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lester36
Contributor
Contributor

XP will not install updates...downloads them but fails

I did a post yesterday and I thought I had this figured out. Then new updates came up and I tried installing them. The install Fails and it says to try the troubleshooter. We know how much help that is.

Does anyone know of any issues with auto updates in XP running on vmware fusion.

Thank in advance.

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WoodyZ
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Immortal

If you have Internet Connectivity and you're having a problem with Windows Update then this is not a Fusion issue per-se and as such you should be looking to Microsoft resources and or Google to find a solution to a Windows OS problem.

You could also search the forums here for some resent posts related to other non Fusion related Windows OS Windows Update issues for some things you could try.

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lester36
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Well thank you for your help but I have googled and done that sort of search before ever coming to vmware communities. I have searched microsoft and their tech sources with the same sort of blaming game. I have this os running on several computers on the same network and they update just fine. It will just not update on this vmware slice. I have run this os on vmware server on a server doing tests and it updated just fine.

All arrows are pointing to fusion having an issue. I would love to say this was a microsoft problem as I cannot stand windows but I have to run some things on that os. It is really strange and something I did not expect. I just did a standard install with Fusion.

Guess I will wait and see if anyone has any on this subject.

Thanks

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WoodyZ
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First of all I did not absolutely categorically say that this was not a Fusion issue. What I did say is “If you have Internet Connectivity and you're having a problem with Windows Update then this is not a Fusion issue per-se” and that does leave room for it to be a Fusion issue however it is more likely not to be a Fusion issue if the Windows Virtual Machine has Internet Connectivity.

Whether were talking about a Physical Machine or a Virtual Machine it still basically comes down to two areas, Hardware and Software with one difference in the Virtual Machine the additional software of VMware Tools although there again if the Virtual Machine has Internet Connectivity there's nothing in the installation of VMware Tools that modifies and/or overwrites the files that are a part of the Windows Update mechanism.

When I question or doubt where the issue may lie in which layer hardware or software I like to use a Live OS CD to boot the system and test the hardware, physical or virtual, and in doing so I eliminate the possibilities of a hardware issue. Once the hardware is validated as without issue then the only other layer in this context is a software layer and in this particular case we’re talking about the Windows Operating System and the Windows Update mechanism and without providing appropriate information from which to troubleshoot where in the software layer the issue may lie then explicit and specific suggestions related to the explicit and specific error(s) cannot be offered. Now I know on the virtual side the aforementioned is not a complete picture because the Host is a part of the equation although by testing the virtual hardware it in essence rules out the Host and Fusion from the standpoint of providing a functioning virtual hardware environment for an OS function in.

If you really feel that this is a Fusion issue then you have two choices as I see it. One would be uninstalling/reinstalling VMware Tools in the target Virtual Machine and the other would be uninstalling/reinstalling Fusion on the Host and if either of these do not resolve the issue then what's left in regards to Fusion is to create a new Windows Virtual Machine. Other than that I would follow the various steps that are documented and available from Microsoft's web site on dealing with failed Windows Update issues. (Links to some of which have been posted by myself and others in the last week or so in this form.)

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lester36
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks WoodyZ,

I appreciate you taking the time to write all that but a simple I am not sure because I do not know what hardware your running would suffice. Smiley Happy I have done a good bit of trouble shooting in the past so I know where your coming from. I am just very green to mac. Linux I love.

I have already re-installed vmware tools etc and tried everything you mentioned. Seeing as how I don't see any other posts of this same problem then it must be a local issue here with me. I think you are correct that it is most likely a microsoft issue.

If your interested, I bought a brand new imac with memory upgraded to max. of 4 MB. Purchased VMware fusion and updated to the latest code. Nothing fancy and very clean. This is not a end of world issue but I am just trying to find the problem while I sit here and drink coffee.

Thanks for your help and I will reply when I figure out what the heck Windows is doing to me again.

Les

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lester36
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Contributor

You were correct WoodyZ,

It was a windows issue and after doing a little more research I found the registry hacks I had to make to clear it out.

Thank you for your time and all your help.

Les

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weswes1977
Contributor
Contributor

I have the same problem. Tried the same solutions. No workee. Hopefully MS fixes there issue soon.

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WoodyZ
Immortal
Immortal

I appreciate you taking the time to write all that but a simple I am not sure because I do not know what hardware your running would suffice. Smiley Happy

On the contrary, it makes no difference what hardware, physical or virtual, you're running and the point of what I wrote was not just for your benefit only. It was so that others having a similar issue would have additional information to look at the problem from a different perspective then they might be looking at it.

