For last several months, when I try to install MS updates for XP, Office 2000 (Word, Excel, etc), they download and start to install, then I get error message: "Error creating process <C:\DOCUME~1\user name\Local Settings\Temp\IXP000.TMP\ohotfix.exe>. ReasonWINDOWS\system32\advpack.dll" Error suggests advpack.dll is blocking installations. I have tried manually changing/removing all (11) advpack.dlls in system32, i386, dll cache, etc, to various other versions. When I started this, v. 6.0.2900.2180 published 5/8/05 was in two locations, and v. 7.0.6000.16512 published 4/25/07 was in others. Have tried making all v. 6.0.2900.2180, all v. 7.0.6000.16512, and even tried an older version from 2004. All variations -> no change, same error. Then tried removing all advpack.dlls. I removed them all to an external disk and turned that disk off. Thorough search shows no advpack.dlls in system. After reboot with all known advpack.dlls removed, and presumably nothing in TEMP or TMP folders, on attempting to install updates -> same error - Reason is advpack.dll in system32. There is no advpack.dll in system32 or anywhere else!!! I have removed them all. I checked before and after. Advpack had not been mysteriously replaced from or to anywhere on system. Advpack.dll is nowhere that I can find on this machine. Yet, the error states advpack.dll in system32 is the reason for the error. This happens with all XP, MS related updates. I tried autopatch for August 07, sadly the last autopatch there will be. It installs the updates, sort of. They are listed in add/remove as installed but with yellow exclamation icon and all are .75 MB in size. This is true of security and other updates, however .NET 3 installed fine via autopatch, apparently. This error occurs if I try to reinstall an old, successfully installed MS update. It also occurs when installing DirectX updates, but if I install entire DirectX redistributable including updates, no problem. BTW, web references for advpack.dll state that it is required for proper operation. Either I have missed removing some of the advpack.dlls or it is not needed.... because obviously the machine is working fine. Also, all third party installations work without a hitch. No other known issues. It was not long after advpack.dll v. 7.0.6000.16512 was installed (4/26/07) that this problem started. Please note however, I replaced all advpack.dlls with older, '06 version, and still installation of updates failed with same error message. What package was this .dll a part of? I read the HF thread http://www.hardwareforums.com/error-msg-help-4497/ - dated 02/05 - 2+ years ago. Similar problem was presumed to be a corrupted advpack.dll. Solution proposed was to replace the system32 advpack.dll from dll dump which is v. 6.0.2900.2180 for XP pro, sp2. The poster does not respond as to whether this worked. Also, it is likely poster was using IE6 at that time. This procedure is exactly what I did, replacing all 11 advpack.dlls with a presumably good v. 6.0.2900.2180 from DLL Downloads.com, and then separately replacing all 11 advpack.dlls with v. 7.0.6000.16512. Neither solved problem. Please note that I am using IE7 and I believe advpack.dll v. 7.0.6000.16512 published 4/25/07 is for IE7. The problem with MS update installations did start approximately the same time as my installation of IE7 which also corresponds approximately to the date (4/26/07) advpack.dll v. 7.0.6000.16512 was installed on my machine. Perhaps the problem is IE7 itself... However it seems to work well otherwise. Any other thoughts?
