"Software update incomplete" error message when you visit the Windows Update Web site

Windows Millennium Edition

Display hidden files

1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders.
3. Click to clear the Hide protected operating system files (Recommended) check box.

Note Hidden files and folders will appear dimmed. Hidden files are program or system files that typically should not be deleted or changed.

Delete Temporary Internet Files

1. Close all programs and Internet Explorer windows.
2. In Control Panel, double-click Internet Options.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Under Temporary Internet Files, click
   Delete Files, and then click OK.
5. Close Control Panel. Restart for the changes to take effect.

Delete files from the Windows Update folder

1. On the Windows desktop, double-click My Computer, double-click drive C, double-click the Program Files folder, and then double-click the WindowsUpdatefolder.
2. Click the V4 folder, click
   Edit, click Invert Selection, and then press DELETE.
   
   Note If you cannot find the V4 folder, click Edit, click Select All and then press DELETE. Skip steps 3 and 4.
3. Double-click the V4 folder.
4. Click the Iuhist.xml file, click
   Edit, click Invert Selection, and then press DELETE.

Remove the Windows Update ActiveX controls

1. Click Start, then click
   Search, and then click For Files or Folders. Search for files named Iuctl.dll and Iuengine.dll.
2. If these files are found in the C:\Windows\System32\Dllcache folder, delete them.
3. If these files are found in any other folder, other than C:\Windows\System32, delete them.
4. After you have deleted all other copies of these files, delete them from the C:\Windows\System32 folder.
5. Visit the Windows Update Web site to install new copies of the ActiveX controls.

Windows 98

Display hidden files

1. Click Start, click
   Settings, and then click Folder Options.
2. Click the View tab.
3. Under Hidden files and folders, click
   Show hidden files and folders, and then click
   OK.

Delete Temporary Internet Files

1. Close all programs and all Internet Explorer windows.
   
2. In Control Pane, double-click Internet Options.
3. Click the General tab.
4. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
5. Click OK.
6. Close Control Panel. Restart for the changes to take effect.

Delete files from the Windows Update folder

1. On the Windows desktop, double-click My Computer, double-click drive C, double-click the Program Files folder, and then double-click the WindowsUpdatefolder.
2. Click the V4 folder, click
   Edit, click Invert Selection, and then press DELETE.
   
   Note If you cannot find the V4 folder, click Edit, click Select All and then press DELETE. Skip steps 3 and 4.
3. Double-click the V4 folder.
4. Click the Iuhist.xml file, click
   Edit, click Invert Selection, and then press DELETE.

Remove the Windows Update ActiveX Controls

1. Click Start, click Find, and then click For Files or Folders. Search for the files named iuctl.dll and Iuengine.dll.
2. Delete all copies of these files.
3. Visit the Windows Update Web site to install new copies of the ActiveX controls.