The bottom line I have found that when I boot a Virtual Machine in Fusion or Workstation and or some other VMware product for that matter with a Knoppix CD/DVD or ISO Image and specifically “KNOPPIX_V5.1.1CD-2007-01-04-EN.iso” and enumerated and tested the Virtual Hardware Layer and Network/Internet Connectivity through the Host and the virtual hardware and connectivity was without issues the source of the problem was in the Software Layer and while once in a while VMware Tools came into play in the resolution that was the exception and the real issue more often then not was in the Guest OS and or additional non-VMware software.

One thing I've found out over the years is that Users that don't know any better always want to immediately blame the VMware product (or whatever product is in question) for the source of their issue and that not to say it isn't at times as obviously all products have some issue of some sort at some time on different systems. Regardless of where the issue lies and whether or not an obvious error is being shown there are many tools and way to diagnose where the issue lies however sometimes it cost prohibitive to spend to much time on a particular issue and that is why having appropriate backups from which to recover and or just starting over sometimes is the best solution to an elusive issue.

Anyway, I hope you resolve your particular issue in this case without having to start from scratch. Good Luck! Smiley Happy

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WoodyZ
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You were correct WoodyZ,

It was a windows issue and after doing a little more research I found the registry hacks I had to make to clear it out.

Thank you for your time and all your help.

Les

Your Welcome!,

Ironically, I posted my previous reply http://communities.vmware.com/message/968887#968887 without first refreshing the browser only to find your latest post. Smiley Happy

Glad you got it resolved easily. Smiley Happy

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ppires
Contributor
Contributor

To Lester36:

Lester I'm having the same problems with Windows XP Update inside a VMWare Fusion machine. You did mention some registry hacks. If you're willing to share it would save me quite some search time and hopefully solve my problem also. If you prefer to send me a private reply please do it to ppires@gmail.com. Thsnks in advance.

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lester36
Contributor
Contributor

What has happened on the updates is the upgrade list is corrupt in windows. When it tells you it fails it has an option for troubleshooting. Just select that and it will take you to a technet article with the command prompt commands to fix the issue. I will try and post the fix later today. It is easy to find on microsoft. It was an easy fix. THIS WAS NOT A VMWARE ISSUE !!

Les

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ppires
Contributor
Contributor

Couldn't find the article you mentioned. Please provide a link that you used. Thanks in advance.

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WoodyZ
Immortal
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Couldn't find the article you mentioned. Please provide a link that you used.

The link the OP used was when Windows itself offered to troubleshoot the failure.

Go to the Microsoft Web Site and or Google and start looking as there are many different reasons why Windows Updates can fail and you need to do the research!

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weswes1977
Contributor
Contributor

The troubleshooter just brings up a search for knowledge base articles where you need to enter a key word/phrase. I haven't been able to find an article so far that addresses this problem. thanks.

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lester36
Contributor
Contributor

Hey Guys,

I am sorry it took me a bit to get back to this. I seperate airplanes for a living when I am not hacking away at these computers.

Here is what I did to clear out the update issues.

. Register the files that are used by Windows Update and Microsoft Update. To do this, follow these steps:

a. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.

b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, press ENTER after each command, and then click OK every time that you receive a verification message:

regsvr32 wuapi.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng.dll

regsvr32 wucltui.dll

regsvr32 wups2.dll

regsvr32 wups.dll

regsvr32 wuweb.dll

You can see the full article link herehttp://support.microsoft.com/kb/910359

Cheers and I hope this helps everyone.

Les

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WoodyZ
Immortal
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b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, press ENTER after each command, and then click OK every time that you receive a verification message:

regsvr32 wuapi.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng.dll

regsvr32 wucltui.dll

regsvr32 wups2.dll

regsvr32 wups.dll

regsvr32 wuweb.dll

FWIW You do not need to type each individually. Just copy & paste the block of commands a one time into the Command Prompt.

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TEMc
Contributor
Contributor

This article got my Windows update working again...Method 1 worked for me

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943144/en-us

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ppires
Contributor
Contributor

Thank you all for trying to help me, updates are being installed at this very minute. Problem and solution were the ones described in KB943144 (Method 1), so a special thanks to TEMc. I was spending countless hours searching tons of articles and none provided what I was looking for. Although it was an OS problem, question remains why it didn't show up when XP was updated on a PC, at least not for me....

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WoodyZ
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I was spending countless hours searching tons of articles and none provided what I was looking for.

I don't know why you spent hours when searching from Microsoft's web site using "Windows XP Update fails" (which was from the subject line of the other post you make on this subject) the third post contained the link to the same KB article. The point being is searching Microsoft's web site for a problem with Windows will typically yield an answer faster to a Windows product then asking in a forum for Fusion. Microsoft also has forums for their products as well and that also is another good place to search.

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