Vista 32_Win Update suddenly not working (sort of) -still after several fixes, but found updates

[Cheryl_27]

Few mo. ago, had a auto updating problem for a different reason - Intel storage driver.  Got that fixed - thanks for the help.

Now, Vista 32-bit SP2 - Win update agent on a wireless laptop, "suddenly" started using 50% CPU (usually 100% of one core), but never d/l's anything, even running overnight & longer.
It updated OK 2 weeks ago.  Done dozens of steps I could find, whether described symptoms seemed similar or not  - no joy.  It "sorta" finally found updates today, after running 14 hrs (see below), but didn't install any - & no error messages in Event Viewer after.

 

* Some say "just let update run," but after a while process explorer shows long periods where  update process has no I/O or RAM changes.  CPU use for that service stays fairly constant the whole time (not normal).

* Went thru most all the common fixes for this, incl. MS Fixit for Win update (ran 2x).  It found & fixed some errors, except one on the 1st run.  Except, just realized I never deleted all files qmgr0.dat, qmgr1.dat in  C:\Users\All Users\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader - as one MS doc suggests. 

* File Dates indicate qmgr*.dat  weren't deleted the last run of Fixit - WU - might have been by Update Readiness Tool a few days earlier - have to check dates.

 

* Also ran the update readiness tool after the 1st run of MSFixit WU tool.  Resulting Surcheck.log showed no errors.

* Those automatically deleted the software distribution sub folders & update files, plus "re-registering" several things, stopping / restarting services used by WU,  correcting a registry value (didn't say which); maybe found missing file(s).

* I believe it also updated / installed the Windows "update agent" to latest ver, though latest was already installed.  Couldn't swear either MS Fixit-WU or Update Readiness Tool reinstalled every file & corrected all registry entries for Win Update Agent.  I have a copy of WindowsUpdateAgent 7.6 x86.exe - could reinstall it.  Update never used to take 14 hrs or high CPU  on the laptop.

 

* Reran MSFixit again today - this time detail report said all problems were fixed.  Except for the one item, what it found & fixed TODAY, were already fixed it 1 - 2 days ago.  None of this fixed windows updates.

* There's another tool - Update Diagnostic tool - haven't run it yet.

 

After re-running MSFixit-WU, then reboot, re-ran WU ~ 10PM last nite, it * sort of * finished this afternoon.  Didn't install any updates - though event viewer says it found 32 updates.  Windows Update UI in control panel doesn't show any.  .

Here are some event viewer entries from  Windows\UpdateClient\Operational.  After several days of "fixing" then retrying,  WU finally reported finding 32 updates, but didn't install any (no errors, no failed installs in Update UI.

 

Information    6/26/2016 1:32:24 PM    WindowsUpdateClient        Windows Update Agent  event ID 40    PID 1636
"An update was detected."  

[ NOTE: There were 32 separate entries in Event Viewer top pane for ID 40.  Each had a unique "Update GUID" string, under the Details tab.]  

 

** ??? ANY ONE KNOW if / where these 32 updates are stored & can windows be forced to install them?    The datastore.edb  file in Software Distribution\Data Store is ~ 500 MB & was updated today.      

 

********
Information    6/26/2016 1:32:24 PM  (1 sec later than "error" below)    WindowsUpdateClient        Windows Update Agent    event ID 26  PID 1636    
"Windows Update sucessfully found 32 updates."    
[NOTE:  Basically same as entry above, just different Event ID - 40 vs. 26  ].    

********
Error    6/26/2016 1:32:23 PM    WindowsUpdateClient        Windows Update Agent    event ID 25  PID 1636
"Windows Update failed to check for updates with error 0x8024a005."                

[NOTE:  Couldn't find jack about what causes "0x8024a005" code.   ** The "failed" msg was 1 sec. before  "successfully found 32 updates" entry.]

 

Before running these MS tools & doing other manual steps - and somewhat after, got a lot of Event Viewer ID's 30, 38, 39 - even if I didn't touch updating.

