Thinkpads Forum

My System Update program does not work. I downloaded and installed System Update 3 from the Lenovo web site. It says "ThinkVantage System Update has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience. Not much help there...any thoughts? I removed Norton a while ago, am using CCleaner, RegistryFirstAid, PerfectDisk, Comodo firewall and SpyCatcher

T60p
2 gig RAM
60 gig drive 7200 rpm
15" Flex View Screen
ATI Fire GL 5250
Intel T7200 2GHz
WinXP SP-3
DVD burner
Bought new 12/06

You can try to disable your firewall and antivirus temporarily for the update to take place.

Hi,

I'm having no problems running System Update with firewall and antivirus running.

Quoting from what you said:

ThinkVantage System Update has encountered a problem and needs to close

..it looks like the software itself didn't install correctly.

- Try to remove it from Add/Remove programs
- Reboot the computer
- Install it again and try it

Hope it helps

The install of TV SystemUpdate 3 went flawlessly. No error messages. I did this install because TV SystemUpdate 2 would not work, giving the same error message.

Same problem here. System Update upgraded itself seamlessly to v3 (version: 3.00.0028, build date: 2007-2-12 to be exact) and v3 won't work. Funny thing though: SysUpdate doesn't get closed after the error message, but the progress bar gets to 95% and stalls.

I removed SU from add/remove programs and reinstalled it - nothing changed.

Similar problem here. I used software installer until I read it was better (for the future) to use system update. So I tried using system update 2 which gave me an error that there wasn't enough disk space for some reason (as there is plenty). I downloaded SU3 from lenovo, removed SU2 and installed SU3. When I now try to start it I don't get anything except for the splash screen which dissapears after a while, Tvsukernel.exe process running and my mouse cursor with a constantly fast pinking hourglass.

I also sometimes receive error messages from AC, which then quits but wireless stays active/working.

Note the following:

Lenovo wrote:Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1 with Service pack 1 or Microsoft .NET Framework version 2.0 is required for System Update to work properly. Use Microsoft Windows Update to ensure that Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 or 2.0 is installed on your system.

Check in Windows Add or Remove Programs to verify that .NET is installed.

Lenovo wrote:Help us improve your support experience
+ Report a problem with System Update - After clicking this link select your location and select ThinkVantage Technologies as the Brand.
+ Provide feedback on System Update - Note: Do not use this form to submit a technical question. We cannot respond to technical questions submitted through this feedback form.

I had Net 1.1, 1.1 Hotfix and 2.0. I removed 1.1 and 1.1 hotfix then removed TV System Update. Then rebooted and installed TV System Update 3. No help. Rats!

Some possible gotcha's...

Are you running as Administrator?

Does your machine's model and serial number appear listed in the BIOS?

It could be something that Spycatcher caught and quarantined that is breaking your system.

Try running the Norton Removal Tool.

Your firewall could be blocking a process. Try turning off Comodo Firewall and using Windows Firewall instead while you run System Update.

The problem may be that you are using a Proxy Server. If possible, try connecting to the internet with a different type of connection.

I am running with Admin rights
I will check the BIOS for machine number
I got rid of the spyware and firewall
There is no proxy server
I emptied Startup and all software that was starting.
I uninstalled System Update 3, rebooted and reinstalled. No help.
I'm reluctant to restore and lose everything.

Is there another way to do a system update?

Ran the Norton Uninstaller, rebooted.
No change.
System Update fails to run.
And the system will not work a P&P USB flash drive that works in other PCs.

Your time may be better spent reinstalling the original Factory Contents (or doing a clean install of XP if that is your preference). Backup your existing drive to DVD's or an external hard drive so you can recover any important files later.

As a last resort before starting over, I uninstalled all .Net Frameworks, Comodo, SpyCatcher, System Update. Then ran CCleaner and RegistryFirstAid. Rebooted and downloaded System Update again. It asked for .NET Framework so I went to Windows.com and installed the latest (ver 3). Then installed System Update. It installed and ran! I updated just about everything on the list. There are now no Critical, or Recommended Updates and only (5) Optional updates I chose not to install.

So, this issue is fixed!

another twist - I have had System Update 2 installed, no glitches, until today - froze at 7% - tried cancelling & closing - wouldn't. Tried restarting the computer, wouldn't. I shut the computer down with the power button.
I haven't updated or changed anything since the last time I used System Update.
Could it be on the Lenovo side causing problems?

Fixed it - removed system update 2 & installed 3 - now works fine again. You would think Software Installer or System Update would catch and update for System Update rather than Lenovo just letting it stop working without telling anyone.

Hi, i also run into a problem with system update v3 and i was wondering if anyone of you has encountered a similar one and has a solution to offer:

after updating automatically from SU2 to SU3 when SU3 tries to download new updates instead of sending the correct system information (model number e.g. 1832 22G) to lenovo server it sends 0123456 and as a result no packages can be detected,and there quite few updates that i need. i know that i can do the updates manually, however i was wondering if i could fix this little problem, i think you know the feeling of having something that doesn't work properly even if you don't need it..

Thank you in advance

The only thing I would suggest is remove System Update and install V3 again. I had to manually remove V 2 first, then reinstall System Update - V3.

thanks for the reply, I have tried uninstalling SU2 and installing SU3, and also uninstalling and reinstalling SU3 as well several times and nothing, it still keeps sending 0123456 as machine type and model instead of 183222G.
Any other suggestions?

sorry, not a clue on that

snessiram wrote:Similar problem here. I used software installer until I read it was better (for the future) to use system update. So I tried using system update 2 which gave me an error that there wasn't enough disk space for some reason (as there is plenty). I downloaded SU3 from lenovo, removed SU2 and installed SU3. When I now try to start it I don't get anything except for the splash screen which dissapears after a while, Tvsukernel.exe process running and my mouse cursor with a constantly fast pinking hourglass.

