Critical Update failure

[Ken Springer]

I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be disconnected during a
critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE apparently
thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up where it
left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.

When I go to the update page to manually search for critical updates, it
again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it always
tells me there are no critical updates to install.

Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to see that
the updates and been completed and correctly installed?




On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's acceptable to
rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?

Thanks.

[Gary S. Terhune]

Not for Windows 98 AFAIK. What you *can* do is identify the problem
update using "Installation History" at Windows Updates, then find the
related KB article or Security Advisory, download the stand-alone
installer. Or use Windows Updates Catalog. If you can identify the
update, someone here can help you with the rest.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Ken Springer" > wrote in message
...
> I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be disconnected
during a
> critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE
apparently
> thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up
where it
> left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
>
> When I go to the update page to manually search for critical updates,
it
> again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it
always
> tells me there are no critical updates to install.
>
> Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to see
that
> the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
>
>
>
>
> On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
acceptable to
> rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
>
> Thanks.
>

[PCR]

It might also be interesting to look inside...

"START button, Find, F/F, 'Windows Update.log'".
(Use double quotes around that name.)

....Scroll way down to the date of interest to see what may/may not have
downloaded successfully.


--
Thanks or Good Luck,
There may be humor in this post, and,
Naturally, you will not sue,
should things get worse after this,
PCR

"Ken Springer" > wrote in message
...
| I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be disconnected
during a
| critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE
apparently
| thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up
where it
| left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
|
| When I go to the update page to manually search for critical updates,
it
| again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it
always
| tells me there are no critical updates to install.
|
| Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to see
that
| the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
|
|
|
|
| On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
acceptable to
| rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
|
| Thanks.
|

[Ken Springer]

Are there KB articles for this?

I'm not trying to sound dumb, I'm just tired of growing old waiting for
screen updates. I'm running telephone wiring to a bedroom, and when I go to
a different message, or (Heaven forbid!) to a different topic, I go do that
while it loads. Or, I go apply another coat of paint to some new speaker
brackets I need to hang on the wall. :-)

Old computer (400 mhz) and dialup. No high speed connections available
here. If I knew how, or where to find to the information, to access this
database in Outlook, I'd sure be there instead of here.

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

> Not for Windows 98 AFAIK. What you *can* do is identify the problem
> update using "Installation History" at Windows Updates, then find the
> related KB article or Security Advisory, download the stand-alone
> installer. Or use Windows Updates Catalog. If you can identify the
> update, someone here can help you with the rest.
>
> --
> Gary S. Terhune
> MS MVP Shell/User
> http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
>
> "Ken Springer" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be disconnected
> during a
> > critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE
> apparently
> > thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up
> where it
> > left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
> >
> > When I go to the update page to manually search for critical updates,
> it
> > again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it
> always
> > tells me there are no critical updates to install.
> >
> > Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to see
> that
> > the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
> acceptable to
> > rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
>
>

[Gary S. Terhune]

The only solution for bad internet connection is to make it better. On
dial-up, that means both a good ISP and a high-quality telephone line,
all the way back to your local exchange. Your normal telephone should
sound nice and clean--i.e., it shouldn't have any sound at all. If you
plug your telephone into the exterior jack (where the telephone line
comes into your house) you can compare that sound to the sound when you
plug into your interior jack and determine if any sounds are coming from
the exterior lines or just from your interior wiring. When our house was
on dial-up (four lines, four ISP accounts), I pestered our local telco
guy mercilessly in order to keep our lines clean. But, if you're in a
rural area, DSL or cable aren't likely to be options, and you're doomed
to slow dial-up internet. No way around it except to upgrade to
satellite or microwave connection.

No, there is no KB article that specifically addresses your needs.
You're looking at the best newsgroup (database) for that info. As for
making it easier to reach this newsgroup, use the following link:

news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion.

When prompted for an email address, you don't need to use your real one.
In fact, you shouldn't. Just gets you onto myriad mailing lists and
virus bots. Use something like . Be sure not to
use an address that might actually be someone's real address. Logon is
anonymous.