Those are "windows update established connectivity;"  "windows update received a service shutdown request"; "windows update received a stop service request,"

 

If anyone needs to see the full details views from event viewer, I'll post them.

Thanks.

 

 

 

[Circaflex]

Here is what I do for vista systems, especially if they were severly outdated and Windows Update takes extremely long. Use WSUS Offline, http://download.wsusoffline.net/ and have it download all of the newest Vista x86 updates and have that application install the updates. Once they complete, running Windows Update should be quicker and find just a few updates.

 

I would also highly recommend running sfc /scannow from a Command Prompt (Admin) window. If there are errors and it cannot fix them, you might want to look into doing an "upgrade" to repair your installation, this is if sfc cannot fix the problems.

[Cheryl_27]

Circaflex - thanks.  The WSUS Offline may be a good workaround, but probably not a fix for what's wrong - but I appreciate it.  I'd seen it, forgotten about.

I think you missed an important point in 1st of my post:

Quote

    It updated OK 2 weeks ago

* Already ran SFC / scannow - one of 1st things.  Nothing found, & no effect on updating.

* Since starting troubleshooting WU Vista x-86 SP2 on my laptop, I've seen a 100? different fixes- users said, "stopped scanning for updates taking forever and / or using high CPU."

 

 

The extensive time running is NOT assoc. w/ lots of available updates, or running it near "patch Tues."   My other Vista computer finishes finding ~ 32 updates in an hour - maybe less, depending.

Only after many steps & fixes on the laptop, event viewer's Windows update client -  finally "found" updates (but WU didn't show them or install).

Trying various "fixing" then retrying updates, Event Viewer showed "32 updates found," (after ~ 14 hrs), but Update manager UI showed nothing.

A few min after the time event viewer reported finding 32 updates, Windows apparently shut down on it's own.  WU settings were set "don't automatically check for or install updates."  No reason WHY it shut down.

* It's obvious the update agent is using tons of CPU & RAM, but almost no network throughput - most of the time the WU process is at 0 bytes.  That's why it takes so long to run updates.

Here, I'm not guessing that it's not transferring data, I can SEE it isn't.   Versus my other computer - update uses little CPU / RAM & the bytes sent / received  are much higher & consistent.  Maybe each windows install or registry, different MS update servers are specified & the one used by laptop isn't working?

Other than that, something in the laptop update system is likely broken.  The event viewer only code I  saw was 0x8024A005 [WU_E_AU_NO_REGISTERED_SERVICE No unmanaged service is registered with AU.].

Never found useful info for 0x8024A005 or "unmanaged service".  Guessing? it means service(s) supposed to run w/ the "Automatic Updates" aren't registered.  Possibly a dll.  The fixit tools were supposed to do that - maybe failed?  Can run a batch to reregister all associated w/ WU.

* Now, apparently there's a problem between updates Event Viewer shows  & what the WU UI shows (last update - nothing). Last update, found no update related exit err codes - anywhere.  

* The Fixit -WU tool & Update Readiness Tool (the latter) was supposed to install the latest update agent.  Maybe not 100% successful?  I could try reinstalling the Update Agent from stand alone installer, maybe in safe mode.  NEITHER tool  renamed the catroot2 folder.

Not many details on all steps the MS Fixit-WU or System Update Readiness tool do.

 

There's one more fixit tool Microsoft EasyFix50202 you mentioned back in Feb '16 - found only? thru the MS link.  No instructions on MS - or other - pages, AFAIK.  Some say it worked when others tools didn't.

Another WU repair tool, Windows Update Diagnostic.diagcab, some say won't run on XP or Vista.  Never found an .exe version.

On some drivers  & Windows component installs or repairs, I had to find & delete EVERY possible related thing  before they worked (system files, program, temp, old installer, logs, most related reg entries).  Sometimes after running mfg's "complete uninstaller tools", a few remnants prevented installation.  May be the same w/ reinstalling Win Update Agent.   However, the last update, the WU mgr UI did NOT show the 32 updates Event Viewer showed, but no error codes.