Cannot install IE8 on Windows XP SP3, Vista, Server 2003/2008

You are trying to run MS Update and apply patches and among other also install Microsoft IE8. Every time when the IE8 installation starts, it will fail and the Microsoft IE8 does not get installed. Also you may receive an error code 0x80246007. The reason why this happening and you are not able to install Microsoft patches or Internet Explorer 8 on your Windows XP SP3 machine as well as on some MS Server2003/2008 is because the Microsoft Update database got corrupted.

There is a fix and Microsoft KB available – I have follow up the steps and it fixed my problem and I was able to install al patches as well as the latest IE8 for Windows XP SP3 as IE9 is not supported on Windows XP.

To resolve this issue on MS Windows 200/XP
and Server 2003:

  1. Click Start, click Run, type Notepad, and then click OK
  2. Now enter/copy this text inside of the Notepad

  1. Click File, click SAVE AS, and then name it as REPAIR.bat
  2. Save the REPAIR.bat file on your Desktop
  3. You should be Administrator on the machine, click on the Repait.bat
  4. Wait for the process complete
  5. Once completed, try to go to MS Windows Update and update your machine

For Microsoft Vista and Server 2008 is same process but little a bit different file. See below the correct REPAIR.bat for these operating systems.

Microsoft KB958042 – for more info 😉

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