I also sometimes receive error messages from AC, which then quits but wireless stays active/working.

I had problems with SystemUpdate 2 ( error message : Not enough Disk Space although several GB free ). With SystemUpdate3, the tvsukernel.exe would keep hogging almost 100% cpu without letting go ! Finally, in desperation I decided it must be Net.Framework conflicts causing the problems. So, I followed these steps :
1. Uninstalled the programs that were most obviously connected with Net.Framework( SQL 2005, Visual Studio, MSMXML Parsers and of course System Update.
2. Uninstalled all versions of Net.Framework.
3.To make sure that all traces of these programs had been removed, I did a Registry clean ( using ASO Optimiser).
4. Installed a fresh copy of SystemUpdate Rebooted as per instruction.
5. Ran SystemUpdate3 .. (error asks to point a registry key to where Net.Framework is installed) Closed SystemUpdate3.
6. Downloaded a fresh copy of Net.Framework 2.0 NOT 3.0, from Microsoft. I think 3.0 still has many problems !!!
7. Executed the downloaded file to install Net Framework 2.0
8. Ran SystemUpdate 3 again. It worked. It connected, and downloaded several files and went through the install process. However, after all processes were completed, it stated that none of the files had been installed.
9. Reinstalled SystemUpdate3. ( Did not install anything else )
10. After reboot, everything worked just fine. All updates downloaded and installed perfectly.

BTW, did not uninstall firewall or Spyware, just shut them down during the uninstallation and installation processes.

Good luck ! Now if I could only get the Lenovo site to identify my product on line

I got same problem after installing TVSU3.0 without errors I run application I get the splash screen get no error message but in task manager the Tvsukernel.exe uses CPU processes to the maximum and in folder C:\Program Files\Lenovo\System Update\logs wase created log file tvsu_log_070418120416.txt every seconds with bigger and bigger size. I must killed the process to stop the loging.
In log were this two warnings repeated :
Warning 2007-04-18 , 12:04:16
at Tvsu.Gur.Wow64.DisableRedirection()
Message: Disable Wow64Redirection failed!
Exception:
Message: Not found
Type: System.Management.ManagementException
at System.Management.ManagementScope.Initialize()
at System.Management.ManagementObjectSearcher.Initialize()
at System.Management.ManagementObjectSearcher.Get()
at Tvt.Util.Wow6432.detect3264()
at Tvsu.Gur.Wow64.get_Is64bitOS()
at Tvsu.Gur.Wow64.DisableRedirection()
Warning 2007-04-18 , 12:04:16
at Tvsu.Environment.Settings.getRegistryValueSZ(String root, String key, String field)
Message: getRegistryValueSZ exception occured: Not found
sended to IBM want see what they do with it

I had the same problem few days ago, my ThinkVantage System Update would freeze around 30% while downloading updates, here is what I did to fix it. (remember I am running Vist)
1. Uninstall ThinkVantage System Update
2. Turn Off (not just reboot) then restart
3. Delete systemupdates directory both in the c:\programfile\lenovo\systemupdate and c:\systemupdates
4. Restart again because the first restart completed the uninstall
3. Download and install v3 system update
5. Turn off and restart
6. Run System update, the first thing it is going to do is update itself, it is going to say a new version is available, accept that, allow it to go throught the system update install (do not hit next to update the system drivers all you want it to do is update system updates)
7. Turn off and restart
8. Run systemupdates

I tried other variations and this is the only combination that worked for me

After upgrading from System Update V2 to System Update V3, I experienced the "System Update has encountered a problem and needs to close".

After reading the post in the following thread, which indicated that System Update V3 requires the Server service be enabled,

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... tem+update

I changed the Server service start type from "manual" to "automatic". This change fixed the problem.

here is what I found and it works for me everytime. First I must declare that I read the solution here on ThinkPads.co i just cant remember which forum. Second I must say that I am running WinVista ultimate clean install.
Now the solution, everytime my SystemUpdate fails I go into control panel and into administrator section, under service right click on it and make it automatically delay start and make it manually start this time then run system update again. It works for everytime

gt5l wrote:here is what I found and it works for me everytime. First I must declare that I read the solution here on ThinkPads.co i just cant remember which forum. Second I must say that I am running WinVista ultimate clean install.
Now the solution, everytime my SystemUpdate fails I go into control panel and into administrator section, under service right click on it and make it automatically delay start and make it manually start this time then run system update again. It works for everytime

Thanks for the tip. This solved the glitch.

BTW, I have to admit that this is a crappy piece of software. It has to download about 3.85MB of data every time before showing the updates.

This reminds me of operating systems and cars. Every new model is fatter than the previous one.

Software Installer was way easier and lightweight compared to this.

gt5l wrote:here is what I found and it works for me everytime. First I must declare that I read the solution here on ThinkPads.co i just cant remember which forum. ...

I feel stupid, the recommendation I made that I couldn't remember where I read is in the posting right before mine

The bottom line seems to be that to use System Update 3 you need to have Microsoft file and print services running in network connections. This loads the server services.

DavidR wrote:WinXP SP-3

An off-topic question for the OP, DavidR, you are using XP SP3, which release are you running?

adb007 wrote:The bottom line seems to be that to use System Update 3 you need to have Microsoft file and print services running in network connections. This loads the server services.

you do not need to have file and printer sharing enabled. all you need to do is set the server service to automatic as mentioned in the link above.

If you do not have Microsoft's file and print sharing services turned on, you do not get the server services appearing as a service in control panel available to be turned on - either automatically or manually! Or at least that is the position on all the XP prof PCs which I have just looked at and checked.