Windows update failed

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For some odd reason, Windows Update failed in my Acer netbook. The past update cycle went with no problems. Trying some procedures found via Google after ascertaining that a manual try at updating was fruitless and doing a Microsoft Fix-it, I was told that (1) service registrations were missing or corrupt and (2) an error 0x800700d (2013-11-14-T-11_54_38A) occurred. I tried doing several fixes for the error to no avail: no download occurs. A manual try gives a constant search bar with no end.
What gets me is that the only things I’ve done with it between Patch Tuesdays has been updating programs, nothing else. My smartphone and Windows 7 laptop handle the vast majority of the work. At least I have another netbook of the same vintage that I plan to do the latest updates to so I can get the KB numbers of the updates to do each manually to the bad one unless some kind soul can point me to a fix. Thanks.

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You mean you cannot download new updates?

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yep. I cannot get any to download.

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Shadowjack. If the updates are .net updates then often this is caused by installing dot net out of order, the latest version first instead of last. Microsoft has a fix that you can use.

Are you having the problem with installing Microsoft Windows XP Pro or Home SP3 updates after downloading them?

The problem occurs when you use your Windows XP Setup disk to repair Windows instead of undertaking a clean-fresh installation, though I have found it can also occur on a clean install: Although the files are on the Hard Disk, because of the new 2007 changes at Microsoft Update, the file that installs them is not registered in the Registry. I followed their instructions on the Microsoft Support page.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=822798

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Have you tried running sfc /scannow in a cmd prompt window opened as Administrator?

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Just tried it and I get a request for a Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 CD to be inserted: a neat trick for a netbook. I did make an XP Home SP 3 to speed up reinstalls when SP3 is needed, maybe that would work. I would need to get my external DVD drive to plug into the netbook to try this which is currently at home with my other netbook of the same make/model, needed for an unsullied OS to get my first netbook back running (see some of my other posts about the fun I had with said netbook.)

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If you can use the CD, I would advise you to. This may solve your issue, but it can also fail to do it, though.
You may also want to let me know about any error messages you get when you try to use Windows update.

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There is NO CD drive on a Netbook. To even read a CD, you must have an external CD player with a USB output to the Netbook.

But it’s XP! Why do you think you even need the MS Updates?

I and most of my XP customers have had Auto Updates shut off for a long time now, since they caused total system failure on many boxes.
It seemed to me and many other users that MS was deliberately trying to sabotage our XP to get us to upgrade to the newest OS. It seems like folks don’t like having to pay a Computer Tech to recover their PC after a MS Update.
So just shutting them off and getting on with life seems like a very workable solution.

I too have an Acer Aspire ONE, Netbook and it does just fine with no more MS Updates.
I like to use it when traveling, in it’s Bullet Proof carrying case. (well, almost Bullet Proof anyway)

Cheers Mates!
The Doctor 😎

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I have yet to see an XP system that I couldn’t make Windows Updates work on. If it isn’t working, its almost always a sign that something is corrupted on the PC. A malware infection or a corrupted .net install are the most common issues.

Jerry

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Just finished trying a Windows XP Pro SP3 disc that came with a refurb Lenovo laptop and an ISO image of service pack 3 that I downloaded and burned in order to install SP3 on units that need it. In both cases the Microsoft Fix-It spit up and said wrong disc. Anything else I could find was pay-fors like ReImage that would require lotsa MS updates to get back to normal. Also I get notices of updates needed but no downloads nor any error messages. I can download individual KBs and install them and the “you have updates” notices I get later reflects the installs. I have run Malwarebytes, Avast, and Superantispyware with no problems found.

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Just finished trying a Windows XP Pro SP3 disc that came with a refurb Lenovo laptop and an ISO image of service pack 3 that I downloaded and burned in order to install SP3 on units that need it. In both cases the Microsoft Fix-It spit up and said wrong disc. Anything else I could find was pay-fors like ReImage that would require lotsa MS updates to get back to normal. Also I get notices of updates needed but no downloads nor any error messages. I can download individual KBs and install them and the “you have updates” notices I get later reflects the installs. I have run Malwarebytes, Avast, and Superantispyware with no problems found.

So you were not able to run sfc?

