WINUP: Windows Update Link on Windows 98 Start Menu Does Not Work

When you click Start, and then click Windows Update, you may not be able to connect to the Windows Update Web site. However, you may be able to connect to the Windows Update Web site by typing the following URL in the Address bar of Internet Explorer:Note If you are trying to access the Windows Update Web site from a network, you may have to contact your System Administrator to activate this option.

This behavior may occur if the Windows Update link in the Start menu is corrupted.

To resolve this behavior, delete and re-create the Start menu link for Windows Update, and then reinstall the Wupdmgr.exe file.

Delete and Re-Create the Start menu Link for Windows Update

To delete and re-create the Start menu link for Windows Update:

1. Click Start, right-click Windows Update, and then click Delete.
2. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Taskbar.
3. Click the Start Menu Programs tab, click Add, and then click Browse.
4. Locate the Wupdmgr.exe file, click it, and then click Open. You can find this file in the X:\Windows folder. If you cannot locate the file, you may have to reinstall it. For information about how to do so, see the "Reinstall the Wupdmgr.exe File" section later in this article.
5. Click Next.
6. Click the Start Menu folder, and then click Next.
7. Change the name of the shortcut from "Wupdmgr.exe" to Windows Update, and then click Finish.
8. Click Start, and then click Windows Update.

Reinstall the Wupdmgr.exe File

If you still cannot view the Windows Update Web site, the Wupdmgr.exe file may be missing or corrupted. To reinstall the Wupdmgr.exe file, follow these steps:

1. Insert the Windows 98 CD into the CD-ROM drive.
2. If a list of Windows 98 options appears automatically, select Browse this CD. If this list does not appear, double-click the My Computer icon, and then double-click your CD-ROM drive to display the list of options.
3. Double-click the Win98 folder.
4. Locate the Win98_43.cab file, and then double-click it.
5. Right-click the Wupdmgr.exe file, and then click Extract.
6. When prompted to select the location where you want to save this file, select the Windows folder, and then click OK.
7. Click Start, and then click Windows Update.

If you still cannot view or download components from the Windows Update Web site, you can submit a Windows Update Support Request. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ (http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/)
   .
2. In the left pane under See Also, click Support Information.
3. In the right pane under Support Information, click Submit Windows Update Support Request.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen to submit your question.