Re-install Active X?

luckily i know things about computers go to tools then internet options. then go to security. and at the bottom there should be something that says custom level and find active x on there. one more thing though don't do anything besides active x

Well, luckily or unfortunately I dunno, but from what I know about computers, that problem can be due to a number of things - some easy to fix, some taking a little more effort.

First, go to Internet Explorer's toolbar, and select "Tools". From the "Tools" menu, click "Internet Options". On the "General" tab, delete temporary files, history, and cookies. Next, click the "Security" tab, and then click "Trusted Sites". Click "Sites", then click to clear the checkbox labled "Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone". In the "Add this Web site to the zone" dialog box, type or paste the following URLs, clicking "Add" after you enter each:



Click "OK" twice then "Apply" to exit back to Windows, reboot, then, before trying to update turn off/disable your resident security/privacy software (antivirus, antispyware, add/popup blockers, firewall, that sorta thing) and see what happens when you try to update. If no joy, try the following, one at a time, in order, rebooting after each, and see if anything helps.

If and as necessary, and only if and as necessary, step trough these possible fixes in order, running the suggested fix, rebooting, then revisiting Microsoft Update[/i][/b] to see what happens. If you're successful at any point, you're done - skip the rest.

Fix 1) - Go to Start>Run, type, without the quotes, "cmd", click "OK" or hit [ENTER], then at the blinking prompt in the black box that opens, type, without the quotes, "regsvr32 wuauserv.dll" , hit [ENTER] - you should get a message saying either "successful" or "could not ... ". Either way, at the blinking prompt, type, without the quotes, "exit" and hit [ENTER] to close the command prompt and return to Windows. If you received a "success" message, reboot and see what happens when you try to update. If you received a failure message, or if you still can't update, move to fix 2.

Fix 2) Perhaps some services and/or required for running Windows Update service for whatever reason no longer are running or registered correctly with Windows.

This should stop the services, re-register the files used and restart the necessary services.

Open Notepad or your preferred text editor (its really best to use Notepad for this, though). Copy&Paste the following into it - exactly as below:

%windir%\system32\net.exe stop bits
%windir%\system32\net.exe stop wuauserv
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\atl.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\jscript.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\msxml3.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\softpub.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wuapi.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wuaueng.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wuaueng1.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wucltui.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wups.dll
%windir%\system32\regsvr32.exe %windir%\system32\wuweb.dll
%windir%\system32\net.exe start bits
%windir%\system32\net.exe start wuauserv

Then "Save as ... ", naming the file "WUREPAIR.CMD" (be sure to include the quotes in the filename - don't save the file as a "TXT" file), to your Desktop or some folder you can easily find and access. Locate the saved file, double-click it to run it (confirm if prompted). Reboot, and see what happens when you try to update. If still no joy, move to Fix 3


Fix 3) Download and install, per instructions on the page, the latest version of
Microsoft XML Parser (MSXML) 3.0 Service Pack 5 (SP5)
When that has downloaded and installed, reboot, and see what happens when you try to update.

Done correctly, one of those 3 will handle about 95% of Update Failure errors of the sort you reported; the 1st fix works about half the time, the 2nd fix, if necessary (ie - the 1st fix didn't help) works about a third of the time, and the 3rd fix, if necessary, works mosta the rest of the time. Lemme know how you're getting along - if you're still having troubles, mebbe we can go at this from another angle.

what i said makes more sense that what urs said no one has that much time to read everything u wrote and what i wrote actually takes a couple of minutes not hours unlike urs

Be that it as it may, what I suggested actually addresses the reported problem. What you suggested does not address the reported problem, in fact has nothing at all to do with the reported problem, is imprecisely, confusingly described, and would be a total waste of time and effort. No big deal, really ... its just that you and I come at this from different perspectives; you see, as it happens, actually, I happen to know what I'm talking about.

i do know what i am talking about as of i have actuall tried it if u follow my instructions given u will know i am in fact correct on my decision to do so.

I'm just a silly guy but I would rely on Timberland.

As I said, have it your way. Folks pay me to get this sorta stuff taken care of correctly.

