Windows Updates Failing 0x80072EFD

[CHR1S]

My windows updates are failing with error - 0x80072EFD (connection errors)

 

I get to the update site no problem, it scans, finds 44 updates then at the download stage just sits there and times out.

 

I have checked proxy/firewall but nothing has changed. I have reset BITS etc with the MS batch file and I have even visited the test link and can download the test file. I also have the latest version of BITS.

 

Anone know of any other things I can try?

 

Thanks

[docboggle]

I have been experiencing this on a few of our PCs over the past month or so. It will occasionally successfully grab an update or two, or pick some up through auto update.

 

The weird thing with mine is that the updates work perfectly on my laptop through my home connection, but not through the school

 

Synetrix say it's nothing to do with them, but nothing has changed otherwise.

[Westfield_Techie]

Have you been through the microsoft steps?

 

You may encounter temporary connection-related errors when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates

 

I've also hear of this problem when the proxy server is not set to default (run proxycfg -u). thats assuming of cause that you use a proxy server.

Edited September 18, 2009 by Westfield_Techie

[CHR1S]

Thanks all, I have tried the MS steps and proxy settings. It seems to have gone pear shaped after it picked up SP3 as all updates were going on up untill then.

 

Should have said its a brand new laptop and I didnt have a SP3 slipstreamed XP disk on me so it had to get SP3 via WU.

[CHR1S]

Just tested WU on another PC and it worked fine so it is something specific on this laptop.

[Westfield_Techie]

Are you connecting wirelessly? have you tried wired?

 

is the laptop plugged in (power)? some updates require that.

[CHR1S]

Plugged in and on a wired connection and still failing with the same error

[Westfield_Techie]

Really sorry, I've got to the end of my knowledge.

 

Good luck

[Great_Scott]

Yes, having the same problem even if I bypass the proxy! I tried the following after taking the machine out of the domain and it worked for me:

Clean up Windows Update temporary folder

=======================================

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update is containing corrupted files.

 

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net stop WuAuServ

 

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to Sdold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net start WuAuServ

[mac_shinobi]

Yes, having the same problem even if I bypass the proxy! I tried the following after taking the machine out of the domain and it worked for me:

Clean up Windows Update temporary folder

=======================================

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update is containing corrupted files.

 

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net stop WuAuServ

 

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to Sdold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net start WuAuServ

 

I was going to suggest that as well as re registering the windows update services files see attached ppt with instructions ( not sure if the url's mentioned are up to date though )

wsus.ppt

[Michael]

Any reason why you're not using WSUS 3.0 Chris? Generally I'd also recommend you disable Anti-Virus and any software Firewalls and see if this helps.

[maark]

Try dial a fix

http://wiki.lunarsoft.net/wiki/Dial-a-fix

 

sorted a few machines out for me that had update problems,

cheers Mark

[nickje]

I had this problem just the other day with a Dell XPS. After much hair tearing and following all the steps mentioned above it seemed that installing SP3 from Windows Update broke my ability to download further updates. I tried reinstalling from a Windows XP Pro SP2 disc and then installed SP3 from a downloaded executable (Download details: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Network Installation Package for IT Professionals and Developers) and this did the trick. Hope that is of some help

[CHR1S]

Any reason why you're not using WSUS 3.0 Chris? Generally I'd also recommend you disable Anti-Virus and any software Firewalls and see if this helps.

 

The Laptop will be ghosted after and in the past I have had issues with WSUS and SIDs + its quicker just to head straight to WU and download.

 

And same again, no AV for the same reasons and FW is the first thing I turn off when building an image.

 

Thanks for your help all, im back in the school tomorrow so will give them a go and report back.

 

Chris

[Great_Scott]

Same for me Nickje!!! All was well up to the SP3 install then like Chris says it shows 44 updates but just sits there saying "preparing for download". I've tried everything on the MS KB's but all to no avail and I'm not using WSUS either because of many previous issues with it. What I did notice was that I was able to download and install updates one by one but who has time for that!

