Security Update for PPV Does Not Install

[Shel]

When I run Windows Update, it tells me that there is a high-priority
"Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003
(KB956500)". I tell it to install, but after a while it tells me that
the update was not installed.

My PPTVIEW.EXE file in \Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer\ is File
version 11.0.5703.0.

Any help will be appreciated.

 

[Pat Durkin]

When I run Windows Update, it tells me that there is a high-priority
"Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003
(KB956500)". I tell it to install, but after a while it tells me that
the update was not installed.

My PPTVIEW.EXE file in \Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer\ is File
version 11.0.5703.0.

Any help will be appreciated.

I have been having problems with this installation, as well.
Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003 (KB956500)

I don't get that many ppts, and don't care for the security angle on
this. How can I disable the "insistent" update demand?

I have automatic updates set for Saturday, which, thank god, will soon
be over. However, I don't want to keep running into this file and its
nag, and don't want to be without AU.

Help.

 

[Jim]

When I run Windows Update, it tells me that there is a high-priority
"Security Update for Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003
(KB956500)". I tell it to install, but after a while it tells me that
the update was not installed.

My PPTVIEW.EXE file in \Microsoft Office\PowerPoint Viewer\ is File
version 11.0.5703.0.

Any help will be appreciated.

I have been having the same issue. Every day I get the security update for
Micorsoft Power Office PointPower Viewer 2003 (KB956500) and it never
gets installed. Each day I have a message that it was not installed.

What a pain, this is.
If anyone has any idea on how to fix this, I sure would appreciate it.

Thank You,
Jim

 

[Liz]

I've been having the same problems with the PPV Security Update KB9566500.
Keep getting the auto install notice, but afterward, get another notice
saying it could not be installed.

In trying the MS Update manually, I noticed this update has 0 kb, 0 minutes
in its description. Could it be MS forgot to post the update file itself?

Could one of the MVPs please address this issue? Thanks.

 

[Liz]

Update to my previous message:

Went to microsoft.com, and manually downloaded this update (which does have
an actual file with real data!) from their security downloads page. It did
download OK onto my desktop, but when I tried to install, still got the same
"installation failed" message.

From my MS Update History on MS Update page, I clicked the red Install
Failed icon beside the KB956500 update. It showed Error Code: Ox4397.

Tried searching MS Error Codes and Knowledgebase, but couldn't find the code
listed.

So I've sent an e-mail to the MS Online Assisted Support, via a link
provided on error code page. (Again, to find the Error Code page, click the
red Failed Install icon on MS Update History.)

The free support asks for your name, contact info, a problem description,
plus uploads some info about your computer (with your permission). I did add
that others have had the same problem.

It should take one business day to get a reply. I'll post again when I hear
from MS.

If anyone else wants to follow the process I described above, maybe we can
compare notes and find a common solution.

On another forum, someone asked if those with these problems have just the
PowerPoint Viewer installed, and not PowerPoint itself. I only have PPV.
It's supposed to be a PPV/Office 2003 update only, but could this be one
source of the glitch?

Thanks.

 

[nemo]

Sorry to hear that so many people are having a problem but, rather selfishly,
I'm pleased I'm not alone. This update failure has been bugging me for weeks
and, as much as I search, I can find no practical help. MS bounces me around
their so-called help & support areas until I have a headache and then,
invariably, gets to the part where they'd like to empty my pockets for them
to sort out a problem of their own making! If anyone can get to the bottom of
this then they'll go straight to the top of my Christmas card list.

 

[Liz]

Hi, again: Just heard back from Jack Lu at MS Update support with his
diagnosis and suggested solution. I've copied it in full below since it's
fairly complicated and technical (naturally this couldn't be a simple
fix....)

Haven't tried it just yet, but it generally has to do with corrupted files.
Seems strange that a group of us has this very specific corrupted file
problem at the same time on different computers, but I guess we should give
this solution a chance.

If it works, I'm not sure I win the "Christmas card list" prize, but at
least our frustration levels will decline a bit! Good luck, everyone. Let
us know how the solution works.

