Windows Update Not Working

[SeaJayPea]

Hi, I recently restored my laptop to factory settings after it got seriously virused. Since this time, Windows Update doesn't seem to be working, there have been no updates these past six weeks. Any idea how I turn it on? I have looked at the automatic updates part of the Control Panel and it is certainly turned on in there.

This is a Dell Inspiron laptop, running Windows XP. I bought it in 2007 or 8, so I guess it's quite an old version of XP that has been restored.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

CJP

[garysmith]

Try these people; they're seriously good!

www.freepchelp.co.uk

[VHG]

It is a while since I used XP but I seem to remember there is a "Check for updates" option within Windows Update.

So "open" the Windows Updates panel and press the "Check for updates" option.

If this works you may need to do it a number of times (and reboot in between each one) to get all the updates as there will be many.

[VHG]

This may help

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-run-windows-update-in-windows-xp.html

[Alston]

Please tell me, when you restored your laptop to factory settings, did you then have a few hundred up-dates to be installed.

A few months back I took a Dell Laptop back to factory settings to pass-on a clean machine to a niece. It was equipped with Windows Vista and it took me a few evenings to load all the up-dates which had been issued from the date of the laptops 1st 'commissioning'. ( Over two hundred )

It's purely my opinion that, if you didn't have loads and loads of updates to install when you factory re-set and now are Not getting any, there is a real problem with the Operating System on the laptop. Unfortunately, for the moment I am unable to think of a possible answer to correct matters.

Al.

[Alston]

Thanks methyl for the info of which I am pleased to hear about Vista. I am using it at this very moment on my HP desktop comp and much prefer it to W7 which is on my Lenovo laptop.

Looks as if CJP should really consider the possibility of buying a new machine in the light of XP becoming fully unsupported after 'Black Tuesday'.

Al.

[galeck1947]

It is time for you to consider a new computer as your existing one wont run Windows 7 or 8 . You will need to be quick to get a Windows 7 one as vendors are selling out quickly. HP has some for sale at their website store or you may find some on EBay . Failing that you could get one built at a computer store or do it yourself as you can still buy OEM copies of Windows 7.

[Alston]

A shot in the dark :-

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/

Al.

[RATTER15]

I had the same problem, see here http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Technology/Computers/Question1229178.html

one of those links got me sorted.

[SeaJayPea]

Methyl, you were right, it was Service Pack 2 and so no updates. It might have been a good idea if the Microsoft website had told me this when I was trying to run updates, instead of just failing to get them.

Saw Ratter's suggestion a couple of hours ago and thought I'd give it a go. And bl00dy hell, it seems to have worked! Updated to SP 3 and it's already found a couple of them.

So thanks everybody for all the suggestions and help. Seems to have worked. On balance, Ratter just sneaks into the 'Best Answer' lead.

Cheers

CJP