Unable to run Windows Update "... is not running" (Windows 7)

[Olof Antonsson]

Unable to run Windows Update "... is not running" (Windows 7)

Good morning.

Noticed that I hadn't been reminded by Microsoft to update for a while, so decided to do a manual check via the "Windows Update" (didn't they change the name to Microsoft Update years back?) icon in the control panel.

Herein, I am met by a red icon with a white cross in it, and offered the opportunity to "search for updates" (note that I am translating from a Swedish Windows 7 setup).

However, when I do so, I am via a pop-up informed that it is "... not possible to search for updates currently, since Windows Update is not running. You may have to reboot."

And, of course, I have.

Other things that didn't work:

1. Googling endlessly for forum threads like this one
2. Using the automated Microsoft Fix software
3. Using a recent large fix-all-update-issues file from Microsoft (which wouldn't even start)
4. Clearing the SoftwareDistribution folder
5. Using several automated .bat-files to various known ostensibly similar issues

The services Event log, Windows Update and Background Intelligent... are all running, and are set as "start automatically".

I would prefer if I did not have to perform a repair install.

 

[marsmimar]

I think I'd first try running a System file Checker scan to see if there are any damaged/corrupt system files. If any problems are noted run the scan 3 times rebooting in between each scan.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

Have you tried the System Update Readiness Tool (SURT)?

What is the System Update Readiness Tool?

Also:

How to troubleshoot common Windows Update, Microsoft Update, and Windows Server Update Services installation issues

Troubleshoot problems with installing updates

If still having problems please let us know.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Thank you for your reply.

I am sorry, I should have mentioned I had already tried the SFC command. I was however unaware that one might have to run it consequentially, but have now run it about 5 times, with rebooting in between.

I have only checked its log one time, but I get the same message about inrepairable files in the dos window after every attempt.

The difference now seem to be that I get a strange "advertisment" just below the in my previous post mentioned red icon (this is the Windows Update page reached via the control panel): "Read more about free-ware from (null). Click here if you want further information." (clicking does nothing)

Regarding the SURT, that is what I meant by "3. Using a recent large fix-all-update-issues file from Microsoft" -- this attempt invariably fails with the error message (originally in Swedish) "The installation software encountered an error: 0xc8000247).

The only time I have previously encountered an ostensibly similar issue was after having cloned a Windows 7 disk, with Windows afterwards being of the opinion that I ran an illegitimate copy of the OS in question.

Any other suggestions?

I am still quite hesitant towards performing a repair install, as I am unsure of whether the installation software would accept my license key (but does the software ask for it?), and after shutting down the repair being unable to boot.

 

[Demonicon]

DUDE!!
same thing happened to me, you are gonna need to do a System restore, to a point **BEFORE** October 26th 2011, there was an update for october 26th 2011 that was a important update, Do not install said update that was released on october 26th 2011, that update is what caused my computer to do the exact same thing your's is doing.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Thank you. And a first of being called dude.

Could you tell me exactly what this update of oct 26:th was that appear to have caused the error? (e.g. the KB number)

Have you been able to opt to not use this particular update, but still use Windows Update?

 

[NoelDP]

Thank you for your reply.

The difference now seem to be that I get a strange "advertisment" just below the in my previous post mentioned red icon (this is the Windows Update page reached via the control panel): "Read more about free-ware from (null). Click here if you want further information." (clicking does nothing)

I am still quite hesitant towards performing a repair install, as I am unsure of whether the installation software would accept my license key (but does the software ask for it?), and after shutting down the repair being unable to boot.

This sounds very much like malware to me - try using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (www.malwarebytes.org ) and doing a full system scan. (do NOT enable the real-time protection as it may conflict with your resident AV).

 

[JMH]

Hello Olaf.

Following on from the above good advice...

* Re

The difference now seem to be that I get a strange "advertisment" just below the in my previous post mentioned red icon (this is the Windows Update page reached via the control panel): "Read more about free-ware from (null). Click here if you want further information." (clicking does nothing)

Download, update & run a full scan of SuperAntiSpyware or Malwarebytes.
Run a FULL system scan.

* Run SFC again.

* List your current Security Software installed.

* Start > Control Panel > In the search box type "Troubleshooting" > System Security > Fix problems with Windows Update.

* Check again...
Start > type services.msc > enter > from the list of items double click Windows Update Service > Change the startup type to Automatic > click the Start button to start service > click Apply and then click ok.

* Reset Windows Update Components.
How do I reset Windows Update components?

*Or you can...

Start a free Windows Update support incident email request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?gprid=6527


FYI...
Support for Microsoft Update technical problems - troubleshooting

Troubleshoot problems with installing updates

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html

 

[Demonicon]

Directed to JHM

this is the same issue i had on my other post there, i ran malwarebytes and it didnt find anything, i seriously had to do a system restore

Directed to OLOF,
srry for the dude thing
ok here is the KB numbers tht i DID NOT INSTALL, which may have caused the issue : (KB2603229) and (KB2607576), i was able to stop the update, just dont install it, and my windows update is working again.

