PC :- Windows XP (on automatic updates).
Yellow Icon on task bar at every startup 'Click to install update'.
Update downloads and apparently installs but seconds later yellow task bar icon re-appears.
At closedown windows banner shows 1 update to be installed.
After each attempt to update Belarc Advisor shows ' 1 missing update ' verifying that update has not taken place.
However Microsoft historic shows update as downloaded and installed ( more than 40 times).
Update in question is " Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 Redistributable KB2538242 ".
ADD/Remove programmes list on PC shows " Microsoft Visual C++2005 Redistributable KB2467175 (downloaded 25/4/2011).
Have tried reinstalling 'Windows installer' and downloading & running 'Windows Update Agent' without success.

Mine was doing that, and checked Update history, and even though it seemed every time I turned on the Computer, it needed an Update, History showed different Updates most everyday and sometime a couple or more in 1 day?

Balancer. What you said was not factually incorrect.

hibou:

Strat was just suggesting to check the history to double check that it is indeed attempting to re-install the same update and that it is not actually installing different requisite updates.

Sometimes things on the front end are not as they appear. ;)

Also, we only give negative feedback for factually incorrect statements.

One thing you could try too, is to uninstall and re-install said update. If that still does not help, then you can block the update from future lists. If I recall, this is done by right clicking and choosing to hide the update.

Glad you are attempting to provide me with an interpretation of 'Stsrts' reply.
Seems like a foreign language to me!
Of courese it is the same update. I have already reinstalled the updtae 40+ times.
Why would I block the update when it is not yet installed??
There is a question of security.

Glad you are attempting to provide me with an interpretation of 'Strat's' reply.
Seems like a foreign language to me!
Of course it is the same update.
I have already reinstalled the update 40+ times.
Why would I block the update when it is not yet installed??
Isn't there a question of security?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910339

I misread your original post. I thought you mentioned that it was listed in Add/Remove Programs, but you were apparently talking about a different update. At any rate, see the above link to Microsoft's troubleshooting of failed updates.

Thank you FadedMaster.
Now I think that we are on the right track.I will try these instructions today then let you know the result.

I have followed the instructions given in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910339.
Unfortunately none of the steps solved the problem.
Finally downloaded manually ' Microsoft Visual C++2005 Redistributable KB2538242 ' but it would not install in normal mode (received message attached *)
Also got additional message stating ' unable to remove previous version'. The previous version is Microsoft Visual C++2005 Redistributable KB 2467175.
Tried in safe mode and received message stating 'Windows Installer not available in safe mode'.
I have also tried removing the previous version manually from add/remove programmes but get the same message as above* and I have no idea what 'disk' is being referred to.
* NOTE : I am English speaking but the computer is French Language.

You can try getting the files from here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en...ng=en&id=26347

If it fails then you can try the Fix It Center button which works quite well.

Aussi je parles français si tu as besoin de communiquer dans cette langue.

Thanks NeedKarma for offer of bilingual assistance.
Already downloaded files in French from there.
Will try Fix it Center next.

Thought it appropriate to let all know (all who tried to help and those who may have the same problem in future).
While awaiting assistance from Fix it Center,I managed to resolve the problem myself as follows:- download
'Microsoft Visual C++ 2005' from 'download.cnet.com'.
Then manually download the update from Microsoft.
You may have to install the update a second time.
Then check that there are no outstanding updates.Done!