Liz4.0 (See below for tech quote)

___________________________________________________

"Dear Elizabeth,

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Windows Update Support. My name is Jack,
and I am glad to work with you. For your reference, the case ID for this
service request is SRX1080039756. You can contact me directly by sending an
email to (e-mail address removed) with the case ID in the subject
line.

From the problem description, I understand that the “Security Update for
Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003 (KB956500)†failed to install with
the error code 0x4397. Please feel free to let me know if I misunderstood the
issue.

I understand the inconvenience you have experienced. Please be assured that
I will do my best to help you.

The issue may be caused by the corrupted Windows Update temporary folder for
the corrupted Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003 files. At this time, let’s refer
to the following steps to troubleshoot this issue.


Step 1: Rename the Windows Update SoftwareDistribution folder

================================================

This problem may occur if the Windows Update, Software distribution folder
has been corrupted. We can refer to the following steps to rename this
folder. Please note that the folder will be re-created the next time we visit
the Windows Update site.


1. Click Start, click Run, and type "cmd" (without the quotes) and press
Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window to stop the
Automatic Updates service.


Type in "net stop WuAuServ" (without the quotes) and press Enter.


Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was
successfully stopped before we try to rename the folder. However, if it
failed, please let me know before performing any further steps and include
any error messages you may have received when it failed.


2. Click Start, click Run, and type in "%windir%" (without the quotes) and
press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, look for the folder named "SoftwareDistribution".

4. Right-click on the folder, select Rename and type "SDold" (without the
quotes) to rename this folder.

5. Click Start, click Run, and type "cmd" (without the quotes) and press
Enter.


Type the command "net start WuAuServ" (without the quotes) in the opened
window to restart the Automatic Updates service.


Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was
successfully started. However, if it failed, please let me know before
performing any further steps and include any error messages you may have
received when it failed.


Then please access the Microsoft Update website
(http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate) to install the update again. If
it still fails to install, please proceed to the next step.


Step 2: Remove and reinstall PowerPoint Viewer 2003

========================================

1. Click Start -> Control Panel.

2. Double click Add/Remove Programs.

3. Highlight Microsoft Office PowerPoint Viewer 2003 entry in the list and
then click Remove.


Note: If you have any other old or redundant office entries or other Office
stand alone products such as PowerPoint Viewer etc in the list, please also
remove them.


4. Close all applications.

5. Click Start menu-> Run, type "%Temp%" (without the quotation marks) in
the Open box and press Enter.

6. Empty the %Temp% folder.


Note: If some files can't be deleted, please skip them, (do not worry this
won't impact the result of the troubleshooting.)


7. Empty the Recycle Bin.

8. Restart your computer and Download Viewer 2003 at:


PowerPoint Viewer 2003

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...27-43ab-4f24-90b7-a94784af71a4&DisplayLang=en


9. Double click downloaded file named “ppviewer.exe†to reinstall the
PowerPoint Viewer 2003.


After that, please access the Microsoft Update website to check if the issue
has been resolved. If any error is encountered, please collect the following
information to me for research.



How to capture a Screenshot:

=======================

1. When the error appears, please press the "Print Screen" key (PrtScn) on
your keyboard.

2. Click "Start", click "Run", type MSPAINT, and click "OK".

3. In Paint, click "Paste" under the "Edit" Menu, click "Save" under the
"File" menu, type a file name for the screenshot, choose JPEG as "Save as
type", click "Desktop" on the left pane, and click "Save".

4. Please find the screenshot on the Desktop and send it as an attachment
to: (e-mail address removed).



How to collect the Windows Update log file:

================================

Note: Since there are two Windows Update log files with similar names,
please be aware that I am requesting the "WindowsUpdate.log" file without a
space in the middle of the name.


1. Click on "Start", "Run" and type "WindowsUpdate.log" (without quotations).

2. Click on "OK". We will see a file named "WindowsUpdate.log".

3. Now click on the "File" menu and then click on the "Save As" and select
"Desktop" in the "Save in" option on the top of the window.

4. Click on "Save". The file will be saved to your Desktop. Please send it
as an attachment to (e-mail address removed).


However, if the file is unable to be collected by the above steps, we can
also use the following method to collect it.