[CHR1S]

Yes, having the same problem even if I bypass the proxy! I tried the following after taking the machine out of the domain and it worked for me:

Clean up Windows Update temporary folder

=======================================

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update is containing corrupted files.

 

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net stop WuAuServ

 

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.

3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to Sdold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

 

Net start WuAuServ

 

Thanks you Great_Scott & thank you everyone!!

 

This was the solution that worked for me, although I did have to go into safe mode first.

 

Chris

[Great_Scott]

I am SO hacked off right now! I have an NEC M450 here that will not update. It just sits there saying "downloading updates" but it doesn't. I have tried everything in my own medicine book that has worked before but all to no use.

The following (my own advice posted in a previous thread) is what I have tried:

 

I've had this issue for ages! Updates either do not download or install or the machine just hangs for hours. I've been on other threads within EduGeeks too, trawled the MS kb's and loads of other techie sites for hours looking for a solution and have never found a definite answer to it. However, the following methods have worked for me:

 

Assuming the PC you are working on is an existing school machine that you have just re-imaged and want to update before ghosting a new image back up - which is the situation I was in;

 

Download & install MS IE7 then reboot.

Rename the Download folder in C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\Download to download.old

 

1 - Uninstall Ranger

2 - Uninstall Sophos - Use the Sophos removal .bat tool from their tech guys

3 - Take machine out of domain

4 - Download & Install MS Installer 3.1

5 - Download & install MS Genuine Validation Tool

6 - Safe mode or normal Windows - didn't make a difference for me

7 - Execute the following from a Run command:

net stop wuauserv

regsvr32 wuapi.dll

regsrv32 wups2.dll

regsrv32 wups.dll

regsrv32 wuaueng.dll

regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32 wucltui.dll

regsvr32 wuweb.dll

regsvr32 msxml3.dll

regsvr32 qmgr.dll

regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll

regsvr32 jscript.dll

net start wuauserv

 

Sometimes, just re-registering the msxml3.dll works.

 

Reboot the machine and try Microsoft Updates again or, try the Windows updates instead.

There is also a change settings option on the updates site that you can check to "use windows update only"

 

If the updates still fail:

 

1 - Download & install a newer NIC driver for your machine (this worked for me on a NEC VL350)

2 - Download & install just SP3 then re-visit the updates site

3 - Download & install the Sept 09 Malicious Software Removal Tool

 

Try visiting the updates site again.

 

On every machine I was working on, the following updates always failed:

 

Security Update XP SP3 KB952069/KB973540

Media Format Runtime KB968816

MS Office Genuine Notification KB949810

 

I had to either install these manually or remove them - the latter may be best for some!

 

For me, once I had done any of the above all other updates have installed normally. Things like Adobe Flash Player, XP Codecs, DivX, Java, Silverlight and Shockwave player have always installed normally too.

 

Sometimes, if MS Updates appear to have "hung" you may find cold booting the machine is the only answer and then you'll notice that the updates had actually downloaded and installed - very frustrating!

 

I'm just about ready to punch someone:mad:

[Guest TheLibrarian]

FWIW I alway add *.microsoft.com to the trusted sites, this has proven to help stubborn machines to update.

 

I recall a few machines needing Java updates before they would update too, although this is a long time past.

[Great_Scott]

I meant to add earlier that all other add-ons & plug-ins installed normally. Things like Java, Adobe Flash, Silverlight etc so I thought I'll just check that *.microsoft.com was in the trusted sites before stating it was and I got the following error message: "access to the requested feature is not available due to restrictions imposed by your administrator"!!!

I am logged in as admin on the local machine!

My forehead is very painful now after headbutting the TFT twice but I feel better within...

[mac_shinobi]

Thanks you Great_Scott & thank you everyone!!

 

This was the solution that worked for me, although I did have to go into safe mode first.

 

Chris

 

Think it was all in the power point, oh well glad you got it sorted