XP can't update ! HELP !!

HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I didn't have to
worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any more of
those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

So I surf to Microsoft's Update site, at
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/w....aspx?ln=en-us

Only to be redirected to the following page:
http://www.update.microsoft.com/wind...&thankspage=2&

Which tells me the following:

"Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating
systems only.
To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh
operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/. "


Now, the funny thing is, I am using a genuine legal copy of Windows
XP.

I searched for answers online which led to this page:

http://www.winhelponline.com/article...-our-site.html

I followed the instruction at the page and put the command
"javascript:navigator.userAgent" on my IE8.

I got this:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0)

I followed the instructions of the Winhelponline page and backuped and
then deleted the two registry entries at


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent



After that, I reboot the machine.

Still, I got the same "Thank you for your interest in obtaining
updates from our site." message.

HELP !!

What should I do to enable my XP to obtain the update?

I have scanned my system, no virus found.

I have not installed any new software in the past 2 years.

I have not done any meddling on the registry prior this episode.

And yet, the Microsoft update center is saying that my computer is NOT
running Windows OS.

What should I do next??

Please help !!

On 11/7/11 10:59 PM, Tua Loh Au wrote:
HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I didn't have to
worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any more of
those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

So I surf to Microsoft's Update site, at
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/w....aspx?ln=en-us

Only to be redirected to the following page:
http://www.update.microsoft.com/wind...&thankspage=2&

Which tells me the following:

"Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating
systems only.
To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh
operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/. "


Now, the funny thing is, I am using a genuine legal copy of Windows
XP.

I searched for answers online which led to this page:

http://www.winhelponline.com/article...-our-site.html

I followed the instruction at the page and put the command
"javascript:navigator.userAgent" on my IE8.

I got this:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0)

I followed the instructions of the Winhelponline page and backuped and
then deleted the two registry entries at


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent



After that, I reboot the machine.

Still, I got the same "Thank you for your interest in obtaining
updates from our site." message.

HELP !!

What should I do to enable my XP to obtain the update?

I have scanned my system, no virus found.

I have not installed any new software in the past 2 years.

I have not done any meddling on the registry prior this episode.

And yet, the Microsoft update center is saying that my computer is NOT
running Windows OS.

What should I do next??

Please help !!

Micro$oft provides free support relative to update issues. See
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?LN=en-us&gprid=6527&x=14&y=15.


--

David E. Ross
http://www.rossde.com/

Concerned about someone (e.g., the government)
snooping into your E-mail? Use PGP.
See my http://www.rossde.com/PGP/

On Mon, 7 Nov 2011 22:59:05 -0800 (PST), Tua Loh Au wrote:

HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I didn't have to
worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any more of
those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

snip

HELP !!

What should I do to enable my XP to obtain the update?

I have scanned my system, no virus found.

I have not installed any new software in the past 2 years.

I have not done any meddling on the registry prior this episode.

And yet, the Microsoft update center is saying that my computer is NOT
running Windows OS.

What should I do next??

Please help !!

Your operating system is:

Windows XP Home Edition, SP2
Windows XP Pro, SP2
Windows XP Home Edition, SP3
Windows XP Pro, SP3

The reason I ask is because:

A. I just worked on a Dell computer with Windows XP Home Edition, SP3, and
it had no trouble with Windows Updates.

B. I had been under the impression that support for any Windows XP version
ended for SP2.

C. A lot of Windows XP users chose not to install SP3.

--
Norman
~Oh Lord, why have you come
~To Konnyu, with the Lion and the Drum

Tua Loh Au wrote:
HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I didn't have to
worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any more of
those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

So I surf to Microsoft's Update site, at
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/w....aspx?ln=en-us

Only to be redirected to the following page:
http://www.update.microsoft.com/wind...&thankspage=2&

Which tells me the following:

"Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating
systems only.
To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh
operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/. "


Now, the funny thing is, I am using a genuine legal copy of Windows
XP.

I searched for answers online which led to this page:

http://www.winhelponline.com/article...-our-site.html

I followed the instruction at the page and put the command
"javascript:navigator.userAgent" on my IE8.

