Solved Windows Update Service Not Running

[Wixi]

Hi,

Today the Windows Update service wasn't running on boot-up and didn't appear in Task Manager. I have no idea why as everything was fine last night and have never had this issue with WU before.
If I click "Check for Updates" I get a message saying "Window Updates could not check for updates because the service isn't running. You may need to restart you computer". I've tried restarting several times but WU still isn't running. I'm using a Dell Studio laptop with Windows 7 64 bit. Please help.

 

[sup3rsprt]

A lot of us had issues today, whereas it worked yesterday. I think some crypto certificate may have expired, either on Microsoft server end and/or they need to push an update to clients.

P.S. - a similar issue happened on my XP PCs as well. Changing the date back to Dec 2nd worked around the issue temporarily.

 

[dbgarza]

A lot of us had issues today, whereas it worked yesterday. I think some crypto certificate may have expired, either on Microsoft server end and/or they need to push an update to clients.

Indeed that's the issue, there is a file called authcab.cab on a folder called AuthCabs in the SoftwareDistribution folder. That file inside has a file called authorization.xml and has a line that has an expiration date of December 3, 2017. The line on that file is as follows:

<ExpiryDate>2017-12-03T11:59:25.5067616-08:00</ExpiryDate>

That caused all this mess with Windows Update or more like with Microsoft Update because if you uncheck getting updates for other Microsoft Products, Windows Update will search updates for Windows normally.

I guess that's the only workaround till Microsoft fixes the mess they have with Microsoft Update.

 

[sup3rsprt]

Nice research and find =)

Indeed I only had issues with "Microsoft Update". Once I disabled Microsoft Update, Windows Update worked.

I guess with Windows 10 their priority... who knows if this'll ever get fixed.

In any event, I often use the Windows Update Catalog to download patches manually. At least until Microsoft kills that too

 

[dbgarza]

Nice research and find =)

Indeed I only had issues with "Microsoft Update". Once I disabled Microsoft Update, Windows Update worked.

I guess with Windows 10 their priority... who knows if this'll ever get fixed.

In any event, I often use the Windows Update Catalog to download patches manually. At least until Microsoft kills that too

Thanks, but I can't take the credit for that investigation since I found it on another website. All the credit for the investigation goes to the owner of that site

Hey, I have to be fair and give the credit to the person who deserves it n.n

 

[TheOwner]

Easy solution.
1. Stop Windows update service
2. Delete Softwaredistribution folder
3. Start Windows update service

This fix this problem but you lose your update history.

 

[torchwood]

Hi Nancy,

Unfortunately Yes. and thats why the scan is taking so long.

There is another fix posted on this forum, that didnt clear the SD folder.

Roy

 

[NancyinWI]

Sorry, I guess I deleted my post after you read it....

Apparently the other updates were applied and just the history of what updates were done are gone, because it finally came back with current updates...same ones that my desktop say are available.

Thanks

 

[Cmaker3]

I also have (had) the same problem. After reading all the above posts, I tried all suggestions and only one worked. I tried the "date change" and "disabling the Update for Other Microsoft Products" but none worked. I have to give credit where it's due. I found it on the Dell Support website at

Windows Update Cannot Currently Check for Updates Because the Service is Not Running | Dell US


Part of the solution is listed in TheOwner's post.

The solution from Dell's Support website has only 4 steps:
1. Go to Administrative Tools/Services, and stop the Windows Update service.
2. Then go to the folder c: /Windows/SoftwareDistribution and delete all of the files and folders.
3. Then go back to Services and restart the Windows Update service which will recreate all of those folders again.
4. Then manually run the Update Service and everything should work.

I actually rebooted before proceeding with Step 4. But When I started Windows Update it still showed that the service is not working. I changed the settings on the Windows Update screen and disabled (unchecked) the Update for Other Microsoft Products. Then I just clicked the Check for Updates button even if it had the X and a message saying the message (paraphrasing here) that the Windows Update service is not running. And the update started... well ... updating

It took several minutes and I only had 3 updates. After the restart, I checked what was updated and it showed only the 3 new updates. I then clicked the View All Installed Updates (I think) and it took several minutes but it showed all updates all the way back to 2012 including non-Windows/non-Microsoft software.

Then I went to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\AuthCabs and viewed the authorization.xml inside authcab.cab and now the expiry date has been updated

<ExpiryDate>2025-07-01T00:00:00.0000000-00:00</ExpiryDate>

I opened the Window Update and tried to Change the Setting because I wanted to re-enable "to include other Microsoft Updates" but the option is not there anymore. However on the Windows Update screen there is a message "Get updates for other Microsoft Products" and a link.

Thanks.

Cmaker3

 

[jiitee]

The solution from Dell's Support website has only 4 steps:
1. Go to Administrative Tools/Services, and stop the Windows Update service.
2. Then go to the folder c: /Windows/SoftwareDistribution and delete all of the files and folders.
3. Then go back to Services and restart the Windows Update service which will recreate all of those folders again.
4. Then manually run the Update Service and everything should work.

Thanks! You are my hero!

 

[Judy in Texas]

thank you,cmaker3.

 

[DocBrown]

One of my Win-7 Computers has had this problem for about 6 months. Tried the info in this thread and it worked just fine.
Updated 19 updates I was missing.

Thanks everybody