1. Click "Start", "Run", type: "%windir%" (without quotations) and then
press "Enter".

2. In the open window, we will see a file named "WindowsUpdate.log".

3. Please send it as an attachment to: (e-mail address removed).


Note: When attaching files to emails, the process will vary depending on the
email application being used. While you are composing the email, most
applications will provide you with either an "Attach" button or a Paper Clip
Icon to click in order to attach a file. After clicking this button/icon you
must browse to the file you wish to attach and select it by either double
clicking it or clicking it once and then clicking on the "Attach" button.


Please try my suggestion and let me know the results at your earliest
convenience. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to let
me know.


I await your response.


Best Regards,


Jack Lu"

 

[nemo]

Sterling work Elizabeth ! At last a step forward and you have risen a
considerable number of places on "the list"

Sadly, at first glance, Jack's solution looks like something from a NASA
training manual and it may be sometime before I can sit down and work my way
through it. In the meantime I shall be checking in to see if anyone else
attempts to climb mount "Lu" but it all seems like a lot of effort for
something I only use when there's a Q in the month.

Considering that MS are now aware that this is not an isolated problem one
would have thought they could offer a more practical solution; maybe if
everyone bombarded Jack and his colleagues with e-mails describing our
identical problem they might pull their collective finger out and offer one
of their fiendishly clever patches.

I note that Jack, at one point, advises an un-install of PPV2003, Knowing
that there's a PPV2007 knocking about would it be folly to attempt to install
this instead? I'd be interested to know what you, or indeed anyone else,
thinks of my daring plan.

 

[Liz]

Hi, all:

Since I did tell Jack Lu there were several others with similar problems, MS
has now been notified this is not an isolated issue.

But if you decide to make an individual report, please first make certain
yours is indeed the same error code number.

Again, to get your error code number, open MS Update page. On left, click
"View History." Find the latest instance of trying to install KB956500.

If it has a green icon, that means you were successful in downloading and
installing. (In this case, if you still keep getting the repeated alerts
from MS to download this same update, then you have a different problem,
which should be reported.)

If it has a red icon, the process was unsuccessful. Click the red icon, and
a new window pops up with your error code. The error code I get (and to
which Jack Lu's solution applies) is 0x4397. If you have a different error
code #, then use the links in the error code window to report your problem
and code # to free MS Update Support.

A quick temporary work-around: Though it's not recommended practice, you
could always turn off automatic updates temporarily to stop getting those
annoying repeated update notices for this same file. Then, you'd need to
update manually at least once a month, de-selecting KB956500 each time.

You'd only delay grappling with the real problem, however, and open your
computer to security issues if you don't remember to update manually. As in
life, not much in technology is ever easy, I guess. <sigh>

As for myself, I fully intend to attempt the Lu solution...as soon as I have
about 3 more cups of coffee! I'll let everyone know how it turns out.

 

[Liz]

Hi, once more,

Bad news...I didn't get past step 1 on Jack Lu's solution.

Was able to successfully Rename the Windows Update SoftwareDistribution
folder.

However, when I re-tried MS Update as directed, it stalled in the middle of
the "scanning computer for needed updates" process, and showed a NEW error
message # 0x80072EE2. Tried again several times, same result.

Never saw that error before. MS Updates always worked well for me (except
for this last PPV update in question). Tried all the suggested solutions,
but so far, no luck.

So, I now have a non-working MS Update PLUS the original PPV installation
problem. (Warning: after the "re-naming SoftwareDistribution folder"
process, MS Update actually begins afresh, and your update history is lost.)

Have informed Jack Lu, and am awaiting his reply. If and when I do solve
both these update problems, I'll let you know.

 

[nemo]

Sorry to hear that your problem has been exacerbated with the help of the
good people at MS. This is the type of thing that we mere mortals fear will
happen when we act on the advice of the pointy-heads.

Thank you to Steve Rindsberg for taking an interest. You might note, Steve ,
that I merely suggested that those of us who are experiencing similar
problems might make MS Central aware of our discomfiture and not, as you
would have it, "mailbomb" them. What else are we to do - nothing?

I suppose we could use the time saved to practise sitting on our hands and
you could find someone to talk to about your paranoid delusion that anyone
asking MS to help fix a problem on the product they have paid good money for
is some kind of techie terrorist, an implication I resent.