I got this:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0)

I followed the instructions of the Winhelponline page and backuped and
then deleted the two registry entries at


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent



After that, I reboot the machine.

Still, I got the same "Thank you for your interest in obtaining
updates from our site." message.

HELP !!

What should I do to enable my XP to obtain the update?

I have scanned my system, no virus found.

I have not installed any new software in the past 2 years.

I have not done any meddling on the registry prior this episode.

And yet, the Microsoft update center is saying that my computer is NOT
running Windows OS.

What should I do next??

Please help !!


Did you read this KB article ( which is under Related Links on the
Winhelponline page ) ? -
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817144

Specifically, if a 3rd party firewall is being used and it was
updated/upgraded, see Method 3. If that's not in play here, then check
out Method 4, the deletion of the below *after* it's first been backed
up ...

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Internet
Settings\User Agent\Post Platform


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

It looks like you have a corrupt SoftwareDistribution folder. To
correct this, try this:

1) Boot into safe mode - you do this by restarting your machine and
pressing F8 key until you get black screen with white characters; You
want it without the network facility this the first item when you scroll
the screen using up-arrow keys;

2) Now go to: C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution

3) Delete everything from this folder;

4) Reboot your system in the normal way and everything should be OK;

5) You can now get all the MISSING updates without any problems.

Hope this helps.



Tua Loh Au wrote:
HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I didn't have to
worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any more of
those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

So I surf to Microsoft's Update site, at
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/w....aspx?ln=en-us

Only to be redirected to the following page:
http://www.update.microsoft.com/wind...&thankspage=2&

Which tells me the following:

"Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.

This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating
systems only.
To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh
operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/. "


Now, the funny thing is, I am using a genuine legal copy of Windows
XP.

I searched for answers online which led to this page:

http://www.winhelponline.com/article...-our-site.html

I followed the instruction at the page and put the command
"javascript:navigator.userAgent" on my IE8.

I got this:

Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Windows NT 5.1; Trident/4.0)

I followed the instructions of the Winhelponline page and backuped and
then deleted the two registry entries at


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent

and

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent



After that, I reboot the machine.

Still, I got the same "Thank you for your interest in obtaining
updates from our site." message.

HELP !!

What should I do to enable my XP to obtain the update?

I have scanned my system, no virus found.

I have not installed any new software in the past 2 years.

I have not done any meddling on the registry prior this episode.

And yet, the Microsoft update center is saying that my computer is NOT
running Windows OS.

What should I do next??

Please help !!


--

Al Sparber - PVII
http://www.projectseven.com
Dreamweaver Menus | Galleries | Widgets

Tua Loh Au wrote in

oups.com:

HELP, I am in trouble !!

I am using a Dell machine, which runs a legal copy of
Windows XP.

For years the Windows updates came in automatically. I
didn't have to worry about anything.

Then, since June this year, I noticed that there wasn't any
more of those "balloons" telling me of the windows update.

snip

You don't need any updates. All they do is screw up your
system and create 3 new problems for every one they "fix".
Don't use Internet Explorer or MS Office and you don't need
ANY updates for ANYTHING.


--
What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your
loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must
be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and
every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to
you, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will
again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!'
Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse
that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything
more divine'?
Friedrich Nietzsche

thanatoid wrote:
You don't need any updates. All they do is screw up your
system and create 3 new problems for every one they "fix".
Don't use Internet Explorer or MS Office and you don't need
ANY updates for ANYTHING.


That's some brilliant advice from someone who just stopped using
FIFTEEN YEARS OLD Win98 because it was COMPROMISED by a virus

Alas, I was hit by a harmless-yet-infuriating joke virus,
AGAIN, in fact for the 4th time in about 11 years, and *I have
had enough*.

Neither MBAM, ESET, Avira nor BitDefender could find it,
identify it or get rid of it, nor did a full reformat and
Acronis image restore do anything. I am too old for this.

So I have switched to XP. I figure once MS considers an OS
dead, it's a good time to start using it.