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SFC absolutely demands the disc be inserted, otherwise it picks up it’s football and goes home. The error mss. continue until you first close the cmd window then X out of the mss. It says it needs some .dlls that may be needed to do replacements. The problem is that, like most error ms., it is not crystal clear on it’s desires and as such is easy to misinterpret.

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I fear that without the help of sfc, maybe only some error code from Windows Update can provide alternative paths to a solution. Do you get any error codes from Windows Update?

Is System Restore an option? Which is the older restore point you can go back to?

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No error codes shown from Windows Update. I have not tried System Restore; have to try that tomorrow.

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Ok, please let us know how that goes.

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System Restore a bust. The corrupted files that the Fix-it program mentioned are beyond the System Restore purview. I try a manual Microsoft update and it just keeps on a-checking. I used Oct. 11 point-nope.

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Hmmm… no error codes, no ability to run sfc, I guess the only thing I could recommend now would be a non destructive repair install, but you would need a XP disc with slipstramed XP3.

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I am experiencing about the same problem. Had to reload Windows XP Home with SP3, system ran 100% CPU but found the fix and now it runs normally. Tried doing Windows updates, they worked up to a point but after over a 100 updates I’m no longer able to run Windows Updates, error: 0x80240001. Ran the FixIt program no luck, updated the installer no luck, tried other fixes mentioned in many posts on Microsoft Support Blogs no luck. Ran services.msc and checked the properties of both ‘Automatic Updates’ and ‘Background Intelligent Transfer Services’ and they are both correct according to the blog posts I read. I’m stuck and don’t know how to proceed and get the problem fixed.

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Not sure how that can be solved, to be honest, other than a repair install. It would probably be possible to try one of the alternatives to Windows Update, which I must say I have never used, so I cannot personally recommended any specific option:

http://www.itechtics.com/update-windows-without-windows-update/

http://download.wsusoffline.net/

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Contacted Microsoft Support and chatted with a person there, here is what transpired:

Microsoft: “Our remote session is part of our Premium Support for $99 with a guarantee resolution. For the Support I described, we will have an access to our Tier 2 Department once we exhaust all the resources available here in our end. The good thing about the Plan, you are entitled to a refund for 30 days if or Tier 2 Department failed to fix the issue.”
Me: “I thought that windows update problems were covered at not cost?”
Microsoft: “We are covering the issue for updates for the computers with Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 with a remote session completely at no cost. However for the Windows XP and Windows Vista, since the warranty already expired, we need to sign up with our Premium Support.”

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Hi ,
This may … or may not be relevant , but I once suffered a similar problem with Windows update on an XP SP3 system … which involved a lengthy troubleshoot ( numerous Fixits , .NET framework updates ) with Ms support … I finally discovered the fault by myself … with profuse apologies from Ms … It related to my having switched from Windows Update to Microsoft Update . Once I switched back … all operated as usual … If you don’t see “New Get Microsoft Update today” with a ‘Go’ arrow on the landing page … scroll down a bit and you should see a link to switch back to Windows Update …

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Had this issue and after many hours of research and trying various Microsoft fixes, I stumbled across something that worked for me: update just windows internet explorer, then turn on automatic updates and then restart your computer. Windows update should start downloading the required patches/updates. Hope this works for you.

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Yup, Microsoft paranoia. XP updates stopped working a while back on my Acer netbook also. And, it did not come with the real Windows CD that MS says is required to recover the files needed for update to work. The restore partition that completely wipes all of your data was removed by a Big Box store reinstall that wiped my data when the netbook was still new. (there was nothing wrong with the HD, the problem was a bad power connector) I ran a malware scan and removed a virus. but I cannot legally get the Windows files that the virus trashed that allow update to work because MS refuses to allow it without paying for Windows again. My solution, after beating my head against the Microsoft wall for a week – dump the windows and install Linux. There is nothing that I use that netbook for that absolutely requires windows. I backed up my documents and browser bookmarks onto a USB stick. Then copied them back onto the Linux. Instead of the crippled version of MS Office that came with the laptop, I used Libre Office – it has no problems with the MS .doc or even the .docx formats. The Linux version of Firefox was able to instantly recognize all of my add ons and bookmarks. AND, it runs a bit faster. I have never been a big linux fan until this.

