cannot use windows xp updates

Have you tried running a smaller group of updates?  
Sometimes if one updates hangs, you cannot get any of them to load. IF you will select a smaller group of updates, and try them in smaller groups, you should be able to find the problem update. I have even had situations where I had to do one update at a time to find the problem.
What sort of error message are you getting? Be specific, including the error number.
Are you trying to auto update? or using manual update and custom instead or express?  I recommend this until you get the updates in and working.

it says some versions of windows were discontinued for support.  they do give some links though.  microsoft goes to this page as soon as you reinstall xp.  had to change a hard drive, so the os had to be reinstalled.

thanks

I would say it's because you have only SP 1 or SP 2 on the system.  
First thing to try is manually updating, set the updates to custom. See if that works, if not, then look thru the updates, and find the SP 2 or SP 3 updates, and try that....
IF that doesn't work, let me know and I'll get you the link for SP3 direct download.