Vista: The update does not apply to your system

Anonymous
2017-01-23T12:54:10+00:00

This follows on from the Windows Update problem in Vista and 7 (see here) but seems to be a different problem, so I've moved away from that topic.

I have 32-bit Vista Home Premium (but with a 64-bit processor...don't know why the manufacturer did that), and haven't been able to install any updates since around March 2016. I've followed the instructions on page 1 of the Windows Update thread, and the first update I need to apply is kb3185911. When I try to install, I get the error "The update does not apply to your system". kb3185911 isn't in my list of installed updates, and there don't appear to be any prerequisites for it listed on its page on the MS site. I'm definitely trying to install the x86 (32 bit) version, and not the 64 bit version. Automatic updates are switched off.

To see what would happen, I tried to install some of the subsequent updates referred to on page 1 of the Windows Update thread, but get the same error each time: "The update does not apply to your system".

Any ideas what could be causing this?

Thanks.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. lmacri 2,505 Reputation points
    2017-03-26T12:20:13+00:00

    Hi JL3008:

    ... and further to your mystery nvstor32.sys driver, I searched your Speccy profile for the word "force" and it looks like you have the NVIDIA GeForce Experience software loading at boot-up, which could also be out-of-date.  Your list of Windows Updates installed on 22-Oct-2012 also has references to "NVIDIA Corporation driver update for NVIDIA nForce Serial ATA Controller" and a "Graphics Adapter WDDM1.1, Graphics Adapter WDDM1.2, Other hardware - NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GS".

    Your specs show you have a NVIDIA GeForce GT 610 graphics card so I'm not sure why Windows Update installed a driver update for a GeForce 7300 GS unless you've upgraded your graphics card since 2012.  The specs here I found at https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/M2N8VMX/ suggest that ASUS M2N8-VMX motherboards use a NVIDIA chipset (those particular specs are for NVIDIA GeForce 6100 + nForce 405) and you likely have a re-branded NVIDIA motherboard like the ones listed at http://www.nvidia.ca/page/mobo.html for AMD CPUs.  Your Speccy profile doesn't tell me the make and model of your computer but unless this is a custom-built machine you might want to contact customer support for the manufacturer and ask them if your mystery nvstor32.sys is a NVIDIA nForce driver and if they can recommend newer nForce drivers for your NVIDIA MCP61 (rev. A2) chipset.  Be sure to tell them you are running 32-bit Vista SP2 on a system with an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ CPU and ASUS M2N8-VMX motherboard and let them know if you've upgraded any hardware components since you purchased your machine.

    32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.0.1 * NIS v22.9.1.12 * MBAM Premium v2.2.1

    HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-03-26T17:59:09+00:00

    Hello GWN,

    nvstor32 is indeed a SATA driver. Prior to some time last week, the NVidia website had a 'Motherboard' button on its driver download page which, presumably, took us to a page full of motherboard drivers to download. Unfortunately, that button didn't work properly and I couldn't get any further, nor could I find a download elsewhere (at least, not one I'd be confident was the real thing). Suddenly, that 'Motherboard' button has disappeared and all their drivers are now available directly from the downloads page. As a result, I've been able to install a new nvstor32.sys. I guess now I have to wait and see if the BSOD happens again.

    As for the graphics card, I did install a new one a few years ago after the previous one started failing, and that would have been after 2012. The GeForce 7300 update will be a remnant of the previous card.

    The GeForce Experience software is something that came with the new graphics card, and I never thought to remove it from start up. I don't use it (apart from checking for driver updates) and it doesn't need to be running all the time, so I've just disabled the service that launches it.

    I've been reluctant to run the hardware diagnostic that bwv848 suggested, partly because I wanted to update nvstor32 first, but mostly because the BSOD itself isn't really a problem for me. It's very intermittent and only happens on start up, so I never lose anything and all I have to do is reboot and everything's OK. Investigating the BSOD is really just a means to an end, the end being to get the missing Windows updates installed. If the BSOD turns out to be a hardware problem - and given the age of the PC and the fact the BSOD only ever happens on start up, I would guess hardware is the most likely cause - then I'd be happy not to take up any more of his time, because I can't see how an intermittent hardware fault could be causing the failure to install any Windows updates (unless you can convince me otherwise!), and there are people out there with more troublesome BSODs than me.

    So, the plan now is to wait and see if I get another BSOD with this new nvstor32 installed. I'll give it a few weeks (unless one happens earlier). In the meantime, is there anything else you could suggest regarding the Windows updates?

    Thanks

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