 

[JMH]

Demonicon.
System Restore is an option if there is one {or more} points created PRIOR to a problem occurring.
In my experience very few people pay any attention to System Restore & its value..
I have asked the question many times...
Back to topic.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Thank you, all for your suggestions.

I have now tried all of the above, issue not yet resolved.

As a last resort, I was quite astonished to find that a repair install could NOT be performed, since my OS is "incompatible" (!!!).

I have successfully run repair installs (i.e. via the Windows CD) on umpteen Windows XP installations -- this simple process of course basically overwrites/reverts the Windows installation, although user accounts and alike are kept intact.

However in the Windows 7 repair install process, one appear to have to choose between "upgrade" (???) and a clean install (that is, basically deleting your current setup).

I won't reinstall my entire Windows setup just because Microsoft considers the Windows on my computer incompatible to that on the disc I installed the same Windows with.

As john4tech suggested, I tried attaching a few log files (one was too big, the last one did not exist).

 

[NoelDP]

As a last resort, I was quite astonished to find that a repair install could NOT be performed, since my OS is "incompatible" (!!!).

This message arises usually for one of two reasons.

1) You have installed SP1 since the initial installation - and of course the disk is still at the RTM level. This means that you must uninstall SP1 beofre attempting the reinstall.

2) You are attempting to do a repair install with a 'slipstreamed' disk, rather than a proper disk with SP1 fully integrated - such disks cannot be used for repair installations.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Thank you kindly, John.

I should perhaps for the sake of consistency report that I actually went ahead with the repa-, sorry, "upgrade" install. As NoelDP brilliantly suggested, this initially failed to begin with due to having installed SP1.

However, it failed again. This time apparently though since my "hardware" is not "compatible". This is indeed strange, since my current Windows installation is from this very disc from which I attempted the upgrade install.

Might it be because I have upgraded my hard drive since? It should still be "compatible" however one would think.

I was going to go ahead and attempt a "clean" install, attempting to save much as it is via hiding it on separate partitions, however I shall first give your above suggesiton a try, John.

Thank you for your assistance.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Well, I have now also tried reinstalling SP1. First via a downloadable executable, then via burning an ISO image. They both failed, with an error message of something to the effect of (translated from Swedish) "irrevocable error".

I then ran the Windows Update troubelshooter script again, which produced the following two log files. I am unable to interpret them, so any and all help in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/41509884/windowsupdate.log
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/41509884/CBS.log

I am inclinced to hint that the only other time I have experienced a malfunction such as this, was when I had installed a new hard drive (in this very machine), and Windows suddenly considered my Windows installation illegitimate.

I think I had exactly the same errors -- presumably Windows in such occasions disables functions such as Windows Update. However, the in question matter ostensibly was solved when whereby making a new clone of the old harddrive, it looked to the OS as if the old hdd still was in place (its "id" or something was now identical).

I however assumed everything now was okay, since I no longer recieved any nag-pop-ups, but who knows. This does come off like a somewhat far-fetched theory however, since via the cloning process everything was copied byte by byte, i.e. including the Windows copy that at the time had no reason to complain about being illegit, and did not do so. But I thought I should mention it.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Thank you, I shall look into it.

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Well!

Much to my surprise, the suggestion elaborated on in the forum thread linked to by john4tech actually solved the issue. More to the point, I had to install, or perhaps it was reinstall (I do not know) some kind of Intel chipset or "Matrix technology" drivers.

I can't imagine trying to come to this solution via logical conclusions, but there it is.

After installing the drivers, I could reinstall SP1, and a number of other updates.

However I could mention that this only worked to a certain extent, eventually I came to a point where a small number of updates failed to install. I won't elaborate much on this as future reference as I expect this was due to specific computer/OS configurations, however this issue after several days was seemingly resolved by using a software called "Windows Install Clean Up", and perhaps more importantly manually changing ownership on several folders. The Microsoft Update icon finally is gone from the taskbar, after several months of this annoyance.

Thank you very much all for your input, and especially john4tech!

 

[Olof Antonsson]

Amazingally, I managed to encounter the ostensibly exactly same issue however on an entirely different computer (albeit from the same manufacturer).

This time, the disk on which the OS is installed was not cloned in any way, shape or form. Seemingly, the issue has now been resolved for now by uninstalling "Intel Matrix Storage Manager".

I leave it to a wiser sage than myself to provide the logical connection between the Intel software and Microsoft Update.

 

[NoelDP]

That's not unusual - se one of my many responses in the WGA forum for Win7 here....
Windows 7 Genuine Advantage Validation Issues (Windows 7) Forum

 

[cargoth]

after looking through a number of forums I finally found how to fix the problem.

Cannot Run Windows Update on a Windows 7 PC?

 

[NoelDP]

after looking through a number of forums I finally found how to fix the problem.

Cannot Run Windows Update on a Windows 7 PC?

That's a totally different problem to the one in this thread - the OP's problem was that the services were running properly, but that his system was not being seen as genuine, because of corruption apparently caused by a dodgy set of drivers.

Your problem was caused by turning off vital services.

 

[OldMX]

I had the same issue on a computer I built for my brother in law, windows update got messed so bad because of intel rapid storage drivers, i had to perform a clean reinstall, thankfully the damaged installation wasnt activated yet, so no big deal.