Windows techie question

[Hope]

For the past 3 or 4 days my PC has flagged up the need for me to change the Windows Update settings.  Whenever I bring the dialogue box up, the recommended "Intall Updates automatically" is already highlighted, but I click on anyway.  Nothing happens.  Yesterday I thought, 'OK, I'll click on the "Let me choose" option, and see what happens.' Nothing?

Is this a glitch that anyone else has come across?

[Hope]

Despite efforts by my IT trained son-in-law to reslove this problem, it is still persisting.  I can't update my Microsoft Security Essentials, either.  Any idea what might be the problem or how I might solve it?

[Udayana]

Which version of Windows do you have? Are you logged in with an admin account (and/or using "Run as administrator")? Can you run Windows or Microsoft update directly to get up to date - rather than wait for automatic updates?

Have you tried the "fix it" tool?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/windows-update-issues/en-gb

If Windows update fails when you run it manually - does it display one of the error codes in the list at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/get-support-windows-update-problems#1TC=windows-7

[Hope]

Which version of Windows do you have? Are you logged in with an admin account (and/or using "Run as administrator")? Can you run Windows or Microsoft update directly to get up to date - rather than wait for automatic updates?

Have you tried the "fix it" tool?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/gp/windows-update-issues/en-gb

If Windows update fails when you run it manually - does it display one of the error codes in the list at http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/get-support-windows-update-problems#1TC=windows-7

Hi Ud,  I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1.
Mine is the onlky account on the PC so am running as administrator.  Not only is the auto update system not working, the manual 'Windows Update' system isn't.

I'm just trying the 'fix it' now.

The 'fix it' app fixed several issues, but failed to fix the download recent updates app, which is still reading "Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running."

[splashscuba]

What time are the updates scheduled to happen ?

[Harrowby Hall]

What time are the updates scheduled to happen ?

The default - if you select automatic update - is every Wednesday morning.

[Hope]

What time are the updates scheduled to happen ?

In an attempt to get any response from the system, I'd changed the regularity from the default (every Wednesday), to every day.  It didn't seem to make any difference.  have returned it to the default now.

[splashscuba]

What time are the updates scheduled to happen ?

In an attempt to get any response from the system, I'd changed the regularity from the default (every Wednesday), to every day.  It didn't seem to make any difference.  have returned it to the default now.

Yes but at what time. Might be worth doing 2 things.

1/ Set the time to when you are likely to have your system running
2/ Do a manual update now if required

[Hope]

Yes but at what time. Might be worth doing 2 things.

1/ Set the time to when you are likely to have your system running

It's at 1800 hours, pretty well OK for me.

2/ Do a manual update now if required

The point is that I can't do a manual update, either.  It keeps giving me a message as per my response to Udayana.  "The system isn't working".

[splashscuba]

Yes but at what time. Might be worth doing 2 things.

1/ Set the time to when you are likely to have your system running

It's at 1800 hours, pretty well OK for me.

2/ Do a manual update now if required

The point is that I can't do a manual update, either.  It keeps giving me a message as per my response to Udayana.  "The system isn't working".

Answer from Google:

Click Start
Type: cmd
Right click on cmd in start menu and select 'Run as Administrator'
Type: net stop wuauserv
Hit Enter
Type: ren c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution softwaredistribution.old
Hit Enter
Type: net start wuauserv
Hit Enter
Type: exit
Hit Enter

[john]

Hopey

I am not an expert by any means but have cleared similar problems by resetting my computer to an earlier time.

Go to system restore in the control panel.....and follow "system restore" choose an earlier date when you know all was working OK......It wont do any damage and you wont lose any work saved.

Good Luck

[Hope]

Thanks splash and john.  Sadly neither of your suggestions have worked.  Splash, I didn't even have the choice of 'Run as Administrator as I'm the only account on the PC, yet I got a message that access was denied.

john, I tried your idea as well, and nothing has improved - it just removed a couple of important updates that I'd had to download anyway.

[john]

Sorry Hopey best I can do.

[Udayana]

Even if you are logged on as the administrator not all programs run at that privilege level and you sometimes have to right click on the shortcut and manually "Run as administrator" (or run from an administrator command prompt).
- Though normally you don't need to do that for Windows own utilities - they would usually just prompt you for any permissions needed.

[Hope]

Even if you are logged on as the administrator not all programs run at that privilege level and you sometimes have to right click on the shortcut and manually "Run as administrator" (or run from an administrator command prompt).
- Though normally you don't need to do that for Windows own utilities - they would usually just prompt you for any permissions needed.

I didn't get the option to choose Run as Administrator.

O yes I have.  But I'm now getting this:

C:\Windows\system32>net start wuauserv
The Windows Update service is starting.
The Windows Update service could not be started.

A system error has occurred.

System error 10106 has occurred.

The requested service provider could not be loaded or initialized.

C:\Windows\system32> ...

[Hope]

I've just opened my iTunes and it won't allow me to link to the iTune Store.

iTunes could not connect to the iTunes Store
Make sure your network connection is active and try again

[splashscuba]

At this point I would suspect either Malware or a failing hard drive

[Hope]

At this point I would suspect either Malware or a failing hard drive

I wonder whether, if the latter is the problem, it'll last till Windows 10 comes out!!  Can't find any malware.  I've managed to update my Malwarebytes, Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender manually and run all 3 - nothing picked up. 

[Hope]

With only a couple of weeks till the release of Windows 10, I still haven't managed to resolve my updating issues.  However, I have managed to get my laptop running (2nd hand from TWAM because it was damaged, so wouldn't have been sent to Africa anyway) and I'm registered on that.  Do people understand that, provided one is registered on one machine one will be able to transfer the program to other machines (for instance, I know of folk who, though having up-to-date computers, live in such places where internet is still very poor; it will be easier for them to download it from a USB stick).  Or will one have to register every machine individually?

[Hope]

On a slightly different topic, how many folk here will be switching from Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 at their first convenience?

[jeremyp]

A system error has occurred.

System error 10106 has occurred.

Have you looked at this yet?

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_update/windows-update-is-not-in-service/46df5686-0f8e-4fc5-b9e2-e0b2cc3c680e?auth=1