ARGHHH ! Windows Update damnit!

The_KiD · 24 Sep 2007 at 15:13

I am trying to run Windows Update on a Windows 2003 Server.

It checks for udpates and all goes well, finds them and then I click install.

It comes up with the first one saying "Downloading 1of 21) etc" and sits there for an ages before finally putting "....failed!" on the end and then tries the next update and the next and one by one they all fail.

The error it gives in the windows update log is: "0x80072f78"

All searches on this seem to say it is something to with proxy settings or not having windows update in your trusted sites etc, however I have checked all that over and over again.

I have got rid of all proxy settings, re-registered all the windows update dll's yet am still getting this damn error.

Can anyone point me in a direction that works?

Matt-Page · 24 Sep 2007 at 15:15

Have you tried going directly to the Windows Update website and downloading them using the web client?

Sounds like Windows update is failing to get to the microsoft webserver to me.

The_KiD · 24 Sep 2007 at 15:16

Sorry how do you mean?

I have tried: start > programs > Windows Update

and

Internet Explorer > www.windowsupdate.com

modo77 · 24 Sep 2007 at 15:20

Not sure if its just for XP, but you could try windizupdate.com. You need to use a browser other than IE.

The_KiD · 24 Sep 2007 at 15:22

modo77 said:
Not sure if its just for XP, but you could try windizupdate.com. You need to use a browser other than IE.

Thanks for the link, but I really need to get this working properly as it is for a fairly important server and installing a new browser on it isnt really an option.

The_KiD · 25 Sep 2007 at 10:47

Well after 2 days of messing with this damn server I finally got it working.

I had to re-register all the windows update dll's which then caused me to have a problem with the Background Intelligent transfer Service (BITS) where the service wouldn't start giving an error message saying "Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified".

Spent ages searching round on the web and finally came accross this post:

http://wiki.castlecops.com/How_To_Fix_Windows_Update

Followed the instrcutions all the way through (even though they say it is for Win XP only, it does work on server 2003) and bingo my BITS service started again.

Then tried Windows Update again and that is now busy downloading the 20 updates it was missing \o/ HOORAH!