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If you would reload the operating system it will solve all the problems you mentioned. You will need to have the system disk however. If you buy it you may need to spend money but not as much as a technician would charge. E-bay or Amazon may have a disk for a cheaper price. BE SURE you get the proper disk. There are many types. XP may not be available by 2014 some time. I heard April.

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@Bben46:
Yes, we are going (gradually),
through the same migration process
w/several XP-SP3 PCs.
(XP to Linux Ubuntu, in our case).

Isn’t Linux great?
Our applications are working well for us,
no problems.

Question:
————
How did you (easily) transfer your **Bookmarks** & FF Settings
from: Firefox XP
to: Firefox under Linux?

We are planning to use “Xmarks” to do this transfer.
Xmarks, which saves your to the Cloud,
was bought by LastPass.

Yet, some people report that although Xmarks
does Save bookmarks to the Cloud fine,
it then fails to Restore/Transfer back the bookmarks
to another browser,
later – when that restoring is needed.

Anybody have any experience with Xmarks
lately on this issue?

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@Bben46:

Yes, we are going (gradually),
through the same migration process
w/several XP-SP3 PCs.
(XP to Linux Ubuntu, in our case).

Isn’t Linux great?
Our applications are working well for us,
no problems.

Question :
————
How did you (easily) transfer your **Bookmarks** & FF Settings
from: Firefox XP
to: Firefox under Linux?

We are planning to use “Xmarks” to do this transfer.
Xmarks, which saves your bookmarks to the Cloud,
was bought by LastPass.

Yet, some people report that although Xmarks
does Save bookmarks to the Cloud fine,
it then fails later to Restore/Transfer back the bookmarks
to another browser, (ie: FF under Linux),
– when that restoring is needed.

Anybody have any experience lately
with Xmarks _restoring_ bookmarks?

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@Bben46:

Yes, we are having the same Win Update problem
with our XP-Pro 32 pcs.

We are going (gradually),
through the same migration process as Bben46 is,
w/several XP-SP3 PCs.
(XP to Linux Ubuntu, in our case).

Isn’t Linux great?
Our applications are working well for us,
no problems.

Question : to Bben46 or anyone?
————
How did you (easily) transfer your **Bookmarks** & FF Settings
from: Firefox XP
to: Firefox under Linux?

We are planning to use “Xmarks” to do this transfer.
Xmarks, which saves your bookmarks to the Cloud,
was bought by LastPass.

Yet, some people report that although Xmarks
does Save bookmarks to the Cloud fine,
it then fails later to Restore/Transfer back the bookmarks
to another browser, (ie: FF under Linux),
– when that restoring is needed.

Anybody have any experience lately
with Xmarks _restoring_ bookmarks?

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Actually I have seen this. We found out (after months of wondering what was going on) that there wasn’t enough space on the Hard drive to run the update. If your drive space is low you will also have other problems. IF that is not the problem you should be able to go to the Microsoft site and download the latest service pack. There could be a change that you have a virus also. If these are not the solution you may need to reload the operating system. The registry may be corrupt. A technician in your area should be able to help.

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Started happening a few months ago.
On my 2 “native” XP machine, as well as in the WIN7 PRO XP box.
ALl running XP3 etc.
Lots of free space.
===
Something Microsoft did.
If you run task manager you’ll see svchost using 99% of the CPU.
Anyway, spent days surfing, looking for a fix (reinstall/reimage not an option).

Here’s what I did:

– Turned off automatic updates
– Downloaded/installed IE8
– Ran IE8, took all the defaults BUT NO “install updates” anywhere when prompted in the initial setup.
– Ran “fixit” batch job (see below)
– Rebooted
– Direct download/installed “Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP (KB2879017) http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40390
– Rebooted
– Ran Microsoft Update. It takes a loong time (like an hour or so) but if problem fixed you’ll get the usual “updates” list (svchost will still hog the CPU)
– If yolu’re using Microsoft Security Essentials run a quick scan as soon as you started the Microsoft Update (it worked on my virtual XP, nobody knows why).
– If no update after waiting, shut down, reboot and try again.
Worked for me.
GOOD LUCK!
===
(FIXIT.CMD)
rem some of the commands below won’t execute, it’s OK
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
rmdir /s /q %windir%SoftwareDistribution
REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLL/s
REGSVR32 wuaueng.dll /s
REGSVR32 WUAUENG1.DLL /s
REGSVR32 ATL.DLL /s
REGSVR32 WUCLTUI.DLL /s
REGSVR32 WUPS.DLL /s
REGSVR32 WUPS2.DLL /s
REGSVR32 WUWEB.DLL /s

net start bits
net start wuauserv
wuauclt.exe /resetauthorization /detectnow
pause

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I had a similar problem with my WinXP SP3 box. The solution was to disable my antivirus application (Avast) during the search for updates. All is well now.

