Windows XP Update Failure ------------------------- Unable to Update Windows XP via IE8 Symptoms: 1. IE8 can browse the web successfully with sometimes false search requests. 2. Windows Update fails with no Internet connection because of possible DNS errors. Conclusion: 1. Windows is infected via a virus that has made a specific proxy server for IE8 when trying to get Windows updates. (Probably the virus writers are afraid that a Windows update would allow the new MRT.exe to remove the virus.) 2. Registry entry to check: HCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ProxyServer w/ (PUM.Bad.Proxy) -> value: ProxyServer (Note: Malwarebytes found this.) (Virus: Win32/Alureon.H) Solution: 1. Get the month's MRT.exe and run a full scan. (May fix the registry) 2. Get the updates for the AV client; run a full scan. 3. Get the updates for Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and run a full scan. 4. Obtain Windows updates.