Windows Update error 80072EFD

[dumle]

My computer has been working properly until I got a update for the Windows Update software. After installing the update and Windows Update restarted I immediately received that error when trying to search for updates. I'm not even able to get to the part where I pick the updates, it just fails seconds after I press the button to search for updates.

After googling abit I found out that the error is somehow related to ones internet connection and firewall settings, but even after changing the internet connection and disabling antivirus/firewall I still won't get it to work.

Error: 80072EFD

Computer specifications:
AMD X2 4400+
MSI K9N Neo V2
4GB DDR2 800 MHz
Nvidia 8800GT

Antivirus: Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 (Was not working before installing it either though)

Help appreciated!

 

[oxymoron02]

There is no update to the actual Windows Update service, I'm afraid. Error 80072EF means something is blocking Windows Update from accessing the update server, and this means the 'update' you downloaded was most likely a virus. I recommend installing Malwarebytes immediately. It is free and quite comprehensive in its ability to root out any harmful processes running on your system.

If you have any problems installing this or any other antiviral software, please let us know.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/lp/malware_lp_form

 

[Saltgrass]

You might check the Microsoft Link. It is quite extensive and may lead to a better understanding of the problem.

Temporary connection-related errors may occur when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update

0x80072EFD ERROR_INTERNET_CANNOT_CONNECT

 

[NoelDP]

There is no update to the actual Windows Update service, I'm afraid. Error 80072EF means something is blocking Windows Update from accessing the update server, and this means the 'update' you downloaded was most likely a virus. I recommend installing Malwarebytes immediately. It is free and quite comprehensive in its ability to root out any harmful processes running on your system.

If you have any problems installing this or any other antiviral software, please let us know.

There is actually an Update for Updates - it comes down without any consent required, unless you have updating completely disabled, so you may not have noticed it.....
How to obtain the latest version of the Windows Update Agent

 

[dumle]

@oxymoron02
As NoelDP said, there is actually an update for Windows Update which is required. Nevertheless, I've been using Malwarebytes since I built my computer. Both Kaspersky and Malwarebytes can not find anything.

@Saltgrass
I tried every solution posted on that page (except for F, which was not intended for Windows 7), still getting the error.

@NoelDP
I downloaded the 32 bit update agent posted, but when I run the program I just get a "You already have the latest version installed".

 

[NoelDP]

That doesn't surprise me at all.

Do you ever get any different response from Windows Updates, or is it 80072EFD every time?

Please open an Elevated Command Prompt windows, and run the following command

IPCONFIG /ALL

copy and paste the results to your reply.

What Anti-Virus or Firewall programs have EVER been installed on this machine (since the last reformat/reinstall - including any pre-installed by the manufacturer, even if uninstalled prior to activation)


Here are some instructions to make life easier
1) To open an Elevated Command Prompt Window (the CP window), click on Start, All Programs, Accessories – then right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator. Accept the UAC prompt.
2) To run the commands easier, highlight the block of commands, and right-click on the highlight – select Copy. In the CP Windows, click on the black/white icon at top left – select Paste. The commands will run but may not complete the last command, so hit the Enter Key once.
3) To copy the results... click on the Black/White icon in the top left, and select Edit... 'Select All', and hit the Enter key - then use Ctrl+V or r-click+Paste to paste it into your response.

 

[dumle]

It's always the 80072EFD. And it started occurring directly after it completed the update for Windows Update which was about a month ago.

As for the anti-viruses, for the moment I'm using Kaspersky as I stated before. When I updated Windows Update I think I was using Avast! or maybe none at all. I rarely have anti-virus installed because it's actually kind of hard to catch a deadly virus

Since the beginning of the installation of Windows, that's a little bit harder but I'd say Vipre, Bitdefender. So in summary: Avast!, Vipre, Bitdefender, Kaspersky. I don't think the anti-virus is the problem though.

Thank you for the instructions but I've been involved in fixing computers since 10 years back so I have some experience. Except for Windows Update!

Here's the output:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. Med ensamrätt.

C:\Windows\system32>ipconfig /all

IP-konfiguration för Windows

Värddatornamn . . . . . . . . . . : Niklas-PC
Primärt DNS-suffix. . . . . . . . :
Nodtyp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP-routning aktiverat . . . . . . : Nej
WINS-proxy aktiverat. . . . . . . : Nej
Söklista för DNS-suffix . . . . . : lan

Ethernet-anslutning Anslutning till lokalt nätverk:

Anslutningsspecifika DNS-suffix . : lan
Beskrivning . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
Fysisk adress . . . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-92-A0-A4-AD
DHCP aktiverat. . . . . . . . . . : Ja
Autokonfiguration aktiverat . . . : Ja
Länklokal IPv6-adress . . . . . . : fe80::ed0c:3fc5:add2:33a9%10(Standard)
IPv4-adress . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.65(Standard)
Nätmask . . . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lånet erhölls . . . . . . . . . . : den 27 juli 2012 12:24:50
Lånet upphör. . . . . . . . . . . : den 27 juli 2012 16:54:50
Standard-gateway. . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP-server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
IAID för DHCPv6 . . . . . . . . . : 167779730
DUID för DHCPv6-klient. . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-16-B7-93-AE-00-1D-92-A0-A4-AD