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Ready made .bat file that registers.

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All sorts of different possibilities to cause the same problem. For me, the FIx-it said I had corrupted/missing registration files and an error message that could point to several possible fixes, none of which I tried worked. In regards to the above mentioned doings/fixes/possibilities, I had no viruses according to malwarebytes, superantispyware, and Avast. I had 90 GB extra HDD space. I had switched from Microsoft update back to Windows. I had had no trouble downloading previous updates with Avast running. I wound up getting another Aspire 1, doing a Macrium Reflect image and using a USB DVD drive and the PE windows Repair disc to put a new image back on the netbook. I then checked the system by checking for optional/custom software and got 16 updates. IT’S ALIVE!

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I had this problem a few weeks ago. Windows Update wouldn’t work, and would in fact virtually lock up my system. My anti-virus sweeps found no problems.

When I probed with PROCEXP.EXE, I found that a Windows-Update module, WUAUENG.DLL, was using up 98%-99% of the cpu time.

In googling my problem, I found many proposed fixes. The one that worked in my case was to download and reinstall IE 8 (despite the fact that I almost never use IE–I use Firefox).

Evidently, in addition to updating IE 8, the update process also repairs Windows Update. The entire update process took quite a long time because, as I later discovered, it was also downloading and installing the critical Windows updates I had missed for the previous two months.

While researching my problem, I found one post claiming that a particular Windows update (in September?) failed to distinguish between XP and Vista, and consequently corrupted the XP registry entry for Background Intelligent Transfer System (BITS). BITS is used by Windows Update. Sure enough, when I ran SERVICES.MSC, I found that both the name and the description of the BITS service had been altered to display the BITS DOS-box command line instead. Merely correcting those entries in the registry didn’t fix Windows Update, so those scrambled entries were merely symptoms of the real damage that the faulty update had done elsewhere.

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I had this problem with the last patch Tuesday cycle. I ran Fix-It and FIx-it said I had corrupted/missing registration files like others here. After lots of searching I found this:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/bits-not-listed-under-services-in-win-xp/9e0a3fe5-e193-4441-b3f4-85df0e9b42aa

Here are the instructions:

Please do the following.

Open the Windows Search tool, copy/paste the following and then click Search: qmgr.dll

Search should show that file in the following locations:

C:WINDOWSsystem32
C:WINDOWSServicePackFilesi386
C:WINDOWSsystem32bits

Provided they’re all present (there may be others too), do the following to register the service.

Go to Start, Run and copy/paste: regsvr32 qmgr.dll and click OK

Do the same with this file: regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll

Reboot the system and then copy/paste this command into the Run field:
%windir%System32rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%infqmgr.inf

If you’re prompted to insert the Windows installation CD, ignore that and in the dialog box at the bottom, change the path to C:WINDOWSServicePackFilesi386

Restart the PC again and then go to Services and you should be able to see BITS in the list.

Double click it and then on the General tab, click the Start button to try and start the service manually. This is just a test to ensure that it’s working correctly.

If you get Error 2: cannot find the file specified, go to Start, then Run again and copy/paste the following command and then click OK:
Reg add HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesBITSParameters /v ServiceDll /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d %windir%System32qmgr.dll

Reboot again and then try once more to start BITS. It should work properly now, but in the unlikely event that it fails again, run the following command and then hit Enter:
Reg add HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlBackupRestoreFilesNotToBackup

Reboot once more and then do the following.

Go to this link and install the IE8 cumulative November update:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=41074

Finally, go to the Windows Update site and you should be able to download normally.

After completing those steps I ran Fix-It again and this time it suceeded in fixing the corrupted/missing registration files.

Hope this helps, especially since you don’t need the installation CD to do this.

