Problem With Two Hotfixes

[Bigaldoc]

Very late last night a Windows Update shield icon appeared in my XP system tray. I have auto-update set for 4 am so I figured this was just an early notification. Since I was getting ready to retire for the night, I thought to go ahead and do the updates at that time.

The updates are KB2487367 and KB2656351, both security updates for .NET Framework. Well, the two updates proceeded and ended with an Update Complete message, no notice that a restart was necessary. So, I went on to my bed.

This morning that shield is back in the tray and Belarc shows me that those two have a RED failure mark. Hmmm, Al decides something obviously went wrong so try it again. Same result, update complete, the shield doesn't go away and a fresh run from Belarc still says failure. So, I tried them one at a time, including a not-requested reboot. They are still not installed.

I checked my Windows 7 laptop and both ARE installed there. Does anyone know anything about these two or what I can do to get them successfully installed, please?

[Bigaldoc]

I should have included that in my Googling beforehand, one guy says ignore it, another said to remove all .NET installations and start over and yet another post said to repair .NET four from Add/Remove in Control Panel.

I'm not at all sure if I should "repair" because my Add/Remove looks like both HAVE been installed. Repair says it will put it back to original condition, which I take to mean that ALL hotfixes would have to be re-installed.

Very confused, I am...

[HansV]

A Google search turns up lots of problems with these updates, with no clear solution. The general recommendation appears to be to either hide these updates so that they won't be offered again, or to uninstall .NET Framework 4 altogether.

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks, Hans. Yeah, you're right about the plethora of problems. That's why I came here, 'cause the posts were so diverse in their recommendations.

I think for now, I'll just HIDE them. I suppose they appear in the Add/Remove list simply because they were downloaded and run, I don't know.

[stuck]

Al, for KB2487367 read here:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... 42f90531f6
and note it says:
"2. It's very likely the only reason you're in this mess to begin with is because your Automatic Updates setting allowed Optional, non-security updates like KB982670 to install. Chances are you'll never use a .NET 4- (or .NET 3.5- or .NET 3.0- or .NET 2-) dependent application on your WinXP computer. And if you ever happened to install one & .NET 4 was not installed, the application would install it for you. [2]"

Other Google searches turn up lots of hits showing you are not alone. One hit is a on a thread in another place:
http://windowssecrets.com/forums/showth ... installing and the second post over there suggests repairing the .NET 4 framework will cure the problem.

Ken

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks, Ken, but it isn't the first one in your post. I checked that KB and it's not installed.

As for the repair, I'm gonna have to think about that for awhile, at least not until after my weekly full image backup this afternoon. It seems to have worked for the user over at the other place.

Meanwhile, I've hidden the two updates for now. Thanks again.

[viking33]

Al,
I just went and checked my Win 7 list of updates and I find neither of these hotfixes installed. I am also up to date on all of my updates.
I DO have a 64 bit version of Win 7, so I wonder if that's the difference? XP of course is 32 bit but is your laptop also 32 bit?
( I haven't been into my XP partition in quite some time now, so maybe I could take a look there to compare. )

[Bigaldoc]

My Win 7 laptop is 64-bit Home Premium. As with XP, I have auto update turned on so I don't know when the two were installed. Belarc says they are and there's no RED failure mark by either one.

Mebbe you'll get 'em next pass, I don't know. I do allow ALL "security" changes to be made and usually, but not always, check the optional ones to see if I want them. (For example, as has been discussed in The Lounge before, I try to avoid MS doing stuff to drivers.)

[Bigaldoc]

Bob, I just checked the laptop again, but with Windows Control Panel app. Those two fixes were installed in January and February of this year.

[Argus]

Al,
I have not looked closer at this, I'm sure there is no problem with Belarc, but have you confirmed the failed installation with Microsoft Update?

I was once offered the same update I just had installed, via Automatic Updates, after a restart. That time I could solve it with a simple restart of the Automatic Updates service, as mentioned here.

Though, I wouldn’t hold my breath since it’s .NET in this case...; and it didn't help in the thread above.

[Argus]

Al,
I just went and checked my Win 7 list of updates and I find neither of these hotfixes installed. I am also up to date on all of my updates.

Bob,
As you know .NET Framework isn't installed on XP by default; also, it's possible to have .NET Framework 1.1 - 3.5 and still not need the update for .NET Framework 4. 3.5 is included in Windows 7, 4 is a recommended, optional, install, I think.

[Bigaldoc]

I have not looked closer at this, I'm sure there is no problem with Belarc, but have you confirmed the failed installation with Microsoft Update?

I was once offered the same update I just had installed, via Automatic Updates, after a restart. That time I could solve it with a simple restart of the Automatic Updates service, as mentioned here.

Though, I wouldn’t hold my breath since it’s .NET in this case...; and it didn't help in the thread above.

Yes, I checked WU and it continually said I needed those two updates. Both Belarc and SIW said they are not installed.

I just did your service and WU steps mentioned in your link. WU says the two updates are still needed so I'm off to try one more time after re-starting the service and WU. Thanks for trying, Argus !!!

[Bigaldoc]

I give up !!! I'm going back and hiding them again, forevermore... After doing the suggestions from Argus, I went to WU and un-hid the two and ran again. At the completion, this is what I see:

2012-04-29_144115.png

Then I checked my update HISTORY on the WU web site. This is what I see there and it continues on below the bottom showing EVERY attempt I've made with a green check mark:

2012-04-29_144351.png

And finally, both Belarc and SIW continue to say the updates are needed. Fini...

[viking33]

Bob, I just checked the laptop again, but with Windows Control Panel app. Those two fixes were installed in January and February of this year.

Al,
Sorry about that but After a VERY careful check of the WU list of installed updates, there they were. One installed on 4/10, the other on 4/21.

[viking33]

Bob, I just checked the laptop again, but with Windows Control Panel app. Those two fixes were installed in January and February of this year.

Al,
Sorry about that but After a VERY careful check of the WU list of installed updates, there they were. One installed on 4/10, the other on 4/21.

Here is another strange quirk.
I ran Piriform Speccy to just verify the installs and THAT showed that the first was installed on 8/10/2011!!!!
Second installed on 1/4/12!!!
Who can you trust these days?

Both obviously ARE installed but when is another question?

[Bigaldoc]

In my OPINION, evidently NOT Microsoft !!!