The part where I wrote:


is the only thing even remotely resembling your suggestion. Under the "Security" tab in Internet Options, the default settings for Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted Sites, and Restricted Sites respectively each provide adequate, safe functionality, and should be left alone by most users, or if necessary, be reset to default levels. Adding the Microsoft Update URLs to Trusted Sites and de-selecting "Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone" will further prevent Windows' own built-in safeguards from interfering with Microsoft Update.

What you suggested - supposing somebody might actually be able to get past your muddled instructions and somehow figure out how what you're recommending might be done (and I'm not gonna clarify) actually would inhibit and/or defeat intendended built-in safeguards native to Windows/Internet Explorer and dangerously exposes Windows to all sortsa exploits. Again, even supposing somebody figures out what you're getting at, that approach is DANGEROUS.

But, its your machine, you certainly may do whatever you like. I prefer to do - and to advise folks to do - what is safe, effective, and necessary.

I will say, however, that when folks follow advice of the type you provided, it provides me with a lot of business. Thanks for the income ... I appreciate it.

Since you're being arrogant about this, I'll chime in with my agreement that your instructions make little sense, are almost certainly not related to the issue at hand, and are dangerous without additional details. Even if it was relevant, there are 10 or more ActiveX-related settings under Tools > Internet Options > Security > Custom Level. Which are you proposing changing the settings for, and for which zones? (For the record, the easiest way to set the security options in a sensible manner is to simply click "Reset all zones to default level.")

By providing detailed, easy-to-follow instructions that tackle multiple possible reasons for the issue, Timber's instructions have the potential to help many people with similar issues who stumble across this post in the future.

Thank you very much indeed Timber. I did not mean to be the catalyst for a controversy. I will run through your suggestions tomorrow, it's sleepy time time.

There are other weird goings-on too as MS Word has developed some odd habits:

Out of the blue, at any given time, the characters on the keyboard as inputted, will suddenly not confirm to the characters on the display, nor will commands like cut and paste, they also suddenly will enable other commands. Sometimes shutting down MS Word fixes the problem, sometimes I have to re-boot XP.

I just upgraded from Office 87 to Office 2003 in an effort to alleviate these problems to no avail, I have read that older versions of MS Word can be buggy with the latest rev of Win XP.

This nonconforming characters problem started when I forcefully shut down my laptop in the middle of a major auto-update (unbeknownst to me) and upon reboot the laptop acted buggy so I ran Window Washer (which if anything made things worse).

Also when I open MS Word it will prompt me with one of the following but, this (at least in part) was present sometime before the forced mid-auto-update shut down my laptop.

"The macros in the project are disabled please refer to....."
"This file is in use do you want to make copy....."(it has not prompted this recently so I can't remember the exact phrasing)
"Some of the formatting will be lost do you want to save anyway..."(it has not prompted this recently, so I can't remember the exact phrasing)

PS I always edit Services down to a more minimal level, but I do that on all my XP machines, and am very careful to leave the needed ones on, I turn off needless stuff like infrared etc.

Much thanks again!

Timber, monger

toogood18 is 15 years old. You will find her on the millsberry threads. 15 year olds know every thing, Just ask one. You orta know better than to argue

Which reminds me, I have another XP laptop (pretty new Toshiba) and the keyboard stopped responding, although the touch pad still functions, I am pretty certain it's software related as (if I remember correctly) it stopped during some type of software loading / upgrading, I can't remember exactly what I was doing at the time this took place.

I tried updating re-loading the keyboard driver no dice, device manger says no problems, I have not tried an external keyboard.

Oh, I know there's no point arguing with those sorts ... but there's no reason to let bad, misinformed, dangerous "advice" go uncorrected.

dadpad i did like u better than the other people on the other threads now i dn't no offence. i didn't say i know everything. also if u think being on millsberry threads are so immature u will happen to see ur name on them also talking about vaginas
and if he use what i have said he can choose what he wants for the active x.

i'm not 15 for ur info and i don't care what any of u think just look at my siggy

No matter how old you are or what games you like to play, the "advice" you offered compromises security and privacy - it is worse than "bad", it is dangerous ... which, if you in fact had working knowledge of browsers, operating systems, coding, and exploits, you'd realize. Your tender of suggestions of that sort is both immature and irresponsible.

Vagina vagina vagina.

toogood when u gonna learn not to take life so seriously sweetness.

Laugh a liitle, no-one here wants to hurt you.

i never said they wanted to hurt me i don't even know them for them to hurt me