Windows 10: Updates for classic Windows versions? Windows Update Restored has you covered

When you try to install a classic version of Windows, and we are not talking about the recently discontinued versions Windows 7 or 8.1, then you may notice that you can't really get them updated anymore officially.

If you still have an old copy of Windows 95 flying around somewhere on floppy disks, yes, the operating system is that old, or on CD, then you may also be interested in installing the operating system on old or new devices. Maybe it is curiosity, a research project, or something else; we don't judge.

Getting these operating systems updated, once installed, is a major issue. Microsoft removed lots of updates from its websites in the past, which means that users can't get these updates for their operating systems anymore from Microsoft directly.



Windows Update Restored comes to the rescue. It is a community project that is not "affiliated or endorsed by Microsoft". While that means that a sword is hanging over the head of the project, as Microsoft could probably get it pulled quickly from the Internet, it is a useful resource for the few users who install these classic operating systems.

The project supports updates for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows NT 4.0 at the time of writing. It restores the ability to download updates for these supported versions of Windows to install them manually.

The automatic updating functionality of Windows Update is not restored by it in any form. Users should note that the website does not use HTTPS and that the downloads of the updates come from project servers and not from Microsoft.

To make matters confusing, different versions of Microsoft's Windows Update website are provided. Certain operating systems may only access certain versions of the update website. A comaptibility chart is available here that provides guidance.

Windows 98 users, for instance, may access Windows Update 3.1 or Windows Update 4, but not newer versions.

The developers have created a demo video that demonstrates updates on these old versions of Windows using the Windows Update Restored website.


In a nutshell, the process begins with the launching of Microsoft's Internet Explorer on the target machine. From there, it is a matter of loading the Windows Update Restored website and activating the product updates link at the top left corner of the screen.

A security and please wait prompt later, all available updates for that particular version of Microsoft's Windows operating system are presented. From here, it is just the matter of checking and unchecking updates for installation and starting the process of downloading and installing them on the system.

The updating should not take very long, especially when compared to the time it takes to update a newer version of Windows to the latest version after installation. Update packages top out at a few megabytes and the entire process should be quick and painless.

Closing Words

Windows Update Restored is a website for enthusiasts and for the very few edge cases where these older versions of Windows are still used in production environments. As such, it is a useful resource that fills a gap left by Microsoft's delete spree some years ago.

Now You: do you still use these operating systems or have them seen used?

Thank you for being a Ghacks reader. The post Updates for classic Windows versions? Windows Update Restored has you covered appeared first on gHacks Technology News.

read more...

 

Windows Update suddenly hangs?

Windows Update is suddenly hanging for some reason... I went and downloaded and installed the first bunch of updates, restarted when asked, and now when I go back to windows update I just get the window with a white box forever. Reboot and it still does it. This happens to be on my main machine, running windows 7.

I've also noticed when I reboot it says configuring windows update, step 3 of 3, 47%. Maybe it somehow skipped something and is screwed forever?

 

Windows Updates failed to instal

I'm not sure how differant XP media center Edition is but you could clear the history \ cache if these folders are there.

Step 1 Register DLL files.

=================

By trying this step, we can check if the update engines are working properly.



1. Close all instances of Internet Explorer.

2. Click Start and Run, type "Regsvr32 atl.dll" (without quotes) in the Open box and click OK.



Note: There is a space between regsvr32 and atl.dll



3. Similarly, one by one, register the files listed below:



Regsvr32 msxml3.dll

Regsvr32 wuapi.dll

Regsvr32 wuaueng.dll

Regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll

Regsvr32 wups2.dll

Regsvr32 wucltui.dll

Regsvr32 wups.dll

Regsvr32 wuweb.dll

Regsvr32 qmgr.dll

Regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll

Regsvr32 jscript.dll



Note: If you encounter errors while registering any of these files then skip that file and continue with the next one.



If the issue persists, let's move on to the steps below to verify Windows Update services and temporary folders.



Step 2 Verify the relevant Windows Update services.

=========================================

1. Click Start->Run, type "services.msc" (without quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.

2. Double click the service "Automatic Updates".

3. Click on the Log On tab, please ensure the option "Local System account" is selected and the option "Allow service to interact with desktop" is unchecked.

4. Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile. If not, please click the Enable button to enable it.

5. Click on the tab "General "; make sure the "Startup Type" is "Automatic" or "Manual". Then please click the button "Stop" under "Service Status" to stop the service.

6. Then please click the button "Start" under "Service Status" to start the service.

7. Please repeat the above steps with the other services:



Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Event Log

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)



Note: Event log service is enabled on all of the hardware profiles; this service does not have an option to enable or disable on certain hardware profile.



If it still does not help, let's proceed to step 3.



Step 3 Reload the Update temporary folders.

===================================

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update is containing corrupted files. Let's erase all the files there to get the system clean.



1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.



Net stop WuAuServ



2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to Sdold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.



Net start WuAuServ



Please test the Windows Update website and let me know the result. If the issue persists, to clarify the issue and provide more accurate troubleshooting steps, please assist me in collecting the following information.

 

Windows updates...

Oh. Your "Registry" must have gotten screwed up FLY3R. If for some reason you couldn't download your updates I suppose you could go to the update site, and run throught the steps 'till it fails activation. Then you could go up to "Tools > Manage Add ons > then disable "Windows Genuine Advatage Validation Tool." Of course you should only use this method if you are having problems updating your legitamate copy of Windows XP. Perhaps do to a corrupted piece of software? *Smile