Tweaking.com Support Forums
Main Forum => General Computer Support => Topic started by: Nomad on January 29, 2016, 08:47:12 am
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Hi everybody
After some trouble in booting my notebook (Vista Home Premium), I restored the OS using a Macrium image I had burnt in June 2015.
Done that some days ago, it still doesn't get any updates from Microsoft. Windows Update says there are no updates and that the computer is up-to-date. I ran tweaking.com to correct any fault that could be in Windows Update but it didn't work.
I had restored this computer the same way a few times before, and updates were almost immediatly available as the restoring operation was finished.
What shall I do?
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It may be worth trying again later.
Did the Pre-Scan find anything that needed repairing ?
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Hi Boggin
Pre-Scan? Well, as soon as the restoration ended, the computer started running a CHKDSK, as I had answered to a Macrium question, asking should that be done after booting. CHKDSK said some corrections had been made, and the notebook booted normally.
Today I ran a system file check, no issues were reported, it was fine.
"Trying later", you mean keeping the notebook on, waiting for the updates?
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Sometimes MS servers are busy and manually checking for Windows Updates later may produce some, but they may just come on their own when you are using the laptop, but I would never leave a laptop on without good reason - and waiting for updates isn't one of them.
The only times I've left my Win 7 laptops on overnight was once when I was running a scan with a Kaspersky Recovery Disk and after a factory reset when I leave it on overnight for it to download/install the updates after I've vetted them.
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I've tried also putting Windows Update searching for updates and waited for some time watching the progression bar evolving, and... nothing happened.
So, I'll do as you say, and I'll tell if something I can't manage happens.
Thank you
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Still nothing till now!!!
Doesn't seem having to do with MS servers.
Any ideas, please?
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Using an image that old may have caused some problems, but with "fresh" installs, checking for updates can take a long time and it's not just in Vista that this occurs.
You could run the appropriate SURT and then see what the log says.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/what-is-the-system-update-readiness-tool
The log can be found in C:\Windows\Logs\CBS then double click on the Checksur one which will open in Notepad.
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Hi Nomad,
I had the same problem (on a WIN 7 64 bit machine) 2 days ago. I must admit, that I believe (not 100% sure) that the problem (impossible to do any windows update) came up AFTER running "Windows repair" !
After a lot of trial and error (I already wanted to reinstall), this solved my problem: http://christians-steffen.fr/telecharger/telecharger-windowsupdatediagnostic-diagcab/
(Don't worry about the French site, the program is in English).
Run both reapir alternatives offered by the program, one after the other ! I first only run the second repair (= windows update) and it did not repair all the errors. But after having also run the first repair ("background ... something"; sorry I don't recall exactly how it is called) Windows update" finally worked again.
Regards
Edit: sorry, the above link does not work to download; here is a link that works: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9830262
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@ rodgerOver
I had the same problem (on a WIN 7 64 bit machine) 2 days ago. I must admit, that I believe (not 100% sure) that the problem (impossible to do any windows update) came up AFTER running "Windows repair" !
It's ironic you say that because windows repair does the same thing the windowsupdatediagnostic.diagcab does :wink:
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Hi
After trying the "MicrosoftFixit wu.Run" which couldn't fix the problem, I have just had time, today, to
turn my attention to this issue again. So, RodgerOver, I downloaded from both the links you mentioned, but couldn't open any of them (which program is the right one?). Then I downloaded the one from Boggin's link; it ran for almost 45 minutes and no results.
This seems a hard issue indeed!
Thanks for your attention.
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SURT will have produced a log which can be found in C:\Windows\Logs\CBS then double click on the Checksur one which will open in Notepad.
It will list anything it found amiss.
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It happens like this: going to the Download folder (in the administrator account), trying to open the file, it shows a very quick message which I could not read, and then it searches for updates, never ending...
Looking for the log in Windows\Logs\CBS, I got the message "Access denied!"
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Change the update settings to Check for but let me choose... then get on with your life.
This is what I do following a factory reset and in time I'm presented with the notification there are updates where I'll go to Windows Update and hide any I don't want to install.
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I don't need to change that because it's how it has been all the time.
As I posted before, every time in the past I restored my C partition with a Macrium image, I used to have almost immediatly the notification about new updates to download. This last time it didn't happen. And yet, after I ran "MicrosoftFixit wu.Run", every time I go to Windows Update it shows that red shield, meaning, I think, it is off, and says something like "last time updates were searched for -- never; last time updates were downloaded -- never".
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I think the WU trouble shooter empties the SoftwareDistribution folder so there will no longer be a history of installed updates.
I once had the Check for updates in red and ran the Pre-Scan in Option 2 of WR and it found problems with the Environment Variables and after running the repairs for those in Option 2, Check for updates started working as it should.
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Boggin, I followed your hint, ran WR; no problems were found with the Environment Variables.
I suppose the lack of Windows Update history by itself would not put it in disfunction, I mean it could soon check for updates?
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Have you tried changing the update setting to Auto then to see if it gets rid of the red cross ?
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I did that some minutes ago, the red shield is still there.
Then I ran "MicrosoftFixit wu.Run" again, as I remember it left some messages after conclusion to which I didn't pay much attention the other day.
And there were 2 messages: corrections not made, (1) Windows Update error 0x80070490 and (2) Problems installing most recent updates.
I searched for error 0x80070490 in a Microsoft site, which was telling there was a download to be done (update KB 947821) from October 2014. I didn't execute it yet, as my Vista image (not missing any update) was recorded in June 2015, it should have that update, so this probably could not be the solution.
What's your advice?
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Have you done a search for that KB in Installed Updates by entering it into the top right search box, but I would agree that given the date of your system image that it should already be installed.
The only suggestions from MS for this error code is to run a sfc /scannow followed by a scan with the System Update Readiness Tool (SURT) and Google only finds people who have reinstalled Vista to resolve.
Do you have a Recovery partition on this machine which you can use to factory reset ?
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you get a 80070490 error? that would be your cbs manifest
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/windows-update-error-80070490#1TC=windows-7
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I installed update KB947821, and yes, this time I got the CBS log which I attached to this post.
But, yet, Windows Update keeps in red shield.
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Hi all. First time poster though I've been using the Windows Repair tool for awhile now.
Just wanted to suggest you download your updates from the Microsoft Download Center (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/DownloadResults.aspx?FORM=DLC&ftapplicableproducts=^%22Windows%22&sortby=-availabledate&q=). Just browse through the pages and download the ones you want. I've done this a couple of times when I couldn't get updates and afterward I could get them normally again through Windows Update. Worth a try. I'd certainly try it before doing a factory reset.
I'm really not too sure how much I trust Windows Update anymore though. I don't know if it's giving me all the ones it should, and sometimes it takes forever. Almost faster and easier to just get 'em from the download center.
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Another alternative, this script will reset your windows update service completely back to default. Try if all else fails.
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Hi
I tried Roof's suggestion; I didn't quite understand what really happened: I searched for a Vista Update dated from after June 2015, but it seems to me that it was not installed; Windows Update did not change anyway.
Then I also tried Whiggs suggestion, and again, Windows Update kept the red shield.
The last thing I did was reinstalling the same Macrium image, so I have Windows Update with green shield again and saying the computer is up-to-date...
Till some new idea lights up...
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It must have been a bad restore first time around.
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I mean, things are exactly as they were after first restore: Windows Update says the Windows is up-to-date, but it isn't, last updates are from June 2015.
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At least you now have a green check for updates.
You should still be getting updates until April 2017 and other than setting your update settings to auto and waiting for them to come through, I don't know what else to suggest.
You could try these cmds from an admin cmd prompt to see if a clean out would help gee them up.
The SoftwareDistribution cmd will remove your update history but have no effect on already installed updates and you can reverse those by reversing the ren cmds.
The forum may allow you to copy & paste these cmds to the cmd prompt to avoid any typos where they will auto run, although the last one may not execute until you press enter.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Then enter exit to close the cmd window.
