Windows 7 SP1 not being offered on Windows Update

Question

I use ShellExecute from Delphi to open VLC media player to play songs. Sometimes it works and sometimes it fails (For one song it works and for most doesn't). When it fails it displays a few msgs (for each failure) - notifying that it failed to open the file (which exists for sure!). Each msg shows a different file name it looks for. For each file that it fails it shows segments of the file name, which of course it not a proper name. Looks as if it tries to open the file a few times, but each tine the file name is incorrect. I read through other ShellExecute problems and none helped. But someone answered "Dont forget to wait with the file" (or something like that.) I use ShellExecute to open youtube and it works fine. Thanks a lot!!!! Aviella Angel

Solution 1

Are you sure you do not have the mentioned version of the Intel Graphics driver installed? It might be disabled so it does not show in DxDiag.

In my case this was the reason for SP1 not being offered by Windows Update. I once used the onboard graphics so the Intel driver was installed at some time. Then I added a PEG graphics card and disabled the onboard device. So the driver was present but could not show up in DxDiag. I enabled the onbord graphics card again in bios and after rebooting Windows Update found an update for the Intel driver. I installed it and after rebooting and searching for updates again SP1 was offered as it should.

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OP Update: This turns out to be the answer. Even though i didn't have the Intel GMA adapter "installed" i did have the "old" driver on my system. Disabling my nVidia PCI Express video card in the BIOS, and enabling the built-in (Intel) adapter, and the Intel graphics card was then installed in Windows:

A check of available updates in Windows Update showed me an update to the driver for my Intel GMA graphics adapter:

Applying the update, restarting, and now i have Windows 7 Service Pack 1 available on Windows Update:

It's unfortunate that no Windows Update Log, or the Event Log, showed that the presence of an old version of a driver is preventing the publishing of an update. i would have hoped that the issue could have been debugged, rather than inferred.

Solution 2

Microsoft was providing SP1 group by group during it's initial release to keep from DDOS and too many people downloading at once which is normal for large deployments like this one. So that might still be in effect (not sure though)

One thing I did notice was some people were having to manually "check for updates" in order for it to be listed. I don't know if this was "by design" for SP1 or if it's because it's not considered a Push deployment update (push deployments automatically update when the user sets up Microsoft Update for auto download/auto install). Major releases like Service Packs generally do not get a push deployment by Microsoft until a year after it's released. This is due to Microsoft providing businesses time to insure SP1 works with all their software. This was done for SP1 and SP2 of Windows Vista and SP 1,2 and 3 of Windows XP. It was done for SP 4,5 and 6 on Windows 2000 but not on SP 1,2 and 3 of Windows 2000. It was never done for previous versions of Windows as they did not receive SP updates.

Solution 3

Your update catalog could be corrupt, to reset the Windows Update Catalog, there is no way to diagnose this other than to reset it, then try Windows Update again.

Follow the instructions in this link, use the "Let me fix it myself" section

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

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Ignore the "Applies to" section if you have windows 7, it works for W7 also.

Source of information

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Edit:

Free Windows Update support from Microsoft via email

https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?LN=en-us&gprid=6527&x=18&y=11&st=1&wfxredirect=1&sd=gn

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Solution 4

The quickest and easiest repair option is the Windows Update Troubleshooter. Open Control Panel, click in the search box, and type troubleshoot. Click the Troubleshooting link at the top of the search results, then click System and Security, and finally click Windows Update. The troubleshooter runs quickly. On my system, which had no noticeable issues with recent updates, it detected a minor problem and fixed it.

If that Fails try this

Source and full article: Here

Solution 5

That's really odd and no doubt frustrating. The only thing I could suggest is to scrub this attempt and maybe try to get it from the site directly: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=c3202ce6-4056-4059-8a1b-3a9b77cdfdda if you haven't tried that already.

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Comments

[Joel Coehoorn]

Since it's not part of the diagnosis in the general case, I'll keep this to a comment. Are you running Kaspersky? I heard that kaspersky was causing issues with the sp1 update, and so they may have pulled it in cases where they detect a kaspersky install.

[Ian Boyd]

i am not running Kaspersky, or any other 3rd party security software.

[100rabh]

@IanBoyd are you on OEM edition? I haven't been offered SP1 either. FWIW - I don't have any AV software running - but I do have Intel GMA/ATi Radeon switch-able graphics thingy - hmm guess that explains it

[Ian Boyd]

@Sathya It's not an OEM edition of Windows (as you can see in the first screenshot), but a regular Windows 7 Professional install.

[paradd0x]

Did you check the Optional updates?

[100rabh]

@AndrejaKo Thanks - I've confirmed that Igdkmd64.sys is installed - and I can't upgrade it :(

[Ian Boyd]

i've updated the question with screenshot proof that i've "Checked" for updates, and that SP1 is not being offered.

[Ian Boyd]

@TuxRug How would i know if there is a group policy preventing service pack installation? Four colleagues machines all have taken the service pack. What screenshot can i append to the original question to show that no such group policy is applied to my PC? secpol.msc? -> ? -> ? ?

[Ian Boyd]

i'm not sure what your answer is saying (in terms of providing an answer), but i have run "Check for updates". Updated original question with screenshots.

[Ian Boyd]

i tried the troubleshooter, with no effect. i ran the Windows System Update Readiness Tool, with no effect.

[Ian Boyd]

i ran the "Fix it for me" tool, and rebooted. Didn't fix it. i followed the manual instructions (which were not designed for Windows 7, or 64-bit Windows). Didn't fix it.

[Ian Boyd]

i may end up doing this; but i'm still hoping to actually solve the problem.

[George Straight]

What "user23109" answered above is not right, the whole "selected user groups" thing is a lie. Ian Boyd, I have the very same problem as you. Do you also run a 64bit version? My other system -32bit - has Windows Update showing SP1 for more than a week now.

[100rabh]

@max if it's not right leave a comment/downvote. There's no need to get confrontational

[Moab]

Check my EDIT..

[Ian Boyd]

@max My 64-bit work machine is not being offered the update. Five colleague's 64-bit machines are offered the update. My home 64-bit machine was offered the update. A version of Windows 7 running inside Virtual PC (i.e. 32-bit) was offered the update. The only one not being given the update is my particular work computer.

[Ian Boyd]

Apparently i'm out of my 1 year of free support (The product ID number you entered has expired. Please enter another product ID number or select a different support option below.). It's $59 otherwise.

[Moab]

Try this link, it is supped to be Free Windows update support via email...support.microsoft.com/oas/…

[Ian Boyd]

In the end, a support engineer will be in no better position to solve the problem than i am. i contacted support for an issue once; i got to listen to him mumble to himself as he googled. After four days he suggested re-installing Windows. i insisted that we find an actual solution.