Windows Update very slow

[zlim]

I have three computers running 2K. Two computers update without a problem. The third one takes twenty minutes or longer. It's been semi-broken for about a year. All computers are set to not auto update. I patched all three this morning. As usual, two took a few minutes and the third took two attempts, both about half an hour each time. The first ended in some sort of errorl, which told me to empty temp files or got to MS for help - been there, done that, didn't solve the problem so I ignored the message. I immediately fired up windows update (without changing a thing) again and after 20 min. of watching the scrolling green bar, it came up with the same two updates one of the other computers grabbed in a few minutes.On all computers I disable AdMuncher. On the problem computer, I get the normal screen about telling me ActiveX must be on (it is) then checking for the latest version of windows update. That goes at the normal clip. Then the green scroll bar goes back and forth for about half an hour. What is it doing then? Any ideas on what I need to change or where I look to compare settings? (On my main computer I have activeX turned off and I have to keep selecting yes to run activex and scripts - this one, despite all the popups, updates without a problem).

[zlim]

What I've done so far:1. Checked to see that the services on both computers match as far as automatic/manual2. looked at WUAUENG.dll to see that the windows update is the same version3. Cleared the IE temp folder several times4. Started to go through each setting on all the tabs in Internet Explorer Tools/Internet options so far I've changed one item: under LAN on the problem computer, I've unchecked automatically detect settingsI've managed to reduce the time from 20 to 30 minutes down to 4, when I tried a few minutes ago.5. Looked at Task Manager while the green bar is scrolling to see what is working. The % is divided between svchost and iexplore which seems normal. None of my security programs (which I might add are the same on the other computer) seems to be creating interference.6. Added windowsupdate to the trusted sites listSomewhere there might be an obscure setting that needs to be changed but I haven't stumbled across the magic setting yet. Most of the troubleshooting articles I've read either deal with XP or Vista or go into detail about the WU errors. I get no error code, just an extremely long time waiting for the page of possible updates to appear.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I fired up the non-problem computer. Windows Update took less than a minute. I looked at task manager and % were divided between svchost and iexplore BUT on this computer svchost had between 99% and 83% with iexplore very little. On the problem computer, it seems like iexplore is taking too much away from svchost to let it do the job quickly.Now to search to see how to give svchost more focus.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~found this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/250320checked both registries just to compare values and both seem to match.Maybe I need to do more on the IE end of things.

Edited May 12, 2007 by zlim

[Ed_P]

Wow, you've made an amazing improvement in the time zlim. Could the speed of the NIC play a roll or it's connection to the router? HD speed, rotation and buffers? IE's cache? HD fragmentation? RAM? Optional WUs?

[patio]

Here Just thinking that a corrupt ActiveX might be the culprit.patio.

[zlim]

Thanks patio but everything I see there applies to XP and 2003 not 2000.I've been following something about a windows patch that will be released on May 22nd that will update the windows update but again everything I'm reading and the links I follow seems to apply to XP and 2003 not 2000.EdP, I've cleaned and defragged this notebook recently because I made another Ghost and I always do maintenance before I image. (I recently removed Boot Magic, Partition Magic, wiped the linux partition and gone back to one large partition so I've pretty much cleaned it up).Windows Update is the only thing that is slow on this notbook. I see no difference in surfing compared to the other computers attached to the router.I don't think it's the NIC because I've had this computer since 2001 and broadband since 2004. It is only within the past year the windows update is very slow to respond. I've looked over the entries in ZA to see if maybe I blocked something that shouldn't be blocked but more than likely that would have completely prevented update from connecting at all.I'm not sure what Optional WUs are so I don't know if that's the problem.I have the three computers set for Windows Update rather than Microsoft Update. I've been firing them up and comparing one to the other just to see if I could some how spy something different that might explain the problem.

[Ed_P]

I'm not sure what Optional WUs are so I don't know if that's the problem.

Sorry Optional Windows Updates When you go to Windows Update select the Custom button. There could be something in the Software, and Hardware, Optional Types that may have been overlooked that needs to be applied.

