How Can I Install Two Failed Updates?

[skeezix]

My Vista computer is now at a state where the last known update (KB 970158, installed on 10/28/2019) was installed correctly. MOF all updates were installed successfully except for KB 2310138 and KB 973687 which failed. The first is a Definition Update for Microsoft Security Essentials and the second is an Update for Windows. These failed on 11/28/2018 when I reinstalled Windows Vista.

What can I do to get these to install correctly?

 

[wither 3]

Have you tried downloading those from the microsoft catalog and running them? To do that, I think you would want to set the Windows Updater to "never check for updates" and reboot first.

 

[skeezix]

I'll give that a try. Thank you!

 

[skeezix]

A search of microsoft catalog for "KB970158" (the most recent successful update) yielded "We did not find any results for 'kb970158' ".
The search for "KB2310138" yielded a long list of patches, and the search for "KB973687" yielded a valid download.
Please see attached images.


Not sure what to do - install kb973687 and forget the other update? And I'm not sure what to do about the listing for kb2310138. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Vistaar]

First of all, Microsoft Security Essentials is no longer usable on Vista and should be uninstalled via Control Panel, so there is no need to worry about a failed definition update for it.

Secondly, are you in fact running Vista SP1? Edit: If you are running SP2, then KB973687 has been replaced; but newer versions don't support SP1.

 

[wither 3]

Good points. However, in another thread in this forum, he said he is running Win 7. He should clear that up here.

 

[Vistaar]

Original post states:

My Vista computer is now....These failed on 11/28/2018 when I reinstalled Windows Vista.

 

[wither 3]

in that thread he said-

"When I wrote "Vista 7" in my starting post I should have written "Windows 7."

 

[wither 3]

Where did skeezix go?

 

[skeezix]

Sorry, I got called out of town for a few days and just got back.

The system runs Vista 6/0.6002 (x86), the last Vista update from MS.

>>First of all, Microsoft Security Essentials is no longer usable on Vista and should be uninstalled via Control Panel, so there is no need to worry about a failed definition update for it. <<

Well, that takes care of KB937687! Thank you Vistaar !

 

[wither 3]

I'm confused. In the thread about the Start menu, you said you're using Win 7 but here, you're saying it's Vista.

 

[Vistaar]

The system runs Vista 6/0.6002 (x86)

That is indeed SP2, not SP1. After reinstalling SP2, did you solve the well-known issue described in How to Fix Vista SP2 "Checking for Updates..." Hangs and Slow Windows Updates? If not, forum member Imacri might enjoy writing about it one more time.

 

[skeezix]

1. It appears that my Windows 6 (Vista) system is up-to-date and that no other updates are available, so I turned Automatic updating off.

2. The system is running AntiVirus Free. When I click Control Panel > Security Center I see a little message in blue stating "using Windows Security Center". In addition,
"Firewall" is ON
"Automatic updating" is OFF (because I turned it off)
"Malware protection" is OFF
"Other security settings" is OK

3. When I click "Windows Defender" I get a blue message stating, "Windows Defender is turned off by Group Policy" and a "Close" button. I don't know very much (actually I don't know anything at all) about group policies because I've never used it, so I'm not sure if everything in #2 above is correct. I assume that AVG Free is turning Windows Defender off.

Do I need to enable Windows Defender when running AVG Free"?

 

[Vistaar]

Do I need to enable Windows Defender when running AVG Free"?

No. Aside from the possibility of conflicts, the old Windows Defender antispyware is now useless (see Windows defender definition updates). I wonder if you are aware that AVG no longer supports Vista? (However the legacy version AVG 18.8 is probably as good a choice as any for Vista.)

"Malware protection" is OFF

That sounds really BAD. Frankly, I would advise you to use your Windows 7 system for all online purposes and keep your Vista system OFFLINE!

 

[wither 3]

I believe the malware protection will be turned on when he uses AVG. On mine, it's on because of the anti-virus software I'm using.

 

[skeezix]

I hate loose ends.
Vistaar, I agreed with you when you sent your last post (if you're still around now) and I disconnected the Vista computer from the internet when you suggested to do so.

 

[wither 3]

In regards to the problem update, you might want to look at this really old blog- Redirecting

On page 3, it suggests that the KB is related to Avast.

In my opinion, forget about it.

 

[skeezix]

Yeah, not worth any more of my time. BTW, I don't use Avast but I'll take a look at your link. Thank you for posting it.

 

[wither 3]

I've tried to understand what the WDF does and it seems the user drivers are created in Visual Studio. Not everybody has a need for the latter but I wonder if you have Microsoft Visual C++ installed and which version it is.

 

[Vistaar]

BTW, I don't use Avast...

If you are still using AVG, as you were in 2019 when this thread was new, then you are effectively using Avast. Avast bought AVG long before the end of support for Vista in 2018, and they have the same engine. An interesting question is how much longer definition updates will be available for Avast/AVG version 18.8.

I hate loose ends.
Vistaar, I agreed with you when you sent your last post (if you're still around now) and I disconnected the Vista computer from the internet when you suggested to do so.

Good! In that case, there is no particular need for an antivirus, or for trying to locate old Windows updates that were never installed. It was still possible to use Windows Update for Vista back in 2019, but Microsoft blocked it in August 2020. Even Windows 7 will become significantly less useful next month, so I hope you have bought yourself a new computer!