Windows XP can't update critical updates.

Did you try this? - http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4899.html

empty the browser cache and delete ALL ActiveX components, quit the browser
and relaunch

Windows Updates

Hi CT.
I d/l DialaFix and it worked like a charm. Win xp back to being fully updated. Thanks again to all.

It was probably some DLLs that needed to be re-registered. I've had this problem on some customer's comps I've ran XP repair installations on. Updates won't install, none of them. Re-registered the DLLs as outlined by Microsoft and PRESTO! All the updates installed!

Registering DLLs

Hi and thanks almcneil.
How would I go about - and I quote from your message -
"Re-registered the DLLs as outlined by Microsoft"
cheers and tia.
Basil

Here are the steps from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822798

Method 4: Reregister DLL files that are associated with Cryptographic Services

To register .dll files that are associated with Cryptographic Services, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then OK.

2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and press ENTER after each command:
regsvr32 /u softpub.dll
regsvr32 /u wintrust.dll
regsvr32 /u initpki.dll
regsvr32 /u dssenh.dll
regsvr32 /u rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 /u gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 /u sccbase.dll
regsvr32 /u slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 /u mssip32.dll
regsvr32 /u cryptdlg.dll
exit
Note Click OK if you are prompted.

Note Microsoft Windows 2000 does not include the Sccbase.dll file. If you are running a version of Windows 2000, omit the Sccbase.dll file.

3. Restart your computer.

4. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.

5. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and press ENTER after each command:
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 mssip32.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll
exit
Note Click OK if you are prompted.

Note Microsoft Windows 2000 does not include the Sccbase.dll file. If you are running a version of Windows 2000, omit the Sccbase.dll file.

6. Restart the computer.

Thank you almcneil.

DOH!

That is what DialaFix does!