Windows 7 STARTER Windows Update is running but says it's not.

[Galane]

Windows Update doesn't give me any error info other than claiming the service is not running. I've checked and manually stopped and restarted the services. No change in how it doesn't work.

I've run the Fixit here https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058 Failed. Tried the manual procedure (but not Step 4 yet, the Fixit doesn't offer me an aggressive option)

The path in Step 3 does not exist in Starter Edition I used Agent Ransack to search the entire drive and there are no qmgr*.dat files to be found.

For several of the files in Step 6 it either doesn't find or has some error. The first time I ran the Fixit it falsely claimed it had fixed it. the second time it reported that it failed to fix Windows Update but the next screen only showed success or issue not present. Shouldn't a report of failure actually include exactly what failed?

I'm downloading SURT for 32 bit Windows 7. Don't have high hopes for that to work. Edit: FAIL! error: 0xc80003f3 It's an MSU file. Standalone Update installer. Can't install because the update service is "not running".

Yes, I am logged into an account with Administrator privileges.

Is there Windows Update troubleshooting specifically for the Starter edition of Windows 7? I try searching on Google and it ignores the word Starter. (Someone please go tell Google that 7 Starter actually exists and to stop editing what people enter!)

 

[Galane]

Looks like this http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...-updates/624aa194-d31d-4086-a2a0-1e652b6e8de5 may have it.

At least Update is not currently insisting it's not running when it actually is. Sitting on Checking for updates and the green bar animation is going so it doesn't appear to have hung or frozen.

Would be nice if Microsoft had a "nuclear option" Windows Update repair utility in an exe that would just 'blow away' *everything* to do with Windows Update and replace it all with files and settings that will absolutely work. So what if it would be like changing the engine in a car when it's just a bad ignition module. The point would be that it would work, always. No troubleshooting, no need to run an elevated command prompt and type a lot of commands, just run *this* and Windows Update *will function again*.

 

[Galane]

Still not. Code 8007000E Could not search for new updates.

But SURT is installing... It installed, rebooted, try Windows update again. Sits for a while and same error.

 

[Galane]

I manually stopped and restarted bits, wuauserv, appidsvc, and cryptsvc yet again then went to Windows Update. After nearly FIVE HOURS it finally shows 69 updates and five optional updates to install. I've selected the three optional ones that "resolve issues" and have set it to download and hopefully install.