Three of the four patches on Windows Update will not install on my (XP) machine. The cumulative patch went in fine. The three single patches downloaded fine, acted as if they were installing, but I got a message at the end that they woildn't go in.

I've never had this before. Machine was fully patched until this. I emptied cache, rebooted, ran Symantec's WinDoctor, did a virus scan ...

Any thoughts?

Serious question: are you using a pirated license key? Don't answer here, but ask yourself. I believe a recent Windows Update Services update included additional routines to catch pirated license keys preventing updates from installing.

If this is not the case maybe try doing a system restore to a point before the updates were installed and try again.

Alan: I hadn't heard anything about additional key routimes, except as proposed in the Service Pack II. But anyway it isn't a pirated key (and I haven't downloaded the beta of SPII yet, I'm not comfortable with beta programs).

Also, it installed the cumulative patch just fine, just not the three "critical" singles available; if by some mistake Microsoft was reading my operatng system as pirated, I don't think it would let me install the cumulative patch, but that's a guess on my part, I don't know much about this kind of thing. If I'm wrong about this, maybe I should call Microsoft and demand to know why my legitimate operating system is being blocked.

I tried a system restore. It refused to restore to two weeks ago. It did restore to four days ago. After the restore, I again tried Windows Update. It again downloaded the four available criticals, but again it only would install the cumulative, not the three singles.

This seems to me a screwy problem. I've never experienced anything like it.

what version of windows update?

Scratch what I said about the updates & serials. Remembered a situation wrong.

Do you know the numbers of the updates? Maybe there's something in the MS Knowledgebase.

Well, it appears to be fixed. Here is what I did:

I was having such trouble that I decided to install the software for the new Windows Update site. I figured if that wasn't the problem, I'd say the heck with it and do a clean install. And sure enough, that didn't fix it - I couldn't get the new Windows Update site to scan my computer. I followed Microsoft's "fix" suggestions, made sure the proxy setting was correct and added the addresses to the "trusted" sites. Still it didn't work.

(The three 'single" critical downloads I've been writing about - that I was unable to install - were numbrs 841873, 840315, and 839645.)

Slept on it.

This morning I confirmed all my findings, then I decided to disable Norton Internet Security 2002. I've been having trouble with the program on the two computers I have connected wirelessly. Immediately after disabling Internet Security, I was able to access the new Windows Update site, have it scan my computer, and download the patches. And to my surprise, all the patches were installed without a hitch.

So, the problem appears to be fixed.

I'm giving up on Norton Internet Security 2002 and will go with Microsoft's firewall enabled for a while. I would appreciate any thoughts on this - does Microsoft's firewall really work? Or is there a better firewall not named Norton that I should be trying?

I also appreciate your thoughts on getting my problem fixed.

I'd rather have zonealarm or blackice than NIS

Well, it appears as though your problem has been fixed...good for your for figuring it out! Now the issue becomes security. Yes, the MS firewall works, but it's very basic. I'd also recommend Zonealarm or Blackice.

Here's a good place to start reading about the XP ICF
Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 320855
Description of the Windows XP Internet Connection Firewall