Some additional hints for Outlook Express configuration, etc., can be
found here:
http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com by MVP Tom Koch
http://www.oehelp.com by MVP Steve Cochran.

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Ken Springer" > wrote in message
...
> Are there KB articles for this?
>
> I'm not trying to sound dumb, I'm just tired of growing old waiting
for
> screen updates. I'm running telephone wiring to a bedroom, and when I
go to
> a different message, or (Heaven forbid!) to a different topic, I go do
that
> while it loads. Or, I go apply another coat of paint to some new
speaker
> brackets I need to hang on the wall. :-)
>
> Old computer (400 mhz) and dialup. No high speed connections
available
> here. If I knew how, or where to find to the information, to access
this
> database in Outlook, I'd sure be there instead of here.
>
> "Gary S. Terhune" wrote:
>
> > Not for Windows 98 AFAIK. What you *can* do is identify the problem
> > update using "Installation History" at Windows Updates, then find
the
> > related KB article or Security Advisory, download the stand-alone
> > installer. Or use Windows Updates Catalog. If you can identify the
> > update, someone here can help you with the rest.
> >
> > --
> > Gary S. Terhune
> > MS MVP Shell/User
> > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
> >
> > "Ken Springer" > wrote in
message
> > ...
> > > I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be
disconnected
> > during a
> > > critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE
> > apparently
> > > thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up
> > where it
> > > left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
> > >
> > > When I go to the update page to manually search for critical
updates,
> > it
> > > again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it
> > always
> > > tells me there are no critical updates to install.
> > >
> > > Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to
see
> > that
> > > the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
> > acceptable to
> > > rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> >
> >

[Ken Springer]

We're getting a little off topic here, but you're right when it comes to
making sure the internet connection is as good as it can be. Unfortunately,
when it comes to the phone lines, that's out of the user's hands. And there
are places in this world, in this country in fact, where the "best is yet to
come". :-)

Colorado Springs, CO is sometimes called the Silicone Valley of the West,
Intel and others have high tech operations. Even in the Springs, high speed
internet is not universally available.

I don't know if you've used a newsreader before, but they will always be
faster than this web based newsreader here. If you, or some reader, doesn't
believe me, then register with Autodesk (those AutoCADD folks). They operate
a side by side system, the newsgroup is available via web and via a
newsreader. Read the web version, then switch to the newsreader. If getting
it done quickly and efficiently is is in your vocabulary, you'll never go
back to the web.

I work for a federal agency that operates it's own in house newsgroup
operatioin. Due to security and other reasons, they switched from a
newsreader type operation to web based. AFAIK, pretty much everyone I know
quit using it. Just too slow, and we all have more work than we can do. It
essentially became a waste of time. I would read the newsreader version
dailiy, now I don't do it at all.

Thanks for the help, I'll see if I can get the history or catalog stuff to
tell me what I want to know.

Ken

"Gary S. Terhune" wrote:

> The only solution for bad internet connection is to make it better. On
> dial-up, that means both a good ISP and a high-quality telephone line,
> all the way back to your local exchange. Your normal telephone should
> sound nice and clean--i.e., it shouldn't have any sound at all. If you
> plug your telephone into the exterior jack (where the telephone line
> comes into your house) you can compare that sound to the sound when you
> plug into your interior jack and determine if any sounds are coming from
> the exterior lines or just from your interior wiring. When our house was
> on dial-up (four lines, four ISP accounts), I pestered our local telco
> guy mercilessly in order to keep our lines clean. But, if you're in a
> rural area, DSL or cable aren't likely to be options, and you're doomed
> to slow dial-up internet. No way around it except to upgrade to
> satellite or microwave connection.
>
> No, there is no KB article that specifically addresses your needs.
> You're looking at the best newsgroup (database) for that info. As for
> making it easier to reach this newsgroup, use the following link:
>
> news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion.
>
> When prompted for an email address, you don't need to use your real one.
> In fact, you shouldn't. Just gets you onto myriad mailing lists and
> virus bots. Use something like . Be sure not to
> use an address that might actually be someone's real address. Logon is
> anonymous.
>
> Some additional hints for Outlook Express configuration, etc., can be
> found here:
> http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com by MVP Tom Koch
> http://www.oehelp.com by MVP Steve Cochran.
>
> --
> Gary S. Terhune
> MS MVP Shell/User
> http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
>
> "Ken Springer" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Are there KB articles for this?
> >
> > I'm not trying to sound dumb, I'm just tired of growing old waiting
> for
> > screen updates. I'm running telephone wiring to a bedroom, and when I
> go to
> > a different message, or (Heaven forbid!) to a different topic, I go do
> that
> > while it loads. Or, I go apply another coat of paint to some new
> speaker
> > brackets I need to hang on the wall. :-)
> >
> > Old computer (400 mhz) and dialup. No high speed connections
> available
> > here. If I knew how, or where to find to the information, to access
> this
> > database in Outlook, I'd sure be there instead of here.
> >
> > "Gary S. Terhune" wrote:
> >
> > > Not for Windows 98 AFAIK. What you *can* do is identify the problem
> > > update using "Installation History" at Windows Updates, then find
> the
> > > related KB article or Security Advisory, download the stand-alone
> > > installer. Or use Windows Updates Catalog. If you can identify the
> > > update, someone here can help you with the rest.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Gary S. Terhune
> > > MS MVP Shell/User
> > > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> > > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
> > >
> > > "Ken Springer" > wrote in
> message
> > > ...
> > > > I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be
> disconnected
> > > during a
> > > > critical update download and installation. After a reconnect, IE
> > > apparently
> > > > thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back up
> > > where it
> > > > left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
> > > >
> > > > When I go to the update page to manually search for critical
> updates,
> > > it
> > > > again seems to think the updates were successfully installed as it
> > > always
> > > > tells me there are no critical updates to install.
> > > >
> > > > Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually check to
> see
> > > that
> > > > the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
> > > acceptable to
> > > > rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
> > > >
> > > > Thanks.
> > > >
> > >
> > >
>
>

[Gary S. Terhune]

Good luck in your endeavors.

One thing I failed to mention: There is a "Windows Security Updates" CD
available from MS that contains all Critical Updates and a few other
things up through the end of October, 2003. I suspect you are past
needing this particular item at this moment, but it's a godsend if
reinstalling. I urge everyone, but particularly those on dial-up, to get
one, make copies, then put the original in a very safe place.

Microsoft Order Desk (US)
1-800-360-7561, Monday through Friday, 5:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. Pacific
time

--
Gary S. Terhune
MS MVP Shell/User
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm

"Ken Springer" > wrote in message
...
> We're getting a little off topic here, but you're right when it comes
to
> making sure the internet connection is as good as it can be.
Unfortunately,
> when it comes to the phone lines, that's out of the user's hands. And
there
> are places in this world, in this country in fact, where the "best is
yet to
> come". :-)
>
> Colorado Springs, CO is sometimes called the Silicone Valley of the
West,
> Intel and others have high tech operations. Even in the Springs, high
speed
> internet is not universally available.
>
> I don't know if you've used a newsreader before, but they will always
be
> faster than this web based newsreader here. If you, or some reader,
doesn't
> believe me, then register with Autodesk (those AutoCADD folks). They
operate
> a side by side system, the newsgroup is available via web and via a
> newsreader. Read the web version, then switch to the newsreader. If
getting
> it done quickly and efficiently is is in your vocabulary, you'll never
go
> back to the web.
>
> I work for a federal agency that operates it's own in house newsgroup
> operatioin. Due to security and other reasons, they switched from a
> newsreader type operation to web based. AFAIK, pretty much everyone I
know
> quit using it. Just too slow, and we all have more work than we can
do. It
> essentially became a waste of time. I would read the newsreader
version
> dailiy, now I don't do it at all.
>
> Thanks for the help, I'll see if I can get the history or catalog
stuff to
> tell me what I want to know.
>
> Ken
>
> "Gary S. Terhune" wrote:
>
> > The only solution for bad internet connection is to make it better.
On
> > dial-up, that means both a good ISP and a high-quality telephone
line,
> > all the way back to your local exchange. Your normal telephone
should
> > sound nice and clean--i.e., it shouldn't have any sound at all. If
you
> > plug your telephone into the exterior jack (where the telephone line
> > comes into your house) you can compare that sound to the sound when
you
> > plug into your interior jack and determine if any sounds are coming
from
> > the exterior lines or just from your interior wiring. When our house
was
> > on dial-up (four lines, four ISP accounts), I pestered our local
telco
> > guy mercilessly in order to keep our lines clean. But, if you're in
a
> > rural area, DSL or cable aren't likely to be options, and you're
doomed
> > to slow dial-up internet. No way around it except to upgrade to
> > satellite or microwave connection.
> >
> > No, there is no KB article that specifically addresses your needs.
> > You're looking at the best newsgroup (database) for that info. As
for
> > making it easier to reach this newsgroup, use the following link:
> >
> > news://msnews.microsoft.com/microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion.
> >
> > When prompted for an email address, you don't need to use your real
one.
> > In fact, you shouldn't. Just gets you onto myriad mailing lists and
> > virus bots. Use something like . Be sure not
to
> > use an address that might actually be someone's real address. Logon
is
> > anonymous.
> >
> > Some additional hints for Outlook Express configuration, etc., can
be
> > found here:
> > http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com by MVP Tom Koch
> > http://www.oehelp.com by MVP Steve Cochran.
> >
> > --
> > Gary S. Terhune
> > MS MVP Shell/User
> > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
> >
> > "Ken Springer" > wrote in
message
> > ...
> > > Are there KB articles for this?
> > >
> > > I'm not trying to sound dumb, I'm just tired of growing old
waiting
> > for
> > > screen updates. I'm running telephone wiring to a bedroom, and
when I
> > go to
> > > a different message, or (Heaven forbid!) to a different topic, I
go do
> > that
> > > while it loads. Or, I go apply another coat of paint to some new
> > speaker
> > > brackets I need to hang on the wall. :-)
> > >
> > > Old computer (400 mhz) and dialup. No high speed connections
> > available
> > > here. If I knew how, or where to find to the information, to
access
> > this
> > > database in Outlook, I'd sure be there instead of here.
> > >
> > > "Gary S. Terhune" wrote:
> > >
> > > > Not for Windows 98 AFAIK. What you *can* do is identify the
problem
> > > > update using "Installation History" at Windows Updates, then
find
> > the
> > > > related KB article or Security Advisory, download the
stand-alone
> > > > installer. Or use Windows Updates Catalog. If you can identify
the
> > > > update, someone here can help you with the rest.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Gary S. Terhune
> > > > MS MVP Shell/User
> > > > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/cleanboot.htm
> > > > http://www.grystmill.com/articles/security.htm
> > > >
> > > > "Ken Springer" > wrote in
> > message
> > > > ...
> > > > > I connect via dial up modem. More than once, I will be
> > disconnected
> > > > during a
> > > > > critical update download and installation. After a reconnect,
IE
> > > > apparently
> > > > > thinks the installation was successful, and doesn't start back
up
> > > > where it
> > > > > left off, nor tell me there's an update to install.
> > > > >
> > > > > When I go to the update page to manually search for critical
> > updates,
> > > > it
> > > > > again seems to think the updates were successfully installed
as it
> > > > always
> > > > > tells me there are no critical updates to install.
> > > > >
> > > > > Is there a way to force the MS update website to actually
check to
> > see
> > > > that
> > > > > the updates and been completed and correctly installed?
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > On a different subject, is there a newsgroup here where it's
> > > > acceptable to
> > > > > rant and rave about this @$#%^@^ website's operations?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thanks.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >