Reinstall Nightmare

boweasel · Sep 22, 2015

Although I just posted a new thread, I can see that this forum doesn't get a ton of traffic anymore, so I thought a quick reinstall might be lees time consuming than waiting for a response on http://www.vistax64.com/general-dis...allations-although-repair-shows-vista-os.html

The reinstall went well, although we were back on IE7 with Vista SP1. I went right to the Windows Updates and successfully installed a boatload. Continuing to restart and go to the updates eventually got me to the point where no updates were available. However I still only was running IE7 with SP1. Using Google to search for IE9 and / or Vista SP2 told me that Microsoft wanted me to use Windows Updates to install both of those. But if Windows Updates tells you that you're current, how is that supposed to work?

So I tried to manually download IE9. It didn't matter where I tried to download it from - Microsoft, FileHippo, Softonic, wherever - all I got were error screens. Ditto for SP2. Ihad to actually use IE7 to download Firefox - which it did successfully, and then use Firefox to download Vista SP2 and IE9.

What sort of sense does that make? I can't get a new MS install current unless I use a competitor's product? I must be missing something - no manufacturer in their right mind would be that sloppy.

Jody Thornton · Sep 22, 2015

I have a build with IE9 and SP2 integrated. But I also vLited features out of it. However I have the master ISO with SP2 built in.

Vistaar · Sep 22, 2015

Hello boweasel, was "Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.256" successfully installed? SP2 is a prerequisite for IE 9. If I understand correctly, you were able to download and install SP2 using Firefox; but if not, the "Vista ISO download" thread might prove helpful.

boweasel · Sep 22, 2015

The 32-bit Vista SP2 I downloaded using Firefox DID successfully install, but the IE9 install errored on me.

Vistaar · Sep 23, 2015

Well if Windows Update is working, and if it is set to give you updates for other Microsoft products, then you should eventually get IE 9, which has other prerequisites in addition to SP2: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2399238#/en-us/kb/2399238. If Windows Update isn't working, then you will need to take care of that or start over. When I did a factory restore 6 months ago, SP1 was the only real problem.

boweasel · Sep 23, 2015

Vistaar said:
Well if Windows Update is working, and if it is set to give you updates for other Microsoft products, then you should eventually get IE 9, which has other prerequisites in addition to SP2: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2399238#/en-us/kb/2399238. If Windows Update isn't working, then you will need to take care of that or start over. When I did a factory restore 6 months ago, SP1 was the only real problem.

I don't think you're grasping the heart of the matter - when I reinstalled Vista from a Dell disk, that disk contained SP1. It apparently also contained Internet Explorer 7.

After the reinstall I went to Windows Updates and literally downloaded and installed hundreds of updates successfully. So Windows Updates work.

Once I did that first batch I was prompted to reboot, which I did. Another trip to Windows Updates brought another batch to download and install. And another reboot. After that second reboot Windows Updates told me I was current. I included a screenshot of that in post #1.

Now you said that I should 'eventually get IE9' through the updates. What does that mean? Shouldn't these updates be automatic and immediate? Does 'eventually' mean that if I wait until next Tuesday I might get SP2 and IE9?

At any rate those updates were not available in a timely manner and so I tried to download them. I error boxed attempting to download both IE9 and SP2. NOT on the install of those tools - just the download itself. So since IE7 is a broken down old heap I had to use that ancient browser to download Firefox. Thankfully it worked and I then used Firefox to successfully download and install both Vista SP2 and IE9.

So really don't need any help, but this is a General Discussion Forum, and I think it's appropriate to open a discussion about why Microsoft won't let you get a still supported OS current without using tools from a competitor.

virtual6 · Sep 23, 2015

Earlier in the year I went through this too.
After installing Vista w/SP1, there were 169 updates available!
I thought, why bother to offer/require all of these updates, when the SP2 update would probably include everything anyway?
But I slogged through all of them and reached a point where no more updates were available...and SP2 was never offered.
So I rebooted, ran update check, and there it was: Windows Vista SP2! Another series of updates after SP2, and IE9 finally became available.

Shouldn't these updates be automatic and immediate? Does 'eventually' mean that if I wait until next Tuesday I might get SP2 and IE9?

Sadly I don't know the answer, although I think that after a couple reboots, and/or not more than one day, it would have worked for you...hence "eventually".

...why Microsoft won't let you get a still supported OS current without using tools from a competitor.

As I said above, I believe the update process would have worked to get your OS current, perhaps not as quickly as you wanted.

BTW, I don't see a screen shot in the first post...

ilikefree · Sep 23, 2015

Both 32bit Vista service packs
download is available from bottom of this page on my site

ilikefree_Program_Index

boweasel · Sep 23, 2015

ilikefree said:
Both 32bit Vista service packs
download is available from bottom of this page on my site

ilikefree_Program_Index

I appreciate that. But I wonder if I'd be able to download SP2 from your site using IE7? I certainly could use one of my own computers and download it to a USB drive, or I could use the same drive to download it from Microsoft, but that's the crux of my argument with MS - I either have to use another computer or install another browser.

ilikefree · Sep 24, 2015

I think it would eventually come with Windows update as you have it turned on
My last reinstall there were 208 updates then when finished another 30 odd extra came through

ilikefree · Sep 24, 2015

I should point out I normally have an image made with Macrium Reflect that is good to restore from if a hard drive fails
In my case it was a new computer so an image would not have worked as the hardware drivers would be different among other things
I do recommend when you get it running good make an image, and store it on another drive not just another partition

Vistaar · Sep 24, 2015

Well I certainly agree that reinstalling Vista is a PITA - so much so that I burned 2 copies of the Macrium Reflect CD and made an image after recovering from a similar ordeal 6 months ago. It is worth noting that Microsoft ended support for SP1 in 2011; so when you install Vista without SP2, you are installing an unsupported OS. If word somehow reached upper management at Microsoft that Vista die-hards are experiencing difficulties after reinstalling, they would probably be pleased, since they would prefer that we all buy Windows 10 PCs. It was fortunate that the disc included SP1, which regularly fails to install properly via Windows Update.

ilikefree · Sep 24, 2015

32bit sp1 is on my site too

boweasel · Sep 24, 2015

ilikefree, as I mentioned before, it's the word 'eventually' that gets my panties in a bunch. I restarted the PC several times after the final batch of updates had been installed, and each time it told me my computer was current. Hopefully the attachments came through this time. The first 2 are when trying to merely DOWNLOAD IE9. The 3rd is the visual representation MS gave me when I clicked on Windows Updates. At the time I was running Vista SP1 and IE7.

boweasel · Sep 24, 2015

Attachments won't display from USB? drive? They are visible on Preview, but disappear after Submit
I've now moved them to my laptops HDD.

And they're still not displaying. When I edit this post (#15) and hit Advanced I can see the 3 attachments. I also see them when I edit post #1, yet nothing displays.

I had to click Insert Inline to get them to display - very different from the W7 forum

Vistaar · Sep 24, 2015

Well your Windows Update screenshot shows that you receive updates "For Windows only." IE 9 is definitely not considered to be a Windows update, so you might want to click "Change settings" and check the box that says "Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows," then click OK.

If you wouldn't mind, please navigate to C:\WINDOWS\System32, scroll way down to file wuaueng.dll, right-click on it, select Properties, click the Details tab, and tell us what the file version is.

townsbg · Sep 24, 2015

I believe that I've only personally installed service packs from the full download which I kept just in case. It has been a long time since setting up Vista but I do know that using Windows update certain updates have to be installed before getting offered the service packs and then there are more afterwards. Using the full download bypasses that. I also don't have any answers as to why automatic updates didn't offer the service packs or IE 9 however I do know that Microsoft has discontinued support for older browsers on their site which is probably why you were not able to download ie 9 using ie 7 from their website however I'm not sure about softonic. Perhaps they have the same restrictions but I see that your link is wrong.

ilikefree · Sep 26, 2015

You could try this site

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/internet-explorer-11-for-windows-7-details.aspx

boweasel · Sep 26, 2015

ilikefree said:
You could try this site

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/internet-explorer-11-for-windows-7-details.aspx

I'm sure my aunt would have no problem with IE11, but this is a Vista forum and my aunt has a Vista OS on her computer and Vista will not let Internet Explorer be updated beyond IE9, unless you know something I do not.

And I cannot supply the version of wuaueng.dll she has, since I returned it to her. She's been suffering Pogo withdraw for days, and if she couldn't get in a good couple games of Mahjong Safari, she might turn to liquor. Nobody wants to see an 80-something blue hair loaded up with Manischewitz.

I'm still baffled by the line MS decided to draw between Windows updates and Microsoft updates. It seems to me like they're all part and parcel of the same operating system software. And even if you grant some nebulous distinction, why oh why would a reinstall enable one flavor of update and not the other?

And the error screens I posted? I simple Googled IE9 32 bit and kept trying link after link. Softonic was just one of many sites I used in my ill-fated download-IE9-using IE7 efforts. I got the exact type of errors when trying to download SP2.

And Microsoft has not discontinued support of Vista - I think its got another year and a half.
[h=3][/h]

Vistaar · Sep 26, 2015

boweasel said:
I'm still baffled by the line MS decided to draw between Windows updates and Microsoft updates. It seems to me like they're all part and parcel of the same operating system software. And even if you grant some nebulous distinction, why oh why would a reinstall enable one flavor of update and not the other?

I think the distinction is related to an antitrust lawsuit that was brought against Microsoft many years ago, which revolved around browsers and other applications being packaged with the operating system. "For Windows only" is the default setting for Windows Update, but it can be changed easily enough. In any case, IE 9 is obsolescent at best, and Firefox is a better choice for Vista.

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