Gaming Fixing windows updates on Vista.

[Rydian]

Got a laptop here, Dell Inspiron 1501 with Vista Home Basic (32-bit), no service packs.

Windows updates give this error.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958044
The article the error links me to is this one.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947366

Various support/fixes suggest by MS for this situation include...

• Using the standalone SP1 installer instead of the web one.
  It gives the same error.
• Running the readiness tool.
  It takes half an hour and doesn't fix anything.
• Close stuff.
  Everything's closed, even tried it on a new account.
• Uninstall security programs.
  Removed McAfee and disabled windows defender, nothing.
• A repair install.
  This had my hopes up as I could use my Vista SP1-integrated disc to repair install with SP1 already installed... but it won't let me, I need to repair install with a non-SP1 disc.

I don't HAVE a non-SP1 disc (nor any blank DVDs), and I'm not going to wipe all this lady's stuff.

If there any way I could network boot a non-SP1 disc image?



This is serious, any trolling will be reported with the speed of a chipmunk on crack and the fury of a thousand suns.

 

[FAST6191]

Have you tried safe mode with the standalone?
I have not seen this issue with vista yet (not that I doubt it exists I just do not really service that much vista) but when I see it on XP safe mode can usually work around it unless it is something like those theme packs (startup options are messed up).

 

[Rydian]

Can't do windows updates in safe mode under Vista/7, unfortunately.

 

[FAST6191]

Damn, forgot about that.

What about the "true" administrator?
I am sure you have loads of links but for the sake of others reading
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vis...-windows-vista/

 

[Rydian]

From doing more checking it seems that windows states there's no updates having been done (even though windows update itself lists previous updates), thus I do have the inconsistency issue the article states and will need to repair install.

Can I do it via a non-SP disc over a network?

 

[FAST6191]

Go go geocities era website http://netbootdisk.com/

Failing that (laptop ethernet is not as bad as laptop wifi when it comes to such things but hey) what about slicing up a partition, extracting the iso/copying the data and going manual.

 

[Rydian]

extracting the iso/copying the data and going manual.

Oh yeah, I totally forgot about that type of thing, thish is odd since I've had to do it before on XP in one situation.

I suppose a dedicated partition would be better than simply rubbing it out of a folder like you could do with XP's install disc?