Reboot and run the check for updates again.
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Hi Boggin
I still did not run those commands; I had run some that seemed alike, before, and they did not produce any effect.
I tried to install some updates manually from Microsoft Download Center, then a box came out: Windows Update Auto Installer, and a progression bar showing a never ending movement... It seems that even trying it manually, Windows Update remains in charge... nothing was installed, except Microsoft Silverlight, for which my browser (I. E. 9) was saying it was not updated and was allowing to do so; so, now there is in Programms a new one installed, Microsoft Silverlight with today's date, but I had it already (not visible in Programms).
Other than this, it is the same situation...
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Silverlight wouldn't have updated if you had the current version, but for that to update - that sounds promising.
MS servers for Vista seem to have a very low priority which could be why your check for updates returns you are up to date.
If they are going to come then I think they will on their own.
As long as you have your update settings to auto and given that the Checksur log was clean, I'd just forget about them and get on with your life.
As WR or the SURT as well as other WU fixes you have run - whatever the problem is, I think it's on MS's end.
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Well as to Silverlight it does not seem to have been an update, seems more like a reinstall...
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If you already had Silverlight then an update would normally come through Windows Updates.
Have you checked update history ?
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I remember, when everything was working properly, to receive updates for Microsoft Silverlight.
This time, when I responded to that message box in Internet Explorer 9 to update Silverlight, it seems to me that it was installed, not updated; as I already told, everytime I try to download an update from Microsoft Download Center, it does not work, because all I get is a box saying Windows Update Auto Installer acting like trying to download the selected update, but never ending to do it, that's why I think Windows Update is not leting to update out of its control.
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A new try I made, and still no change: http://www.thewindowsclub.com/repair-fix-windows-updates-with-fix-wu-utility
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Which antivirus program are you using and have you tried the updates with that disabled ?
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Avast free is my anti-virus, and, yes, I had it disabled for a while ... anyway it had never been an obstacle to updating before...
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If your Check for updates is still green and as neither SURT or the Windows trouble shooter appear to have found anything wrong with your system, unless Event Viewer has anything recorded, then I think your only obstacle to getting any newer updates is MS itself.
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How does that happen? Is there a way to overtake it?
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And still I do not get why, when trying to download updates manually, the box "Windows Update Auto Installer" keeps "running" and does not install anything either.
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So do you actually have any updates by KB numbers that to can manually try to download ?
See if you can get this one to download and install https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=42642
If it fails then you should get an error code.
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Hi Boggin
I downloaded that update, opened it, then a box popped out, and at the end said NET Framework 4.5.2 had been repaired, telling to restart the computer, which I did.
For the moment everything seems to be as before. What should I expect from this download?
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I was wanting to see if it was capable of getting an update with or without producing an error.
Give this one for IE 9 a go - it was released Aug 2015 and at least should afford you some protection.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=48419
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Hi Boggin
I tried; what's happening is that I have the already mentioned Windows Update Auto Installer box telling "looking for updates" for a long time. It seems that this will end as many times before: the box will stay indefinitely till I switch off the computer.
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Did that IE update download and install okay ?
If it did then I still think that you are at the mercy of MS.
I would contact them and ask if they are still sending out updates for Vista.
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It did not download or install; just kept the box I told about, "running" for 20 minutes, maybe, then I shut the computer down.
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Just for clarification, you weren't doing anything else but clicked on the download button for that update ?
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I have seen the checking for updates take HOURS. It is just Microsoft update. You have to give it time. Start it and have it check before you head to bed and see how it is in the morning.
Shane
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I'm waiting for feed back on that IE 9 update I'd linked to see if it could be manually downloaded.
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Right.
Then opened it in the bottom left side of the browser and there came the box.
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Not sure what you mean by that.....
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As I said, It didn't instal that IE9 update, but it was dowloaded to my "downloads" folder. When I opened it, the Windows Update Auto Instaler popped out "looking for updates", and so it remained for about 20 minutes for ... nothing.
