Question : Windows Update returns Error 403 forbidden

Error 403 forbidden: Access denied. You do not have permission to access with the credentials provided.
Dell Dimension using Windows XP Home.  Internet explorer 7 crashed. I Uninstalled SP3 and IE 7.  Confirmed IE 6 which now works except to get to Windows Update.  Therefore I cannot re-install SP3.  Followed directions Microsoft Knowledge base until it came time to unregistering the dll wuv3is.dll and deleting the file.  It does not exist on my XP OS.  Besides that, the knowledge base article applies only for  Win95 and Win 2000 server.  There are no knowledge base articles for this problem on XP.  Need a fix.
Operating System: Windows XP

Answer : Windows Update returns Error 403 forbidden

You manually install:

XP SP3
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5b33b5a8-5e76-401f-be08-1e1555d4f3d4&displaylang=en

IE7
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9AE91EBE-3385-447C-8A30-081805B2F90B&displaylang=en

IE8
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/Internet-explorer/default.aspx

Try getting current, then see what WinUpdates has to say.