windows Update link?
Is there an error code listed when the updates fail?

Christopher · Dec 21, 2011, 18:26:39

Hi Rik & Glenn thanks for the replies,thought I'd have another go before I got back to you.After a few attempts to d/l the updates 3 worked 7 failed tried again 6 worked 1 failed.the one that keeps failing is service pack 1
(KB976932) 4.0 MB it seems to d/l ok and gets to about 3/4 of install then error says "windows encounered an unknown error" code 800736B3

I go to the microsoft update page to d/l updates,I don't let it d/l updates automatically

the OS is windows 7 starter version 6.1 32 bit
installed memory (RAM) 1.00 GB

Just tried again and for the 5th time today the service pack 1 update just won't D/L / install

Thanks

ps just say I have been doing this since about 12 noon but I suppose I should be grateful that most of th d/l's went ok

Rik · Dec 21, 2011, 18:32:45

Have a read of this, Christopher, see if it helps:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_other-windows_update/windows-update-fails-to-install-updates-with-error/98573891-eead-4257-8bf2-1fbac3f2a96a

If you only have 1GB of RAM, is the page file sufficiently large? I'm just wondering if you are running out of memory.

Technical Ben · Dec 21, 2011, 18:40:32

I wonder if it's a problem with "Windows Starter Edition"?

You could try this help page... http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2498452
It also has a manual download and install option. Best use the bandwidth off peak.

dudwell · Dec 21, 2011, 20:10:43

Maybe stating the obvious but just because Microsoft describes updates as "important" it doesn't mean you must download them surely? I've just looked at my netbook (Windows Starter Edition) and there were four "important" updates pending but three concerned Windows Office and one PowerPoint. I don't use either so I've ignored them. Hope I'm doing the right thing

Steve · Dec 21, 2011, 20:16:18

I'm sure you are, when I used Windows there used to be two update systems MS updates and the other just solely Windows updates.

D-Dan · Dec 21, 2011, 21:42:29

Try here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Windows-Update-error-80070643

Christopher · Dec 21, 2011, 21:48:21

Thanks very much all for your input.Rik & Ben thanks for the links,have tried a lot of them but not yet solved the prob,to tell you the truth I don't think I'm gonna bother with it any longer but thanks again for your help.

Dan I'll check your link tomorrow thank you

Technical Ben · Dec 22, 2011, 16:34:02

Quote from: dudwell on Dec 21, 2011, 20:10:43
Maybe stating the obvious but just because Microsoft describes updates as "important" it doesn't mean you must download them surely? I've just looked at my netbook (Windows Starter Edition) and there were four "important" updates pending but three concerned Windows Office and one PowerPoint. I don't use either so I've ignored them. Hope I'm doing the right thing

As far as I know, the service packs usually are important. They have the major security fixes in them. The rest of the security ones are also important. Others maybe not so.

Odos · Dec 22, 2011, 16:56:13

I run Win 7 64bit and when I tried to install SP1 I had the same type of problem, it just wouldn't do it. After much net searching I discovered it wasn't an uncommon problem. There are a lot of complaints about SP1 not installing. On one forum for example, a member found it was Kaspersky Internet Security stopping the install on their machine. Not actively as in the AV blocking it, but it was one of the support files this AV used which the update didn't like.

After much reading and many trial and error attempts I found the problem on my own machine was windows mail, note not Live mail but mail from Vista I had ported it over. It was one of the files used by this app which blocked the update.

All I can say is this update is very picky about if it will install or not so best of luck in finding the culprit.

Rik · Dec 22, 2011, 16:58:25

Thanks, Tony. Merry Xmas.

Glenn · Dec 22, 2011, 17:28:05

Thankfully, I applied all patches/SP when I built this PC.