Discrepancy between Microsoft and Belarc Windows updates reports

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My friend has an HP Compaq dx2200 MT desktop with XP SP3 and it was running very slow so I looked into some maintenance

What stood out is his Microsoft Automatic Updates isn’t working and I just completed umpteen updates for him because he hasn’t been doing them
— I tried to set his updates to work automatically but couldn’t
— Part of the error message is “Security Center could not change your Automatic Updates settings”
— I went online and found http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919745 and I’m pretty sure I can follow the instructions when I go back next week

However, I ran Belarc and it reports 10 updates are still needed even though Microsoft Updates report no more updates are needed: high priority or optionals
— I’m thinking of accessing the ones identified by Belarc and installing them
— Is this a good idea?

Does anyone know why there is such a discrepancy & how to ensure it doesn’t happen in the future?

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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Have you tried this http://www.gtopala.com/

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Have you tried this http://www.gtopala.com/

That’s not free anymore, so I am recommending Priiform’s Speccy instead.

If this issue occurs when using the built-in Microsoft Updates mechanism in Windows, you can always manually open your browser and go to the Microsoft Updates website to get your updates. Often, just going through this process will track down and fix issues with your built-in MS Updates mechanism.

I just noticed when setting up that link that Windows 8 will not let me do this. So there’s something else I don’t like about Windows 8.

-- rc primak

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If this issue occurs when using the built-in Microsoft Updates mechanism in Windows, you can always manually open your browser and go to the Microsoft Updates website to get your updates. Often, just going through this process will track down and fix issues with your built-in MS Updates mechanism.

I just noticed when setting up that link that Windows 8 will not let me do this. So there’s something else I don’t like about Windows 8.

You can’t use any Microsoft/Windows Update web site from Windows 7 or Vista either. So how did you find that process would often fix issues with your built-in mechanism?

Bruce

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You can’t use any Microsoft/Windows Update web site from Windows 7 or Vista either. So how did you find that process would often fix issues with your built-in mechanism?

Bruce

I was able to do this trick with Windows 7 Home Premium a couple of times before SP1. With Windows XP it used to be possible, of course, but on some computers, if you configure things correctly (turn off Automatic Updates for example), it may still be possible to do the trick on Windows Vista and Windows 7 to this day. If not, Microsoft has troubleshooters and Fixits for common Windows Updates issues.

Since the advice to go through the browser seems no longer to be universally possible, I will alter my advice to trying the troubleshooters and the Fixits instead. They should fix most common issues with the mechanism and its Registration. That should avoid any confusion or outright failures in the future.

-- rc primak

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That’s not free anymore.

Thanks for the headsup Bob. I haven’t used SIW recently but still have a very old version saved. Will try it to see what happens.

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Thanks for the headsup Bob. I haven’t used SIW recently but still have a very old version saved. Will try it to see what happens.

The main issue with using the old version of SIW is that it hasn’t been updated to deal with Windows 8. Windows 7 users should get good and reliable results.

Being one who prefers utilities which are still free and supported by their vendors, I have switched to Speccy. It offers at least as much info as SIW, and is just as reliable in my experience on three OS versions and two laptops.

-- rc primak

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Are you using Windows update or Microsoft update? Microsoft update is Windows update enabled to check for updates to Microsoft products other than Windows.

Joe

--Joe

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Try the Microsoft Security Baseline Analyzer. Its a good tool to identify missing patches not correctly reported by WU, can help pinpoint WU issues, and link to the missing patches to manually install them if needed.

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Problem fixed. In the http://support.microsoft.com/kb/919745 that I had checked out, I followed the instructions and discovered that the automatic updates had been disabled in Services so I set both items to Automatic & Start and that the NoAutoUpdate in the registry was set to 1 so I changed it to 0. Restarted the computer and all missing updates including the ones identified in Belarc just decided to be installed and downloaded.

Joe I was using Windows update & when I tried Microsoft update, the problem was the same. But I always wondered what the difference was between Windows update & Microsoft update and now I know. Thanks for that info.

Roderunner & Chuck, thanks for your recommendations. I have a few other friends who need help on their and I’m going to try your recommendations on theirs

HP EliteBook 8540w laptop Windows 10 Pro (x64)

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You’re welcome. Glad you go it worked out. Thanks for posting your solution.

Joe

--Joe

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Hi Bob, SIW is not in my stored files as previously thought. Will try Speccy next.

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Hi Bob, SIW is not in my stored files as previously thought. Will try Speccy next.

Let us know if Speccy meets your needs — or doesn’t. I’ve heard mixed reviews from friends.

-- rc primak

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Let us know if Speccy meets your needs — or doesn’t. I’ve heard mixed reviews from friends.

Not really, MBSA gives more info.

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Fair enough.

-- rc primak

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Forgot to say, MBSA would not run or work on my Laptop, not that I’m overly concerned as everything is running well.

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Roderunner, is it XP or Win7? I’m not sure that MBSA works properly on Windows 7. I suggested it to the OP because he was dealing with XP.

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Roderunner, is it XP or Win7? I’m not sure that MBSA works properly on Windows 7. I suggested it to the OP because he was dealing with XP.

Your link says MBSA runs on Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows 2000 systems (but not Windows 8).

Bruce

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Hi Chuck, my pc specs are above my sig. Tried MBSA on my Laptop.

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