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Windows Update does not work

strep3241

strep3241

Senior member
I just started having a problem with the Windows Update. I just recently reinstalled Windows 7 64bit and it was installing updates just fine.

Then I did something I probably shouldn't have. It was in the middle of installing updates and it got stuck on an update, can't remember which one, there was over a hundred in that batch. But I kept checking on it and it never did go past the update no matter how long I let it sit there. I had to restart the pc for other reasons. I realize you shouldn't restart or shut down the pc while Windows is installing updates but if it gets stuck on an update, what are you supposed to do? I tried stopping the installation but that did not work.

Anyways, after I restarted, everything seemed fine. Windows installed SP1 without any issues shortly after so I thought everything was fine. But apparently not. Now I can not get Windows to check for updates. I found out the Windows Update service is not running. So I tried to start it and it gives me an error "error 0x80070057, the parameter is incorrect."

Did I screw it up by restarting in the middle of Windows updating or is there something else going on here?
 
memory said:
I just started having a problem with the Windows Update. I just recently reinstalled Windows 7 64bit and it was installing updates just fine.

Then I did something I probably shouldn't have. It was in the middle of installing updates and it got stuck on an update, can't remember which one, there was over a hundred in that batch. But I kept checking on it and it never did go past the update no matter how long I let it sit there. I had to restart the pc for other reasons. I realize you shouldn't restart or shut down the pc while Windows is installing updates but if it gets stuck on an update, what are you supposed to do? I tried stopping the installation but that did not work.

Anyways, after I restarted, everything seemed fine. Windows installed SP1 without any issues shortly after so I thought everything was fine. But apparently not. Now I can not get Windows to check for updates. I found out the Windows Update service is not running. So I tried to start it and it gives me an error "error 0x80070057, the parameter is incorrect."

Did I screw it up by restarting in the middle of Windows updating or is there something else going on here?
Click to expand...

You could try the Microsoft 'fix-it' for windows update. You can find it at this Microsoft link

http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/
 
I just tried that Microsoft fix it and it gave me an error while trying to run it. It said an error occurred while downloading one or more components and the troubleshooter can not be run.

It had a link to download a utility to troubleshoot that error but it couldn't identify any problems.

Do you think a Windows repair would fix this problem?
 
You shouldn't have to go quite to that length. The Fixit does the job so often I think they should integrate it into the next iteration of Windows 8. Anyhow since that didn't do it for you, I would next stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Windows Update Service, delete the contents of Windows\SoftwareDistribution and restart those two services. May require a reboot. Give this Fixit a try maybe.
 
PliotronX said:
You shouldn't have to go quite to that length. The Fixit does the job so often I think they should integrate it into the next iteration of Windows 8. Anyhow since that didn't do it for you, I would next stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Windows Update Service, delete the contents of Windows\SoftwareDistribution and restart those two services. May require a reboot. Give this Fixit a try maybe.
Click to expand...

Both of them services are already stopped, I did not stop them myself. I tried turning either on and I get an error. I haven't deleted the software distibution folder yet, I am worried there might be something important in there.

I ran that fix it tool and it found a few things but could not fix all of them. Here is a screenshot:
 
Damn, somehow restarting in the middle of WU caused it to go as retarded as a rootkit disabling updates. WU will not work without BITS pretty much ever it's a requirement. The Fixit usually repairs that service but you might have to hand repair it with some command lines ( look up qmgr.dll), if I had time I'd google it a bit more. The SoftwareDistribution folder is completely safe to empty, it's just a cache for updates. In fact it's an effective way to free up space on a SSD system drive. I usually try to do everything before a repair installation but you just might have to.
 
That sounds like a bit over my head. I may try to empty that folder. What is the reason for emptying that folder?

I am not sure I can do a repair installation. I tried to do a repair install, I chose the upgrade option from the Windows install disk and it said I am already running a newer version of Windows. Is there something else I am supposed to do in order to do a repair install. BTW, what is wrong with doing a repair install? To me it seems like it would be quicker than going through all this stuff if the repair install fixes it.
 
Emptying that folder removes all traces of available updates from the windows update screen (ie if you've hidden Bing options, they will show up again, etc)
So if something was corrupted in the DL, then clearing the folder out, then starting the 2 services will redownload the patches.
Since you just installed W7, it might be easier to wipe/erase the install and redo it, hopefully you didn't activate until the 30 days period was over (or 90 days if you extend it)
 
I will empty that folder and see what happens.

I thought about reinstalling Windows but do not want to do that until absolutely necessary. And yes I activated Windows before the 30 days was up. Why would that be a problem?

I posted this in another forum and was told to do a few things. I tried installing the System Update Readiness Tool and get an error while trying to install it.

I also ran sfc/scannow and it did not find any integrity violations.

I was not able to get to the page where it shows the Windows update errors.
 
if you try to activate the same key often, online activation might not work and youll have to call in.
I always wait the initial 30 days, then extend it another 60, just to make sure the PC is all set and working right.
 
One of the Microsoft techs at TechNet provided this series of commands for Win Update. I have used twice and both times they fixed my problem.

On the open Admin Command Prompt window copy and paste the commands (all at once) –


net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver



A colon and back slash should be where the "Smiley" face is. I tried to edit but when I enter the "edit" mode, it shows the proper characters rather than the faces. For some reason, the forum will not accept these characters.
 
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