DNS-servrar . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS över TCP/IP . . . . . . . : Aktiverat

Tunnelanslutning: isatap.lan:

Tillstånd . . . . . . . . . . . . : Frånkopplad
Anslutningsspecifika DNS-suffix . : lan
Beskrivning . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Fysisk adress . . . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP aktiverat. . . . . . . . . . : Nej
Autokonfiguration aktiverat . . . : Ja

Tunnelanslutning: Anslutning till lokalt nätverk* 11:

Anslutningsspecifika DNS-suffix . :
Beskrivning . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Fysisk adress . . . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP aktiverat. . . . . . . . . . : Nej
Autokonfiguration aktiverat . . . : Ja
IPv6-adress . . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:5ef5:79fb:18a1:1b24:3f57:febe(Stan
dard)
Länklokal IPv6-adress . . . . . . : fe80::18a1:1b24:3f57:febe%12(Standard)
Standard-gateway. . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS över TCP/IP . . . . . . . : Inaktiverat

Sorry for the Swedish but I hope you will understand anyway, otherwise just ask for a translation!

 

[NoelDP]

This type of problem is often teh result of residuals from earlier AVs that have been incompletely uninstalled - and almost none uninstall fully without also running a cleanup tool.

ou need to run the following tools...
Avast - avast! Uninstall Utility | Download aswClear for avast! Removal
Vipre - follow the instructions at How to manually remove VIPRE Antivirus and VIPRE Internet Security
BitDefender - How to uninstall BitDefender

Download each, run the tool, then reboot and move to the next - DO NOT attempt to do more than one at a time, or you're likely to have to redo them!

oncce you've done all of them, reboot a second time to ensure that everthing is complete, then try Windows Update again

 

[dumle]

After running each tool with a reboot in between and with a final reboot I still get the error. Is there any easy way for me to check if I've had any other anti-virus software installed?

 

[NoelDP]

Try eyeballing the Program FIles and Program Files (x86) folders - see if there's anything left behind there.
I'd also consider uninstalling Kaspersky, running its removal tool, and reinstalling whichever AV takes your fancy - but NOT swapping it around!

Leave it there - it's a lot easier than you think to get infected!
Have you run MalwareByes yet?

 

[dumle]

Already did that, the only bad thing is that I use to clean Program Files folder for uninstalled programs so now I have no idea which programs that were installed.

Actually I find Kaspersky really good, I think I'm going to stick with it. I've run both Kaspersky and Malwarebytes scans.

 

[NoelDP]

In that case, try checking the AppData folders in your profile. - you'll need to enable viewing of hidden files, and System folders/files

 

[dumle]

No AV leftovers in neither of the folders Local, LocalLow and Roaming as far as I can see. I'm not sure the anti-virus is the problem here though, I have a laptop on which I experiment with different security solutions aswell and there the updates works perfectly.

 

[NoelDP]

I'm by no means certain it's the cause either - but it's always the first thing that needs to be cleared up.

Now open an Elevated COmmand Prompt, and type

NETSH WINSOCK RESET

hit the Enter key, and reboot on request

retest WU

 

[dumle]

Still getting the error, I'm not sure but maybe there is something wrong with the actual Windows Update files. Is there anyway to reset/reinstall them?

 

[NoelDP]

I always like to do as much fixing as possible in a non-destructive way - but it does sound as if we may have to do something a little more drastic.

I'm assuimg here that you can accessall the normal sites - *including* www.symantec.com www.microsoft.com and www.mcafee.com without a problem, and that Kaspersky is happily updating itself?

Start by running Fixit 50123 from here Error codes

Reboot and retest

Then download Fixit 50202 from here... How do I reset Windows Update components? - NOT the popover one, but the one in the KB article.

Run it in normal mode first

reboot and retest

if you're still failing, run in Aggressive Mode
This will delete your Update History, but not the list of Installed Updates
reboot and test

 

[dumle]

Yeah internet is working perfectly (except being slow because our ISP sucks) and Kaspersky is updating.

Ran both fixes with reboots inbetween and tried Windows Update, didn't work. (Also rebooted and tried aggresive)

Now Windows Update is displaying "Last search for updates and last updates installed" dates to never. Is this normal?

 

[NoelDP]

Yes - that's because the history was cleared.

In Windows Update, click on Change Settings
change teh settings to Never Update.
click OK, and exit Windows Update
Go back into Windows Update
Click on Change settings
Change to Automatically Update
Exit Windows Update

Go back into Windows Update
now try a Search for Updates.

 

[dumle]

Still won't work, it did spend atleast half a minut searching though. But still displays error 80072EFD.

Maybe there is some service not running or got corrupt somehow? I really have no idea, just guessing.

 

[NoelDP]

What's more likely is that there's something else getting in the way - do you have a 3rd-party firewall running, or are you using the Windows firewall?
Have you EVER had ZoneAlarm installed?