 

[Liz]

Hi again,

Just a short update.

My MS Update is working again (sort of). Once in about 3 or 4 tries it now
actually works again. I did nothing but offer some prayers -- and a curse or
two -- so don't ask me to explain!

With a (sort of) working MS Update and a dash of courage, I went on to Jack
Lu's Step 2. Uninstalled PPV 2003, downloaded a fresh copy, then reinstalled.

That went well, but unfortunately, the PPV 2003 KB956500 update still cannot
install, although MS Update says it's needed.

Following Lu's instructions, I then e-mailed him a screenshot of the error
message, and the WindowsUpdate.log file. Am awaiting his reply.

I'm certainly no techie, but in reviewing the WindowsUpdate logs, one
problem seems to be that my computer thinks it doesn't need the update MS
keeps offering, or it needs a different update version.

I'm sure there's some small bit of code somewhere that's the key to this
whole problem -- it just has to be found.

Will post again with any progress.

 

[nemo]

With regard to my previous suggestion to uninstall PPV 2003 and install PPV
2007 instead , thereby circumventing the problem, it would appear that this
is the expert advice given by some technical wizard (one PA Bear, no less)
elsewhere on this "tales of woe" site.

Although, as we have already seen, expert advice is far from infallible it
does seem to be a much quicker and more elegant solution to our problem and
the later version must, surely, be an improvement.

Also, thank you, Steve, for acknowledging that you mistakenly infer my
suggestion to contact MS on an individual basis as an invitation to pursue a
carpet bombing exercise via the ether. This was most certainly not my
intention. It seemed to me, and still does, that if we all took it upon
ourselves to contact MS directly, on an individual basis, then the sheer
numbers involved might elicit a more timeous & practical response.

The number of people who seem to be affected by this installation failure
led me to use the word "bombard" and I realise this could have been
misinterpreted. I shall be more circumspect in my choice of language in
future and offer my apologies to you & any one else who misunderstood.

One piece of late breaking news, I've just searched for the link to the "PA
Bear" advice I mentioned earlier and it seems to have been removed.
Disappeared into thin air. Now I'm not normally one for conspiracy theories,
but, ........

 

[Liz]

Hello (maybe for the last time!),

Success! So far, anyway.

Turns out Jack Lu further advised an end run around the whole problem. He
said to install PowerPoint Viewer 2007 to replace PPV 2003. (Where have we
heard that before, Nemo?)

I downloaded directly from
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...40-14e1-467d-8dca-19d2a8fd7485&displaylang=en.

It automatically replaced PPV 2003. Then I ran MS Update again. (BTW, Jack
Lu says my sometimes MS Update error is a form of "Internet Time Out," and
may occur occasionally, esp. with my dial-up connection. I never saw this
error before, but Jack says it has no relation to the PPV 2003 security
update issue.)

MS Update now shows only the various High Priority updates needed for the
newly installed PPV 2007. That pesky KB956500 is nowhere to be found.

I've been allowing a full day to elapse to be sure I didn't keep getting the
automatic MS update notices for KB956500 anymore. I haven't so far.

It seems Jack Lu -- and Nemo -- have the workable solution now.

Hope everyone here tries it, and has the same good result.

Thanks to you all for helping to track down this annoying situation. We may
not know exactly why it happened, but we do know how to work around it now.

Happy computing!

 

[Liz]

Steve,

Thanks for the additional Microsoft link for customer feedback. I'm sure it
will come in useful at some point for just about everyone.

Just to clarify, in this case, I arrived at Jack Lu's Inbox by clicking the
Failed Update icon for KB956500 at MS Update History. A new window pops up
with the specific error number, and several links for additional help,
including an e-mail to the free MS Update Help Desk (Jack Lu.)

This was a very specific update error, and I followed Microsoft's directions
about seeking the correct help desk for that error.

I wasn't necessarily asking for a bug fix, but for directions to correct a
specific error in the MS Update process.

It seemed that others had encountered the same problem, but as I've said,
everyone needs to find the error number first to confirm if that is so before
reporting a "bug" in the update process via the appropriate channels.

Thanks again for your help.

Liz4.0