Fixits do not appear to work with this particular update failure. Please continue to use the manual instructions below.
And save the original keyboard layouts file with a different name. You can, for example, add a 1 to the registry file name so you have a backup. Now delete everything under the keyboard layouts key. Now save the edited regsitry file of Keyboard Layouts (the original file name) into to the registry. You can click on the file and it will reimport it into the registry replacing the kbd files in the registry. (Please note that you may see this under Keyboard Layout (singular) - as well).
Now reboot your Windows XP. Now attempt to install KB2686509 again either via manual download going to http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=29804 and downloading from there or using Windows update again. It now should complete successfully. If these instructions do not work for a Windows ME or Windows 98 upgraded to a Windows XP, please post back on the http://answers.microsoft.com/thread/0deeacb6-115c-419d-ac37-03ff8927b79c thread with your exact problem.
Thanks for this helpful how-to Susan (and Ed) :-)
You mentioned editing the Keyboard Layouts reg export:
"Now that you've exported this value, open up the file in notepad.
Right mouse click the file, and click on open with notepad. Click on Edit, then on Find Next (or hit f3) and put in one at a time, the listing of the kbd files found in your faultykeyboard registry file."
First thing I did was take a screen clip of FaultyKeybaordLayout.log just for reference if need.
Then I found it a little faster just to place the cursor at the top of the exported reg file (I did my damage on a copy of the exported reg file), and search for ".kbd" (no quotes). That will take you to the first .kbd entry. Then as you said, F3 to get to the next one down. I also noticed that in some places, the .kbd entries are consecutive and numerous. At these locations in the file, I was able to use shift_DownArrow (and with the shift key still depressed, use the the right arrow key) to get the whole bottom line). This allowed marking a bunch of the .kbd entries at the same time. Finally hit the Delete key while they are still highlighted.
You also mentioned:
". . . Now delete everything under the keyboard layouts key. . ."
I found it faster just to delete the Keyboard Layouts key entirely. Then, right click and select Merge on the the "pruned/edited" working copy of the Keyboard Layouts reg export file.
No guarantees here, but if you have a bunch of upgraded XP machines to fix as I did today, you might just want to create one pruned/edited Keyboard Layouts file on the first machine, and save it to a network share or thumb drive. Then login to every machine as an admin (RWW works wonderfully for this on SBS networks), backup the faulty Keyboard Layouts key for safety, then delete the key, then import the pruned/edited Keyboard Layouts file (that you made on the first machine) from the network share or thumb drive. Don't forget to actually run the critical update again as admin while you're there (if you have your non-admin users locked down for security reasons).
Regards,
Bret
This instruction set is BRILLIANT, Susan. My manual KB2686509 installation (6/26) was effortless after the "mapping" adjustments were carried out. Bret's suggestions for the correction mechanics came in handy as well. CHEERS! to you both [Me-->XP SP3].
Many many thanks. I've been fighting this problem for months and this solution worked perfectly. I've tried dozens of other attempts and they just didn't help. Very well written. This worked so well, I'm "ghosting" this image!
These instructions were very helpful. I had upgraded my dad's Compaq 5838 from it's original Win98 to XP Pro many years ago. My dad now has a Win7 computer. XP has been so stable that I feel his XP machine will augment my frequent reliance on my school's (college) library computers (Win7 & MacOSX) where the computer lab closes at midnight. The rejection of KB2686509 was disheartening and persistent. Searching within microsoft.com I was directed to, and I tried the Fixit from support.microsoft.com/.../6527 where I chose xp and was led to support.microsoft.com/.../958051 ; this led to disappointment, but not frustration. Next I found Fixit 50882.msi and was again disappointed, but your earlier posts helped me know this problem was (in addition to persistent) being addressed by persons of diligence. A Google search of "KB2686509" brought me towards this thread. Thank You for your concise-yet-intuitively-perceptive sentence, "You can click on the file and it will reimport it into the registry replacing the kbd files in the registry." Without such a sentence, I lack confidence that my attempt to update with KB2686509 would have met with success. With your help, KB2686509 has now been successfully updated, Windows Update indicates there are no new critical updates needed, and I can move on to trying to add a 2nd hard drive from my mom's (replaced) Win98 computer. Again, Thank You. Sincerely, Frank Dattilo
This is a bit overcomplicated. You don't need to use a text editor at all. After exporting the registry structure as a backup, just find the .kbd file names using the find function in Registry Editor and delete the keys directly. It's not any riskier than the text editor approach. It's also not necessary to reboot before attempting to install the update again.