XP is full of security holes and *MUST* be updated.

IGNORE the nonsensical drivel "thanatoid" posts as 'his' computer
appears to be compromised every 4 years or so.


MowGreen
================
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
================

"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked

MowGreen wrote in
:

thanatoid wrote:
You don't need any updates. All they do is screw up your
system and create 3 new problems for every one they "fix".
Don't use Internet Explorer or MS Office and you don't
need ANY updates for ANYTHING.

That's some brilliant advice from someone who just stopped
using FIFTEEN YEARS OLD Win98 because it was COMPROMISED
by a virus

First of all, 2011 - 15 = 1996.

Also, apples and oranges. MS wouldn't even ISSUE many of their
"fixes" if hackers didn't discover the problems and publicize
them. And MS STILL haven't fixed /all/ problems, some months
if not years old, because they just don't care. Google it if
you don't know (or believe) this. ANd MS Word STILL keeps
"other" and "deleted" data in its files, which you can see in
any real file viewer.

Also, I actually do not believe it was a "virus". I just call
it "joke virus" because it's simpler than a full description.
If it WAS a virus, surely ESET, BitDefender, MBAM, OR that
day's Avira rescue CD would have ID'd and removed it.

I believe it is just an unfortunate and bizarre interaction of
a buggy OS with a unique combination of programs and utils
which causes this to happen on occasion. I really can't see
what else it could be, unless it's a built-in MS "feature", of
course. Also, I am probably cursed, as the overall quality of
my life proves.

So I have switched to XP. I figure once MS considers an OS
dead, it's a good time to start using it.

XP is full of security holes and *MUST* be updated.

No, IE and MSOffice are full of security holes. If you set up
Windows (any of them) *properly* and run a good FW and AV,
you're OK. We are stuck with the MS OS, but unless you are a
prisoner of corporate, you do not have to use the horrible MS
programs. I have NO MS software on my computers except for the
OSs. I use free or cheap alternatives, all superior to the MS
bloat****.

IGNORE the nonsensical drivel "thanatoid" posts as 'his'
computer appears to be compromised every 4 years or so.

OTOH, being able to properly count to 17 is NOT a requirement
for making valid statements, right?

And I have never gotten a "real' virus, except once, in an
email from a clueless friend, but since I had all scripting
disabled, it couldn't do anything.


--
What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your
loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must
be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and
every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to
you, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will
again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!'
Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse
that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything
more divine'?
Friedrich Nietzsche

Ken1943 wrote in
:

On Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:30:33 +0000 (UTC), thanatoid
wrote:

snip

You don't need any updates. All they do is screw up your
system and create 3 new problems for every one they "fix".
Don't use Internet Explorer or MS Office and you don't need
ANY updates for ANYTHING.

Never had any update problems with XP and now Win 7. If you
update their drivers, yes, you will have problems. Never
update the hardware drives, go to the manuf. site for them.

HARDWARE is HARDWARE. Windows is NOT hardware, unless you
consider it the modern version of the medieval wheel. Of
COURSE you need to update hardware drivers (not ALWAYS, but
most of the time), but you get them from proper sources.

IMO, MS software updates are largely spyware by definition,
and when they are not, they consist largely of what MS were
/forced/ to fix even though they really didn't want to. And
while fixing one thing, they WILL break other things. Not
always, but often enough to not do it. The OS is probably
millions if billions of lines of code, and I am certain that
not ONE single person in the world knows how it ***all*** (ALL
of it, the OS *and* MS apps and utils) /really/ works. It's a
miracle it works /at all/.

Like I said, the solution is not to use MSOffice or IE. Of
course, some of us don't have a choice. But those people also
usually have a "computer guy" around to patch up stuff MS
breaks.

--
What if a demon were to creep after you one night, in your
loneliest loneliness, and say, 'This life which you live must
be lived by you once again and innumerable times more; and
every pain and joy and thought and sigh must come again to
you, all in the same sequence. The eternal hourglass will
again and again be turned and you with it, dust of the dust!'
Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse
that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything
more divine'?
Friedrich Nietzsche