Is the installed antivirus/security suite scanning the DataStore folder?
If it has been then it is possible that datastore.edb has become
corrupted/damaged.
Virus scanning recommendations for computers that are running Windows
Server 2003, Windows 2000, or Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822158
*** BEFORE *** running any commands, advise you to make a Copy of
datastore.edb and move it to another location, for example, the Desktop,
*just in case * the file becomes damaged from running commands.
To do so you will have to Stop the Automatic Update service first.
Start > Run > type in
net stop wuauserv
Click OK or press Enter
Copy datastore.edb now
You can then restart the Automatic Updates service OR, leave it in the
Stopped state and run the following commands to check the Integrity of
datastore.edb.
Press enter after *each command*
Wait until the Integrity check is run [esentutl /g] and the results are
shown before entering the remaining commands.
Go to Start > Run > type in or copy and paste the below after the prompt
cmd
net stop wuauserv [ use this if you restarted the AU service ]
esentutl /g %windir%\softwaredistribution\datastore\datastore. edb
net start wuauserv [use this is you stopped the AU service above ]
exit
Depending on what the result is there are other commands that will
attempt to Defragment, Recover, and Repair datastore.edb. if the
Integrity check indicates that they should be run.
Please post back with the result of the Integrity check.
MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============
OHCOC wrote:
> Hi, well then I have a problem. My WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution directory
> seems to be intact with the Datastore sub-directory and the Datastore.edb
> file which is last updated 12/3/2008 18:07 probably I just tried the
> windowsupdate website. However, my windowsupdate website shows me in my
> history that I have got no updates? It tells me "You have not yet installed
> updates from this website or by turning on automatic updating on your
> computer. To select and install updates now, go to our Home page." Why? I
> don't understand then. Thanks.
>
> "MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>
>
>>WINDOWS\system32\SoftwareDistribution contains subfolders that,
>>apparently, are temporary storage locations for previous and current
>>wuapi.dll, wups2.dll, and wups.dll. The active .dll files 'work' from
>>the WINDOWS\system32 subfolder. NO history is stored there.
>>
>>WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\datastore .edb is where the update
>>history shown on either the Windows or Microsoft Update sites.
>>By deleting all the WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution subfolders one also
>>deletes the datastore.edb, too.
>>So, if you did NOT do that, then it should be present.
>>If you did, then the only recourse is to use System Restore to roll the
>>system back to a point in time when it existed.
>>
>>
>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>===============
>> *-343-* FDNY
>>Never Forgotten
>>===============
>>
>>
>>
>>OHCOC wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Hi, just wondering as you say there is a windows\softwaredistribution
>>>directory with a datastore subdirectory with the datastore.edb file. I guess
>>>what I have removed is the directory from
>>>windows\system32\softwaredistribution, are these 2 the same? If I copy one
>>>over the other, will it get back my history? Thanks.
>>>
>>>"MowGreen [MVP]" wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Did you try to utilize System Restore to see if that brought it back ?
>>>>Other than that or backing up the entire Hard Drive, No, there is no way
>>>>to get it back.
>>>>
>>>>There is a log located in WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution named
>>>>ReportingEvents.log. That shows all successful updates done via
>>>>Automatic Updates, but is not as inclusive as the datastore.edb.
>>>>IF the failed updates were caused by a *corrupted* datastore.edb, then
>>>>restoring it will cause more updates to fail in the future.
>>>>
>>>>You can attempt to determine the integrity of the file using esentutl :
>>>>http://www.tomshardware.com/ucg/comm...utl-13450.html
>>>>
>>>>Sometimes datastore.edb needs to be defragmented or repaired. One
>>>>*should* create a backup of it, but that's IF they original is not damaged.
>>>>To see what options esentutl has, open a Command Prompt and type in
>>>>esentutl /?
>>>>at the prompt and then press Enter.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
>>>>===============
>>>> *-343-* FDNY
>>>>Never Forgotten
>>>>===============
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>OHCOC wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Hi I have some failed updates and I search through some threads and perform a
>>>>>delete on the software distribution folder and datastore.edb is removed.
>>>>>This cause the history in windows update removed as well. Is there a way of
>>>>>getting it back? My system is win XP home edition. Thanks.
>>>>