Windows Update is broken for some Windows 7 users

Ranger4 said:

Laurie. The problem seemed to have started on the 3 Dec 2017 & is caused by an expiring MS AuthCab date.

To repair the situation, untick the Auto Time setting Function, in Time & Date, then reset the date to before 3 Dec 2017. Reboot the computer. Run Windows Update & it may update if there any not included before 3 Dec. When it has finished Updating, reset the Auto Time function & reset the date to today. Reboot the computer & re run Windows Update, which should now work & install Updates to the current time.

This is what I did on mine this Morning & Windows Update is working properly again & I have not lost my Update history.

Me to! Just finished the updates. Thanks Ranger4

Curse MS! I would be surprised if this wasn't another ploy to force people to move on from Win 7. I'm not going to bother with the reset date nonsense and just wait for MS to get their collective heads back into the sunlight and fix it.

Just my 3 very slow brain cells working.

How can Microsoft fix the problem on one's computer, if one's can't download the KB to fix the problem?

The reason I ask.
One of my computers was fixed without me doing anything.
The other computer I needed to do the 'change the time thing' and that worked.

I'm so easily confused.

Jack

Lady Fitzgerald said:

Curse MS! I would be surprised if this wasn't another ploy to force people to move on from Win 7. I'm not going to bother with the reset date nonsense and just wait for MS to get their collective heads back into the sunlight and fix it.

Lady F. I don't think this will repair unless you take some action. The problem is that the Authcab has expired. This is the authority that MS supply to each activated Windows 7 user so access is granted for Updating. The one on the computers that are having this issue expired on 3 Dec 2017, so the latest one is required to allow access to the Updating facility again.

This AuthCab gets checked when the computer starts up & goes through the start up loading procedure so is out of the users control. So if you don't take some action to repair it it will keep referring to the old AuthCab. I may be wrong on this but that's my suspicion.

If you wish to fix it, the suggestion I have posted does work & it keeps the Update History intact.

Brds7t7 said:

Ranger4, what's your theory on why it's only affected some users and not others? Because I'm baffled as to why it hasn't affected any of mine. Could it be related to rollups or a regional issue perhaps?

I'm clutching at straws here, but I just can't work out why it's not affecting everybody. If it's to do with an update pushed out, then why isn't it affecting all users? Very strange!

Anyone who just installs the Security-only updates having this issue too?

Will definitely refer to your solution if it does happen in future though.

I really don't know, but perhaps it depends on your installation date, which could mean the AuthCab authorisation uses different expiry dates. Or perhaps certain activation codes get allocated certain dates, so they don't all expire at the one time. While this is a problem for some users, you can imagine the catastrophe it would be if every computer expired at the one time, there would be possibly billions of Windows 7 users screaming from around the world.

I do think this problem was caused by someone not doing their job properly & making sure the AuthCab expiry did not expire for valid users.

You are welcome & thank you.