Update seems to be totally 'broken'?

I periodically check my wife's Win7 machine for updates. The icon was present indicating updates available. I clicked the icon. The screen looked different. There were no n important/n optional available. I clicked update now. Got a message (paraphrased) service not working restart computer. I did and same problem. I checked the service and it showed as working, I restarted the service. Same problem. This time I shutdown and started the machine. Same problem.

That's why I'm saying the update truly is broken?

Mark

No luck.

I rolled the date back to the Friday before this past Sunday. I then ran update from control panel. It took a good 10-15 minutes for the update screen to finally load. It looked the same. I ran update and got the same error. I reset the date to current.

Here's what I really don't get.

99% of Window's users do not come to user forums for assistance and wouldn't know to do what you guys have done or know. If MS, per the referenced discussion, acknowledges this as their error and that it's fixed. Then why would I need to do anything? Why wouldn't this problem if it is fixed have been fixed automatically by a push from MS?

Mark

My mistake. I reset the date but didn't turn off auto check.

Followed instruction correctly and problem solved.

Thanks.

Mark