I appreciate the comments and input. I'm learning a lot.
I went ahead and emptied the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder last night because I wanted to get rid of the IE8 download that occurred courtesy of Windows Update. (Please recall that IE8 was not installed on my system; it was only downloaded.)
Then I went to the Windows Update web site but, unfortunately, it is still indicating that IE8 is downloaded onto my system. If, in fact, IE8 was downloaded into the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder, and I emptied the contents of that folder, I'm confused why Windows Update is still saying IE8 remains downloaded.
Did you restart your computer before you went to the Windows Update Website? Maybe the computer hasn't been "refreshed" yet, so the Windows Update website still thinks you have IE8 on your computer.
Did you restart your computer before you went to the Windows Update Website? Maybe the computer hasn't been "refreshed" yet, so the Windows Update website still thinks you have IE8 on your computer.
Yes. I rebooted in-between emptying my SoftwareDistribution\Download folder and going to the Windows Update web site. Good question, though. I appeciate it, Icedrake.
No problem. Btw, did you delete the Automatic Update history files also in the SoftwareDistribution folder? The Windows Update website might be getting it's info about updates on your computer from those files, so maybe it's still thinking you have IE8 downloaded, since your Update history files don't change unless something gets downloaded or installed through Windows Update/Automatic Updates (I think).
Thinking about this since our pm's, I have a feeling you would need to get rid of the "Update History", which Windows Update site is reading, and IE8 is still listed in there as being downloaded.
Which is what Ice is saying as I've just seen his post.
Update history is the "Datastore.edb" file in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore.
I'm not too sure if anyone on here has any experience of messing with this file, so I played around with it a bit to see what happens.
I removed Datastore.edb (not deleted) from the datastore folder, and then went to Windows Update and clicked on "Review My Update History". Not surprisingly it told me I don't have any updates.
I then clicked on "Custom" check for updates, and even without an Update History I still only got offered updates I don't have and have refused in the past:
So deleting your Update History, as far as I can see, only prevents you getting a printable list from the Windows Update site. It still does the usual scan of your PC before offering you the latest updates with or without the Datastore.edb file.
So for the foreseeable future I'm gonna leave that Datastore.edb where I've stored it, and see if Windows Updates works as it would normally with that file in the Datastore Folder. I'm pretty sure it will.
So maybe try moving that file Chris. You'll hopefully not get the IE8 message. I can't see any particular reason for that file, apart from giving you the ability to get a list of your updates from the update site.
Of course, other members may have a different opinion, so see what other input you get before doing anything.
Thanks for the suggestion about the Update history files in the SoftwareDistribution folder. I haven't tried that. I've got a new storage drive; it seems like I could just move Datastore.edb onto it to see what happens. I'm going to be out of town for a few days again, but will give it a go when I get back.
@Glenn,
I searched for 'IE8' via Windows Explorer to see if the folders you mentioned were on my system, but I came up empty. It was worth a shot though.
All,
Your posts are most welcomed and have been very helpful! I've also put Dial-A-Fix on my flash drive and plan to learn more about it.
So using the Flush Software Distribution folder with the Yes option is safe?
In my opinion yes it is, however Dial-a-fix is for Windows XP users only.
I don't use it all the time though, I mainly rely upon it when I have an issue installing a critical update since it may or will cause hidden updates you don't ever want to install to start prompting for installation again, and being offered on the Microsoft Update site.
Btw, did you delete the Automatic Update history files also in the SoftwareDistribution folder? The Windows Update website might be getting it's info about updates on your computer from those files, so maybe it's still thinking you have IE8 downloaded, since your Update history files don't change unless something gets downloaded or installed through Windows Update/Automatic Updates (I think).
I have a feeling you would need to get rid of the "Update History", which Windows Update site is reading, and IE8 is still listed in there as being downloaded. Which is what Ice is saying as I've just seen his post. Update history is the "Datastore.edb" file in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore. ...So maybe try moving that file Chris. You'll hopefully not get the IE8 message. I can't see any particular reason for that file, apart from giving you the ability to get a list of your updates from the update site.
I think you guys hit the nail on the head. I've been away for a couple of days, but got back home and first gave Dial-A-Fix a try and used the Yes option that preserves the Datastore file (thanks Andavari...this looks like a nice utility ). I rebooted and the Windows Update web site still showed IE8 as being downloaded on my system. Then I copied the Datastore.edb file to a new storage drive and deleted the existing one from C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore. Windows Update no longer indicates IE8 being downloaded.
I wanted to perform a final test by moving the Datastore.edb file back to its original location and then check Windows Update (it should once again indicate IE8 being downloaded), but I was unable to do so. I kept getting a file in use message. I tried to reboot, but that didn't help.
All-in-all, it seems like this mystery has been solved and I appreciate everyone's help.
When new versions of software become available - especially browsers - I wait. And I read all the chatter about them online. My preferred browser has long been FF, but complaints about the 3.0 version stopped me from installing it. Now 3.5 is the current version and I am still with 2.0.0.20 because I've been unsuccessful in my attempts to update. (That's what I'm doing here today in fact, looking for a solution to my FF install problem.)
In the past, I used IE only for Windows Updates, but now, because of the version I am running, FireFox is causing insurmountable problems for me on certain websites, most notably my banking and credit card sites. SO - I'm having to use IE8 more and more. It's fast. It works. It does not slow my XP system down at all. I'm thinking that whatever caused its poor performance initially has been fixed. The way things are, I'm very glad to have it.