[goretsky]

Hello,I found a message thread in another forum mentioning a problem with damaged Windows Update services here. Message #11 in the thread gives a short script file one can run to fix the problem. While it is not an exact match for the problem you are experiencing perhaps it will solve the problem.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky

[zlim]

Thanks EdP...I'll check on the optional updates. Most of the optional items I have unchecked and say, don't show me these any more.goretsky, I'll fire up the notebook, go to the thread and see what I can do with the script. I'll report back if it helped or not.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I ran the script then rebooted. On reboot, I got a BSOD with the stop error 1E, KMode_Exception_Not_Handled. Guess I'll need to google that one to see what is going on. It mentioned something about ntsokrnl.exe; just off the top of my head, this notebook is formatted FAT32 because it originally had ME on it. I never did format as NTFS because I had linux on it and figured it was just easier if I wanted to share files and folders to keep it as FAT32.I shut down the computer, turned it on and went for Windows Update. I guess yesterday's four minute update was a fluke because today it took 8 minutes. I guess I'll look on the bright side, 8 minutes is better than 20-30 minutes that I had previously.EdP, I looked at what I had hidden and the only things I did not install were WMP 9 update (I use WMP Classic, some sort of v6.4 on this for the few times I use it) and NET framework. There was also something dealing with my NIC. I remember installing that "update" and it broke my connection so I had to roll back to the previous driver. I suspect I had that hidden so I wouldn't be tempted to try it again.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Did a search for my stop error, discarding all the ones for XP and came up with this

Stop 0x0000001E or KMODE_EXCEPTION_NOT_HANDLED - This message indicates that there is not enough free space on the drive, the BIOS is incompatible or needs upgrading, or you are using a third party hardware driver that is not compatible.

1. The hd is 18.5 gig and 14.7 gigs is free so I suspect I have enough free space on my drive :hysterical:2. I went to the HP site (I had updated the BIOS in Nov. 2002) and I saw one listed with a 2005 date so I downloaded it, and proceeded to flash the BIOS. It stopped saying it was for GF and my BIOS is GD so even though it was listed for my model number Pavilion N5470, apparently it was not for my notebook.3. I'm not at this point in time going to try and ferret out a third party hardware driver that may not be compatible since I haven't installed any hardware drivers in a few years and the stop error doesn't seem to be a recurring thing. I guess it is just one of windows little hiccups designed to keep us on our toes realizing that the OS can do what it wants whenever it wants! Edited May 14, 2007 by zlim

[goretsky]

Hello,I wonder if the problem might be due in part from the Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition to Windows 2000 upgrade. If there is nothing important on the hard disk drive, have you considered wiping the hard disk drive and starting with a clean installation of Microsoft Windows 2000? You can download the appropriate service packs and device drivers beforehand and place them onto a disc or USB flash drive so they can be copied over to the notebook computer's hard disk drive and run when you are ready to install them.Regards,Aryeh Goretsky

[zlim]

I did not do an upgrade. I did a clean install by partitioning the hard drive, using Partition magic and Boot Magic. I paid for a CD from HP that had all the drivers on it I needed so it was a clean install.Also, Windows Update worked fine up, just like all the other computers, until about a year ago (not exactly sure how many months) then I started to note the slowdown. In fact, the ME partition never slowed down. So something in 2000 has changed but I don't know what.I don't really want to wipe and start over because I had to do some maneuvering to get Adaptec (pre-Roxio) v4 to work as my burning software under 2000. I knew it should work because Adaptec came installed on the computer so it works with my CD-R/DVD. I have Roxio v6 installed on my other computer with two burners and that does not work. (It seems to skip the finalize step, I think. Any data I burn with it can't be read so I've been using ImgBurn for ISOs. That's the only burning I do on there until I can find a program that will work). So all my data CDs are burned on this notebook. (The other remaining daily use computers don't have burners). It gets real complicated with what computer can do what.

Edited May 14, 2007 by zlim