Re: windows update to wrong drive

I have Norton

Oh, oh. *Any* Symantec 'product' for home use with a Windows OS may/will bring about updating issues.
The version of Norton installed is not allowing the system to be validated. Using IE, go here for a diagnosis:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/diag/

IF this is a Norton 'security suite' with a firewall, suggest you disable that firewall and use the native XP firewall instead when visiting the above link.

IF the system can be validated, then revisit Windows Update once more.

I'm not sure just what the issue is here, Amy. At first it appeared to be a disk space issue but now that you mention that Norton is installed, all bets are off.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


Amy wrote:

I actually, just thought I should add. . .

I'm realizing I don't currently have any notifications for new updates. When I do run Windows Update, I get a message that "To use the latest version of Windows Update, [I] need to uprade some of its components." I had tried run the download for this more than once, & it fails to download. It's the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool (KB892130).

This possibly explains the error message I was getting when I deleted the folders.

"Amy" wrote:


I finished cleaning out the files (& emptying recycle bin). Minimal impact on C drive space.

The files were remaining in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download (I did delete them after the previous post).

For my own verification. I can delete the files that are showing up on my G drive. For example (as I just found them still sitting in my recycle bin), I had a folder named 48a37009a21b51ee8d. This is a staging file? They seemed like temp files to me, but for some reason Windows didn't seem happy when tried to delete them. I got an error message something along the lines of a missing file or component (unfortunately I didn't write it down) when I did it.

Also, when I went back to Windows Update, it said I hadn't downloaded files which supposedly were downloaded when I had previously left. I had noticed that after I had downloaded that the notification that updates were available was still showing (I prefer to download manually, auto-downloads mess-up my internet connection -- I have Norton, we'll leave it at that), so I went back to Windows Updates (as sometimes you do need to run it twice), & it seemed none of them had downloaded.

Are the staging files not working then? Do I have to manually run them somehow?

I have run the disk cleanup & defrag before. I don't remember the last time I used them. I think in the spring. I probably use it twice a year.

"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:


Amy wrote:


I'll have to look into this more later -- short on time right now, but . . .

My G drive is larger than my C drive -- short of moving all my programs from C to G (which I don't want to do), I can't think of a way to offset this. The C drive has room though -- it's only about 40% "used space." I actually had the G drive installed for about a year before the updates started downloading there.


The size of the drive is not the determining factor for which drive the updates are downloaded to, it's the * amount of free space * on the drive that is the determining factor.
As you've witnessed, the update were not downloaded to G:\ until the
* amount of free space * on C:\ became smaller than whatever AU requires to store, unpack to a temp staging area, install, and then delete the temp staging area.


There is no one temp folder (hidden or not) on my G drive. The updates weren't going into any folder on the G drive -- each was making it's own folder. I'm not sure if those were temp folders, as I tried to delete them, & the next time I went to Windows update, it said I hadn't downloaded them. The thing is, it seems sometimes the updates aren't downloading properly to the G drive anyways, as it get errors, or told I never downloaded the update (when they're sitting right on my G drive).


So, each update created a temp staging area on G:\. The updates were then installed to C:\ and the temp staging areas deleted.
Thanks for that info.
IF those updates were installed then revisiting Windows Update should *not* have reoffered them.

I need you to check
C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download
to see if the updates are being downloaded there and remaining there past the time that they should. They are supposed to be deleted over a period of time so as to prevent unnecessary lost of diskspace.

We can 'trick' Windows or Automatic Updates into downloading and staging all the updates to the C:\ drive but I'd like to find out what's going on with the Download subfolder first.

Have you ever run a disk clean up tool on/or defragmented C:\ ?


MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============





"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:



Amy wrote:



I have 2 hard drives (C & G). The Windows Updates keep trying to install on my G drive. This has also happened when I try to download other things from the Microsoft website. How do I stop this?

I have Windows XP SP2. It is installed on my C drive. (I had found similar posts where they were asking how to change to the non-Windows drive). I use the G only for storing some files (i.e. pictures, music).

The G drive downloading is a fairly recent development. Prior to that the updates were downloading directly to my C drive. I don't remember that happening before. Aren't they supposed to go into something like the Windows folder?

Amy,

The updates are downloading to the G:\ drive because there's more space on that drive than C:\
They are being stored there to be installed to C:\
Unless you can reclaim enough disk space to make the space available on C:\ greater than G:\, than this behavior will persist.
Suggest you read this to see if it helps reclaim disk space:

I want to Save Space and delete unnecessary files after installing a Windows Update patch or Service Pack.
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar/spack.htm

Also, you should check to see if the subfolder that held the downloaded updates on C:\ is retaining them longer than it should.

Show hidden files, folders, and system files
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/tutorial62.html#winxp

Using Windows Explorer [ Start > All Programs > Accessories ], navigate to the WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder

Delete *all* contents of the Download folder of *all* downloaded updates that are already installed. Check the G:\ drive for a temp folder that may be holding downloaded and previously installed updates, too. Since I've never seen this issue in person I can't tell you precisely where it may be.

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============


.

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