Today I have been working with the computer for about 6 hours, and, again, nothing...
I would try Shane's suggestion (leaving the computer on for one night); isn't there any danger doing so?
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No, it should be okay - some people never switch desktop machines off and when I've done a factory reset, I leave my laptop on overnight to download the updates - just have to adjust the power settings so that the screen doesn't stay on all night but I have it to never switch anything off when using AC.
Without going back through the thread, do you have a recovery partition on this machine to factory reset with.
I know this would involve more work to bring it back with whatever you have installed, but as you've tried all of the known fixes - perhaps this may be the only solution - providing MS are still chucking out updates for Vista which they should be until 2017.
Anyway, if leaving it on overnight doesn't do it then I think it's something you should consider if that option is available to you.
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There is something new!!
As I was finishing my work on the computer, instead of shutting it down, I changed the user account (to a administrator account); so I noticed there was a notification (the WU icon on the bottom right side) saying new updates are available.
However, clicking that icon, the WU opens up saying the computer is up-to-date. Clicking on "search for updates", it shows the progression bar, but I suspect it is not searching at all.
So, there is a WU notification, but WU does not show the updates it says to be available!?!
Nothing like this has ever happened before in this computer, so something seems to be wrong.
Any hint, please?
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I think you have tried the first six of these methods, so carry on from Method 7.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2509997
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Hi Boggin
It just happened that the following time I turned the computer on, last night, there it was, the same icon in the bottom right side; I clicked it and then it was saying there were 73 updates to install. Another click and it showed them all. I clicked to install, and 72 were installed, now WU says the computer is updated.
Well, I have just noticed that Windows Defender was not updated, and I can not make it to. So there's still something going on. How can I be sure there are not some more updates missing?
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Do you have Windows Defender turned on ?
If the update has a KB number then Google that for a manual download.
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Let me say that the failed update (73-72) was not the Windows Defender one.
I just went to see W. D. through Control Panel and it said the definitions were from June 2015. Then I clicked to update and a box popped out with a progression bar which only filled very close to the left corner.
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So which one did fail and what was the fail error code ?
Do you actually use WD as it's only an on demand scanner and the free version of MBAM would be better suited and probably more effective.
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I was looking in the update historic and so it is: update KB3073921 appears in the list as failed but it is some lines up as successfully installed, the total updates is 72 (don't know how WU was telling there were 73 updates).
Beyond WD update missing, I noticed that one update Microsoft makes available every month, that one to detect malware, in my historic (newly downloaded) is from February 2016; I think it should be from Mars because this download happened in April.
I'm not worried for having WD not updated but by the fact that it seems to mean there is still some issue with my WU.
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hi, nothing to worry. Just disable the av program when the windows update. Becasue, your av is also getting to the files and so , it is the thing that you should try. after disabling the av, try the updates and you will get all the updates you needed.
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I was looking in the update historic and so it is: update KB3073921 appears in the list as failed but it is some lines up as successfully installed, the total updates is 72 (don't know how WU was telling there were 73 updates).
Beyond WD update missing, I noticed that one update Microsoft makes available every month, that one to detect malware, in my historic (newly downloaded) is from February 2016; I think it should be from Mars because this download happened in April.
I'm not worried for having WD not updated but by the fact that it seems to mean there is still some issue with my WU.
Yes, the one for MSRT is a monthly one so you may have more updates to come - it may update itself with April's updates but it should have been March's issue that downloaded.
Any failures will always be included in the update history.
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Hi jraju
I did just that and in fact, 16 updates were transfered, one of them for W.D..
Even after I have restarted the computer, now with the av not disabled, they kept comming, two or three for W.D. and the one anti-malware, arriving one at a time, all of March.
So I'm convinced that no update is missing now!
And, a few hours ago, one more for W.D., with the computer in "normal" mode, I mean, nothing disabled, everything seeming to work properly.
What really could had been was the cause of this?
Thank you very much, Boggin, Jraju and all, for your support.
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It may just have been a case of waiting for them to come.