Upgrades will not install from Miscrosoft

Apply the hotfix 927891.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/927891/ - You receive an access violation error and the system may appear to become unresponsive when you try to install an update from Windows Update or from Microsoft Update

If the issue still persists, then unregister and reregister the windows update components by following the steps outlined ibelow.

1) Register following dlls.
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\vbscript.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\mshtml.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\msjava.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\jscript.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\msxml.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\shdocvw.dll


(2)
restart autommatic update services
-stop the cryptograhic service
-rename C:\Windows\system32\catroot2 folder OR move (cut and paste) the contents of C:\Windows\System32\Catroot2 and C:\Windows\Ssytem32\Catroot to a different location.
Rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder.
-restart the cryptographice service

(3)
 regsvr32 /s Softpub.dll
regsvr32 /s Mssip32.dll
regsvr32 /s Initpki.dll

(4) NOTE: Some of dlls in this list are already listed above.
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32 Urlmon.dll
regsvr32 Shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 Msjava.dll
regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 Mshtml.dll
regsvr32 msxml.dll
regsvr32 msxml2.dll
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
regsvr32 Browseui.dll
regsvr32 shell32.dll
regsvr32 wuapi.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll
regsvr32 jscript.dll
regsvr32 atl.dll
regsvr32 Mssip32.dll

Dial a fix does most of the above but automated.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/System-Miscellaneous/Dial-a-fix.shtml

Thanks guys,
I ran the dial-a-fix but it didn't help. I'm now trying the longer fix

windows won't let me access SoftwreDistribution fold to rename it. My file and folder unlocker seems to be saying it's locked by svchost:1380. Any thoughts?

perform the steps in safe mode.

You can also try sfc /scannow or reapplying SP2

wow I'm trying to reapply SP2. Microsoft does not make this easy. Is there a good way to just get the download and install?

Actually I found a copy of xp sp2 at a web site, so I'm going to try and load it

You need to download the network deployment package from MS.  It is 260MB.  Here is the link if you prefer to get it directly from MS.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=049C9DBE-3B8E-4F30-8245-9E368D3CDB5A&displaylang=en

I had a crash trying to load the xp sp2 upgrade. I'll try again.

Is this a new install?  You may want to reinstall at this point.

Hmm not sure what you mean exactly by "new install," but here's the scoop. I've been having memory access errors and now installer problems, so I did an xp repair. I've also done a sfc / scan ( I think that's what's it's called) and had some luck for awhile with some software that wasn't' loading correctly.
I may have just too damn much software- Smarty Unistaller is logging me in at 358 programs- not included MS stuff and upgrades etc.
I hate to do fresh install because of work involved in getting the programs back up.

fresh install = new install.
wow u have 358 programs? no wonder there are somany issues!

yes, lots of problems, I seems. Ok though, the xp sp2 re-install went well, but still upgrades won't install. Hmm. I'm pretty sure I fixed this issue before, after an XP repair,  by changing the version of windows installer.

"I hate to do fresh install because of work involved in getting the programs back up."

Seems like you are putting quite a bit of work into troubleshooting.  At least with the new install your time is spent customizing a nice clean working version of Windows.

very true

dial-a-fix did work once I used it correctly and used its restore the permissions feature

Just curious, why a B?

u shud be thankful ur answer even got selected.

Why should I be thankful dream?  I suggested dial-a-fix and it solved the problem.

Hi Sudbury,
I thought the B was odd, as I've never seen a grade pop-up when I accepted a solution. I didn't assign the grade of B, it just appeared. I appreciate the all the help, I choose the first solution that suggested, and introduced me to dial-a-fix, as it did ultimately fix the problem for me, once I figured out how to use it, and noticed that it had tools, etc that weren't obvious to me at first.
I hope I did this solution acceptance process fairly, without snubbing anyone....  

It's all good.  Glad to see you are up and running.

dial-a-fix is one of my main tools now.  Gets me out of a lot of jams.

Cool, thanks Sudbury.

Yea, I really like dial-a-fix- went through and used lots of it's features. Thanks again for turning me on to it!