Windows Update snafu

[wojo629]

Long story short:

Friend dropped off his WXP SP2 PC with me because he was having issues with machine. Machine was infested with spyware, he had an expired version of NAV,
using Windows firewall, no anti-spyware programs running.
I cleaned out and removed all the pests, installed KAV 6.0, AVG Antispyware(Ewido), SpyBot, Ad-Aware, ZA Firewall.

After getting PC up and running and happy again I went in to check MS Updates, due to the problems he was having machine something had messed with the host files thus restricting access to MS Updates-fixed host file, and was informed that 61 updates were needed. Downloaded the updates and started installing, everything going good until the October version of the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool installed...Now the problem I have is that the I cannot install the updates, PC reboots everytime when trying to install updates. Checked my update history at the MS website, everything was good until October version of Mal Removal tool was installed and then the errors. Shows error code 0x80248007 when I bring up details.

Question- Is there a way to remove the one update, even though it doesn't show in Add/Remove programs via control panel?

Will going into C:\windows\$NtUninstallXXXXX$ and removing/deleting take care of problem?

Thanks.

[alphanumeric]

Deleting the $NtUninstallXXXXX$ folders won't help. That is just the un-install info used by add-remove program to undo/uninstall an update. If you delete the folder that update can't be un-installed. You could manually download the Windows Malicious Software Removal tool and run it again to see if it will fix your problem. There is some info here that may help.

[wojo629]

Thanks alphanumeric, will try what you suggested and let you know what happens.

[wojo629]

Some more info, working on a second PC with spyware problems...Updated MS after clean up as I did above and now having problems with the second PC...The common denominator is they are both using Kaspersky for AV..Me thinks KAV and MS are not playing well together..more on this later.

But the question still stands, can you uninstall an update that is not listed in Add/Remove?

[alphanumeric]

A program? maybe.
A windows update? Probabaly not.
If you want to uninstall an appliction that has no uninstall program and it is not listed in the Add/Remove applet of Control Panel
(or that uninstall doesn't work), then just delete the directory/files.
Then open regedit and drill down to:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\ and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE

locating the applications entry and delete them.

Use Explorer to to remove the entries from the Start Menu in either
%windir%\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\ and/or
%windir%\Profiles\YourId\Start Menu\Programs\

If there is an entry in the Add/Remove list, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

locate the entry and delete it. If the app has a service, edit:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services

and scroll down till you locate it. Then delete it.

If this app starts automatically and there is no entry in the StartUp folder(s), then use Regedt32 to edit:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

load REG_SZ and
run REG_SZ

Remove the offending value and reboot.

[dunedin]

Hello wojo629

Try using the Recovery Console

http://windowsxp.mvps.org/spuninst.htm

Elaine

[wojo629]

Thank you alpanumeric and dunedin, I discovered what the problem was.

Update KB922582 was causing all the trouble, I ended up updating one update at a time and when the PC had a hissy fit and shut down I had my aa-haa moment. Not alot of info out there on how to fix- PC ran fine without it and is still running fine now, will try to conquer at a later date.

Thanks guys!

.......now for a new post!!

[dunedin]

That`s the problem with doing a whole pile of Updates at once. One bad apple can cause havoc. You found the best solution, even if it does take a lot longer.

Thanks for posting back

Elaine