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My CPU cycles when like nearly 100% when I tried to update. I ended up downloading the Microsoft update image CD and installed the updates and then was able to go to Microsoft’s update site to get the reset that were not on the CD. What a pain. Forgot to say that I run XP in a Virtualbox VM. 🙂

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Interesting that when the update is tried, it soaks up CPU cycles. I never looked at that in my earlier tries. Looks like that should be something I should check when I get hangups of any sort.

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If you want to run SFC without the disc you need to copy the i386 file on to a USB drive then transfer to the netbook and place it on the root of C. Then change the registry to look for the i386 folder instead of the disc. The instructions are here http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html. This procedure works without any issues if the registry sourcepath for the install is changed.

I would also check to see if all the services and dll’s with regards to Windows Update are all there and registered as well. One fix that worked for me can be found here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/windows-update-svchostexe-100-cpu-in-task-manager/6b372d8b-0ca4-4042-ba37-b2a7cdcdbd06

A third long short is found here http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q193385

Make a cup of coffee and best of luck :cheers:

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Even though I solved my problem by sliding in the side door, as it were, I started reading Sinjin’s post and links (and sublinks within) and yes, the problem has become quite the can of worms. If one is a conspiracy theorist, one could even assume that Murkysoft has it in for XP’ers. It seems I started quite a discussion thead and find it fascinating reading. There are 6 XP machines that I deal with and only 1 got blitzed. Not bad, it seems.

Edit: I spoke too soon; other XP laptops and maybe, my Systemax (if I ever get it’s power shutdown bug fixed) have the update problem but at least I now know how to fix them.

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I used this to fix a couple of XP installs http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/background-intelligent-transfer-service-is-missing/2afb9676-933b-4b4b-aa26-ada58dd6a014 when I got to this part If you’re prompted to insert the Windows installation CD, ignore that and in the dialog box at the bottom, change the path to C:WINDOWSServicePackFilesi386 on one I copied that file from another PC and selected that for the source. For the other I used a XP disk I had slipstreamed with SP3 and instead of the Nov updates I used the Dec cumulative update for Dec.
Joe

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Just got done on my Lenovo XP laptop and it, too, got bit. It did come with an XP disc in which I was able to use it in the scannow operation. The operation went to completion and was a total bust. The fixit came back with 4 errors. Yuck. Microsoft really blew this one and I hope they get a lot of flack. I’m going to try downloading the updates one at a time and see what happens.

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Finally, I saw an explanation as to why. It’s probably a good thing that updates will end in April as far as Microsoft’s concerned. lol

http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/12/16/1959259/exponential-algorithm-in-windows-update-slowing-xp-machines

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According to SVCHOST and Windows Update Microsoft is still working on the problem. They say they will work through the holiday to get a fix ASAP.

Joe

--Joe

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Hello all the 50 and 100% CPU runners…
it is not me that has found the problem and its solution, but finally this is quite simple:
The problem seems to be caused by the UPDATER expecting a patched EXPLORER in order to run. But the updates for the explorer are in the UPDATER. So the relevant SVCHOST process is running in circles, forever.
Go to the Microsoft site for Explorer 8 and download that again (there are some pitfalls as you have Explorer 8 already installed). The RE-installation first deletes the existing Explorer and then restarts. Within the boot process is the installation for the NEW Explorer running (can take 5 to 10 minutes). It installs Explorer8 after checking for malware, the downloads all relevant updates of Explorer. Finally your set up, and your CPU load is down to idle, at 1-2 %. You can now download all the remaining updates without problem.

One must expect that the next batch of updates will do the same, as Microsoft seems not to be solving the problem for us…
Have fun
Hans Peter

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According to SVCHOST and Windows Update Microsoft is still working on the problem. They say they will work through the holiday to get a fix ASAP.

Joe

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Redmond gang then. 🙂

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After doing a batch of digging, the instructions found at the address: http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/bits-not-listed-under-services-in-win-xp/9e0a3fe5-e193-4441-b3f4-85df0e9b42aa?page=9 enabled my Lenovo laptop to update again. Now my PSI does not recognize a batch of .NET updates I downloaded manually and keeps the reoffering of same (typical XP .NET behaviour) and am now doing a reinstall of the 2.0 and up.

Also, I never had the 100% CPU problem others had; just that I could not update.

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