Windows Update doesn't work

[jpgirard]

I purchased a Gateway desktop with Win7 installed, but no installation disc. When I try to run Windows Update, it takes me to the site, but the shield is X'd out, and it tells me the service is not running, although in fact it is. I have seen others reporting this same problem, at sites all over the Internet, and have seen about a dozen suggested solutions, none of which works for me (or for a lot of other people). Any advice on this, apart from waiting for Microsoft to fix it (and deliver the fix in some way other than WU)?

 

[speedgamer01]

Have you tried turning off your firewall for a few minutes?

 

[echrada]

I purchased a Gateway desktop with Win7 installed, but no installation disc. When I try to run Windows Update, it takes me to the site, but the shield is X'd out, and it tells me the service is not running, although in fact it is. I have seen others reporting this same problem, at sites all over the Internet, and have seen about a dozen suggested solutions, none of which works for me (or for a lot of other people). Any advice on this, apart from waiting for Microsoft to fix it (and deliver the fix in some way other than WU)?

Are you sure your date and time is correct in bios?

 

[jpgirard]

Disabling firewall doesn't work, and BIOS date/time are correct.

 

[Brink]

Hello JP, and welcome to Seven Forums.

You might see if OPTION TWO in the tutorial below may be able to help with this if you have not already tried it.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/91738-windows-update-reset.html

If so, and it didn't help, then you might consider doing a system restore using a restore point dated before you had this issue to hopefully fix it.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jpgirard]

It didn't work, but thanks for the advice.

It was this way when I got it, so I'm guessing that a factory restore won't help. At this point, I'm thinking I'll just have to buy an installation disc and do a clean reinstall.

 

[Brink]

A system restore is not the same as a factory recovery/restore.

If the laptop originally came with Windows 7 installed on it from the manufacturer, then you should have a factory recovery partition to use to reinstall Windows 7 with without having to buy another copy of Windows 7.

For a Gateway computer:
Gateway Support - Full Factory Recovery