Software Distribution Service 3.0 Problems

Could someone please give me CONCRETE advice/help on fixing a "Software
Distribution Service 3.0" Problem. For several months now my computer has
been acting strange -- it's extremely slow to start up and slow to access the
internet. In fact, sometimes it just stalls and won't access the internet at
all. And practically everyday for the past few months something has been
automatically downloading and trying to install. Looking at my possible
restore points, I see that for the past two months there are many many
entries , sometimes several per day, for the same thing, "Software
Distribution Service 3.0", but nothing else. I tried to set my system back to
some of these earlier points, but the program won't let me. Next, I thought
Windows Defender might be the problem, so I removed it. No help. In my log
of reporting events I see lots and lots of entries for an attempted Windows
XP update (KB967715) starting on Feb 26th, almost everyday, and going right
up until I shut off the Windows automatic download feature the other day
(April 1). Is KB967715 my problem? What is it? And, most importantly, how
can I safely remedy this?
And, yes, I have genuine Windows. Also, for what it's worth, I'm in Japan.
Getting English-language help here is next to impossible. Plus, the Microsoft
website automatically takes me to the Japanese e-mail help page no matter
what. So I wrote to them in Japanese -- but no reply (yet).

> ...I'm in Japan.
> Getting English-language help here is next to impossible. Plus, the
> Microsoft website automatically takes me to the Japanese e-mail help page
> no matter what.

Go to www.microsoft.com and click on the (Japanese equivalent of) Change
button in upper right-hand corner to select, e.g., US.

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

There is a very good chance are that you are seeing the affects of a
hijackware infection.

1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx

NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan!

2. Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan (only!) in Safe
Mode with Networking, if need be:
http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Checking for/Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=4075
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/data/prevention.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/tshoot.html
http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/Malware_Defence.htm
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/...moving_Malware

**Seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30, or other appropriate forums.**

If the procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting this
isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA) computer repair shop.
=====================
Start a free Windows Update support incident request:
https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...spx?gprid=6527

Support for Windows Update:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/wusupport

For home users, no-charge support is available by calling 1-866-PCSAFETY in
the United States and in Canada or by contacting your local Microsoft
subsidiary. There is no-charge for support calls that are associated with
security updates.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
AumHa VSOP & Admin http://aumha.net
DTS-L http://dts-l.net/

JapanGuy wrote:
> Could someone please give me CONCRETE advice/help on fixing a "Software
> Distribution Service 3.0" Problem. For several months now my computer has
> been acting strange -- it's extremely slow to start up and slow to access
> the internet. In fact, sometimes it just stalls and won't access the
> internet at all. And practically everyday for the past few months
> something
> has been automatically downloading and trying to install. Looking at my
> possible restore points, I see that for the past two months there are many
> many entries , sometimes several per day, for the same thing, "Software
> Distribution Service 3.0", but nothing else. I tried to set my system back
> to some of these earlier points, but the program won't let me. Next, I
> thought Windows Defender might be the problem, so I removed it. No help.
> In my log of reporting events I see lots and lots of entries for an
> attempted Windows XP update (KB967715) starting on Feb 26th, almost
> everyday, and going right up until I shut off the Windows automatic
> download feature the other day (April 1). Is KB967715 my problem? What
> is
> it? And, most importantly, how can I safely remedy this?
> And, yes, I have genuine Windows. Also, for what it's worth, I'm in Japan.
> Getting English-language help here is next to impossible. Plus, the
> Microsoft website automatically takes me to the Japanese e-mail help page
> no matter what. So I wrote to them in Japanese -- but no reply (yet).

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> There is a very good chance are that you are seeing the affects of a
> hijackware infection.

I've been wondering about that, too. For the past few weeks I've been
running everything I have (AVG, Panda via the internet, Spybot, Ad-aware,
Spyware Blaster, Hijack This, and even Windows Defender until I deleted it).
Nothing has turned up.

You wrote:
> 1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
> NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan!

The full scan took hours and didn't really solve anything. I did not
identify anything, but curiously as soon as the scan began it did say "2
infections". However, the report at the end was completely negative. So I'm
not sure what to make of that. It didn't identify anything.

> 2. Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan (only!) in Safe
> Mode with Networking, if need be:
> http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm

OK.

I'll try this next:
> 3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
> logs in an appropriate forum, not here.

Also, I got a reply form Japan Microsoft with the following 3-step advice
(and detailed instructions how to do it):
1. Re-register wups2.dll
2. Install Windows Update Agent 3.0
3. Confirm my DNS Address Settings

I followed the above 3 steps, and that seems to have cleared up the
"Software Distribution Service 3.0 Problems", but the computer is still
really sluggish and acting strange.

Any more progress and I'll post a follow-up.

Finally, something that works to find and eliminate "Software Distribution
Service 3.0". The deep scan from the Microsoft onecare.live.com found and
eliminated the problem. The scan is free and can be repeated any tiime.
However, since none of my other programs could find the problem and even a
Symantec overnight repair from India could fix it, (and cost $99 for NPF), I
am going to sign up for Onecare.

"JapanGuy" wrote:

> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
> > There is a very good chance are that you are seeing the affects of a
> > hijackware infection.
>
> I've been wondering about that, too. For the past few weeks I've been
> running everything I have (AVG, Panda via the internet, Spybot, Ad-aware,
> Spyware Blaster, Hijack This, and even Windows Defender until I deleted it).
> Nothing has turned up.
>
> You wrote:
> > 1. See if you can download/run the MSRT manually:
> > http://www.microsoft.com/security/ma...e/default.mspx
> > NB: Run the FULL scan, not the QUICK scan!
>
> The full scan took hours and didn't really solve anything. I did not
> identify anything, but curiously as soon as the scan began it did say "2
> infections". However, the report at the end was completely negative. So I'm
> not sure what to make of that. It didn't identify anything.
>
> > 2. Run the Windows Live Safety Center's 'Protection' scan (only!) in Safe
> > Mode with Networking, if need be:
> > http://onecare.live.com/site/en-us/center/howsafe.htm
>
> OK.
>
> I'll try this next:
> > 3. Run a /thorough/ check for hijackware, including posting the requested
> > logs in an appropriate forum, not here.
>
> Also, I got a reply form Japan Microsoft with the following 3-step advice
> (and detailed instructions how to do it):
> 1. Re-register wups2.dll
> 2. Install Windows Update Agent 3.0
> 3. Confirm my DNS Address Settings
>
> I followed the above 3 steps, and that seems to have cleared up the
> "Software Distribution Service 3.0 Problems", but the computer is still
> really sluggish and acting strange.
>
> Any more progress and I'll post a follow-up.
>