Solved Windows Update - Impossible To Get

[maranatha4u]

I receive an error message every time I try to do a Windows Update. It usually displays itself as Error 80070005 (about which this article references: Error 0x80070005 when you try to install updates by using Microsoft Update or Windows Update).

I’ve done scans (Microsoft Essentials/Malware Antibytes), yet still no malware/virus is ever detected. I do know that my system is very vulnerable not being able to get Windows Updates.

Could anyone give me any advice to resolve this issue? My PC is Windows 7 Pro OS, 64-bit (Dell Optiplex 760).

 

[carwiz]

Did you run MSERT as the article suggests? Choose Run from the download so there's less chance of it being corrupt. It's only good for 10 days anyway. Be sure to select Full scan and let it run. It could take several hours depending on your system.

After it completes, run SFC /scannow from an elevated command prompt. If you get errors you may need to run it up to a couple of more times. Report back any console messages.

 

[cottonball]

maranatha4u,

Let's see if the following helps...

Press the Windows key and the R key at the same time.
In the Run box that appears, type: services.msc
Press: OK

In the list of Services, right-click on: Windows Update
Click on: Stop
Exit the Services window.

Next, go to Start > Control Panel
In the CP search box (upper right) type: Folder Options
Press: Enter

In Folder Options window, select the View tab
Under Advanced Settings, Files and Folders, select: Show hidden files and folders
Remove the check from: Hide protected operating system files
Click: OK

Now, right-click the Windows key, and select: Explore
Navigate to: C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution
Right-click SoftwareDistribution and select: Rename
Rename the folder to: SoftwareDistribution.old

Go back to services.msc

In the Services window, right-click on: Windows Update
Click on: Start

Restart your computer.

Any luck?

 

[maranatha4u]

maranatha4u,

Let's see if the following helps...

Press the Windows key and the R key at the same time.
In the Run box that appears, type: services.msc
Press: OK

In the list of Services, right-click on: Windows Update
Click on: Stop
Exit the Services window.

Next, go to Start > Control Panel
In the CP search box (upper right) type: Folder Options
Press: Enter

In Folder Options window, select the View tab
Under Advanced Settings, Files and Folders, select: Show hidden files and folders
Remove the check from: Hide protected operating system files
Click: OK

Now, right-click the Windows key, and select: Explore
Navigate to: C:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution
Right-click SoftwareDistribution and select: Rename
Rename the folder to: SoftwareDistribution.old

Go back to services.msc

In the Services window, right-click on: Windows Update
Click on: Start

Restart your computer.

Any luck?

________________________________________________________________________________


Hello, Cottonball!

I just want to THANK YOU for your help !!!! You'll never know how appreciative I am, especially in view of the fact that I've had SCORES of other "techs" try to help me get this resolved yet NOT ONE of them was successful; all their attempts proved futile. You were the ONLY ONE who got this resolved, as I did precisely as you had instructed. Almost immediately, I received the popup that there were 84 updates to install @ 664.6 MB! And, it said that it never has been done.

After the updates were installed (it DID take awhile!) and re-booted, I did received the message that Windows was not genuine (???). This very much puzzles me, as I purchased this computer from an individual who purchased it directly from Dell (Dell Optiplex 760) . . . and, I had contacted Dell (I have all the communications to me via e-mail), and they asseverated the fact that my tower was still under warranty with them. So, how can it be that fact that Windows is not genuine??? I did see, however, that there may be something wrongly installed/improperly installed that may be causing this issue also.

Here are a few images attached. The one message Cottonball, as you can see, "threatened" me about canceling Windows Essential antivirus program in 30 days if I don't get it resolved. Is Essential any better than Microsoft Safety Scanner (which I just found out about), or, should both be used?

Once again, thank you SO VERY MUCH for your help. You're absolutely brilliant, and I know I'm not exaggerating here. Incidentally, we have a 20-month-old female Dachshund - our favorite of all dogs. My Facebook: www.facebook.com/lhild

 

[Jacee]

maranatha4u, see if this works for you....

Copy and paste these lines in Note pad.

@Echo on
pushd\windows\system32\drivers\etc
attrib -h -s -r hosts
echo 127.0.0.1 localhost>HOSTS
attrib +r +h +s hosts
popd
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winsock reset all
netsh int ip reset all
shutdown -r -t 1
del %0

Save as flush.bat to your desktop.
Double click on the flush.bat file to run it.Vista and Windows 7... right click the .bat file and choose to run as Administrator. Your computer will reboot itself.

Next, download TFC by Old Timer TFC - Temp File Cleaner by OldTimer - Geeks to Go Forums and save it to your desktop.
Save any unsaved work. TFC will close ALL open programs including your browser!
Double-click on TFC.exe to run it. If you are using Vista/Windows 7 right-click on the file and choose Run As Administrator.
Click the Start button to begin the cleaning process and let it run uninterrupted to completion.
Important! If TFC prompts you to reboot, please do so immediately. If not prompted, manually reboot the machine anyway to ensure a complete clean.

Now, download MSE http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5201 and "save it to your downloads". Go off line to uninstall MSE, reboot and then right click to run as Administrator on MSE in your saved downloads to re-install. (do NOT click run!) Let it update and scan!

Let us know if you're still having the same problems.

