Win Update-Help Fixing the Fix...

I usually Google things before coming here, and it backfired this time as I found this thread with a good fix right on top:

Windows Update cannot be started

When I Googled Windows Update Can't Update - Service Not running, I found https://www.wintips.org/windows-upda...-vista-solved/ which 'fixed' things by Renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder. (I did a bunch of things first, virus scans, MalwareBytes, Scan, made sure the service was running, running MS's fix for this, etc.)

Their fix did fix the problem in that I was able to check, and install Windows Updates.

The problem? I lost all history and who knows what else... The fix posted here avoids this problem.

So my question is how do I get my history (and any other missing things) back?

Could it be as simple as renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder back and then doing the fix? And what about the updates I did today?

Any ideas?
.

Hi TDK,

Depends on what you did with the SoftwareDistribution Folder.
AND any other clean-up operations since- ie have you run anything like CCleaner
1) re-named - might still be on your comp
2) deleted

Do you have either a restore point or better an Image.

In reality losing the list of installed updates is not a cause for concern.
The improved MS clean-up tool also removes obsolete updates, and the cumulative roll-up checks for required missing updates.

note
there are 2 installed updates options on the Windows Update GUI, top and bottom, as i've never used the rename/delete option on the SD folder not sure if it clears both.

Looked at the link there's nothing else to worry about

Roy

torchwood said:

Hi TDK,

Depends on what you did with the SoftwareDistribution Folder.
AND any other clean-up operations since- ie have you run anything like CCleaner
1) re-named - might still be on your comp
2) deleted

Do you have either a restore point or better an Image.

In reality losing the list of installed updates is not a cause for concern.
The improved MS clean-up tool also removes obsolete updates, and the cumulative roll-up checks for required missing updates.

note
there are 2 installed updates options on the Windows Update GUI, top and bottom, as i've never used the rename/delete option on the SD folder not sure if it clears both.

Looked at the link there's nothing else to worry about

Roy

Thanks for the help, Roy.

Short version: if there’s nothing else to worry about (other than losing Update history), then I’m not worried. Thanks!

To answer your questions:

Yes I renamed it. What I do with ‘important’ things like this is add the suffix “-orig” so “filename.ext” becomes “filename-orig.ext”.

No I didn’t run any other cleanup operations. No recent Restore Points either…

Again, thanks.