 

[maranatha4u]

Thanks so much. I'll do as you've mentioned here. When I did the Windows Update a few minutes ago from the start menu (and, maybe Cottonball can see this post too), it scrolled for a minute or so and then I got that nasty red error message, telling me that there were two (2) update that didn't go through - the Essentials (which I'll do as you said here to try to resolve, but the other one was the nVidia. Please see the attached screenshot. But, I'll do as you said right now and get back with you.

Thank, once again, so very much for your help in this.

 

[Jacee]

nVidia is an "optional" update driver. Do not update non MS drivers using Windows update!
Uncheck that selection, and put a checkmark in the box above it (MSE)

 

[maranatha4u]

Thanks so much; I'll uncheck that area.

 

[cottonball]

Press on with Jacee's guidance. It will take a group effort to solve this.

At some point, when you get a break, please do the following to obtain some info...

Go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Propmpt
Right-click the Command Prompt, and select: Run as Admnistrator
At the blinking cursor of the Command Prompt, copy paste the text inside the quote box below, and press Enter:

slmgr -dlv

Please provide an image of the results.

Next, do the same as above, but this time use the following text:

slmgr -xpr

Also provide an image of the results.

SLMgr = Software Licensing Manager



Now, let's use the Event Viewer tool VEW by Vino Rosso to look at system event logs for error messages and other information that may be pertinent.
　
VEW download:
http://images.malwareremoval.com/vino/VEW.exe
Save to the Desktop

Right-click the icon on the Desktop (VEW.exe), and select: Run as Administrator
Click Allow at the User Account Control (UAC) prompt.

At the VEW program console:

In the Select log to query section, check:
Application
System

In the Select type to list section, check:
Critical (not XP)
Error
Warning

In the Number or date of events section, check:
Number of events
Type 20 in the 1 -20 box

Now, press the Run button.

A Notepad report opens on the Desktop when the program is done.

Please post it here for our eyes to look at.

 

[maranatha4u]

Cottonball, I got the first one but, for whatever reason, I get an error msg on the second one. First one is attached.

 

[maranatha4u]

No Can Do

When I tried to copy/paste that area, I was told that the text is too long and to reduce it from 34,000 characters down to 20,000.

I regard to the other screenshots (2), they're attached but error msg on the second one at the command prompt.

 

[maranatha4u]

Still Error Msg

Well, as mentioned, after I did as Cottonball suggested, I was able to download 83 out of 84 updates. But, for whatever reason, it seems I just can't download the last one. See screenshot error msg when attempting. It showed before that it was the nVidia update (which is wrongly put to be updated under MS; just haven't been able to find where to uncheck this so that it can be updated manually).

 

[maranatha4u]

I'll be back a little later tomorrow . . . getting sleepy! Thank you all again for your tremendous help!

 

[Jacee]

Click on Windows Updates, now click on "Review Important Updates" ... what updates are pre-checked?

 

[cottonball]

maranatha4u,

On Post #9,
You need to right-click the Command Prompt, and select: Run as Admnistrator

At the blinking cursor of the Command Prompt, copy paste the text inside the quote box below, and press Enter:

slmgr -xpr

~~~~
On the Event Viewer report, please attach it to your reply. It normally is very long.

Must confess that Windows Update is not 'my thing'.
Did you have any malware on the computer recently?

~~~~
BTW, I had a little dachsie by the name of Grrretl. Sha passed on last August. Yours is named Gretta. She is beautiful

 

[maranatha4u]

Click on Windows Updates, now click on "Review Important Updates" ... what updates are pre-checked?

I cannot seem to find the area that says Windows Updates (plural). Only one I'm finding is that from the Start button > Menu > Windows Update. And, on this page to do the actual updates, that's the one that is failing to update the nVidia. It seems like this is halting all the updates now.

 

[maranatha4u]

Ok, back again Cottonball.

I did the Vino's app; was still too big to copy/paste so I saved it as a txt file. It's attached.

Secondly, I did precisely as you instructed me here on the Command Prompt > Run as Admin > Paste characters you mentioned . . . still, I receive the same (black) error msg (the attachment that we sent last evening).

I mentioned earlier that 83 out of 84 updates were done as the results of your advice. It seems the ONLY thing that's hanging up now, preventing me from receiving any more updates (apparently), is the nVidia which is wrongly set to be updated by MS which I was told earlier. But, I can't seem to find the area to UNCHECK the upgrade hardware by Windows area (?).

Now, on the Microsoft Essentials, I haven't had any "warnings" about that since removing the old version and re-installing it anew. I guess "time will tell" on this one.

This is very "mentally intensive" for me, since I'm not an IT; so if I overlooked something, please let me know. Thanks so much Cottonball . . . and all others for your help here.

 

[maranatha4u]

Latest results from the Microsoft Safety Scanner - Attached.

 

[cottonball]

Hmmmm.....

What the Command Prompt image posted shows is C:\Users\admin>^U

That (^U) would not be a recognized command.
By any chance, did you have the NumLk key active?
If you press Fn and NumLk at the same time, that will inactivate it.

Let's try the following...

Go back to the Command Prompt.
If it does not show C:\windows\system32>
Copy/Paste the following at the blinking prompt: cd \windows\system32
Then, at C:\windows\system32> type in the following: slmgr -xpr


The output of the slmgr -xpr command is a prompt stating: Windows has been activated permanently.

 

[maranatha4u]

Please see attachment. And, the NumLock button has been off (?). Now, it's starting to be a real enigma. :huh: