Update finally loads, but doesn't work!

For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for the
inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix that
successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high priority updates
that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.

When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in about
half a second and said they'd all failed to load.

Where to from here?

You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
relevant.
More information is required.
On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on failed
update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
alternative, do a search for the error code.

--

TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2010 - Update Services
http://taurarian.mvps.org
======================================
Disclaimer: The information has been posted "as is" with no warranties or
guarantees and doesn't give any rights.



"Ken G" <> wrote in message
news:6B6578DE-709D-4F86-911D-...
> For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for the
> inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix that
> successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high priority
> updates
> that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
>
> When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in
> about
> half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
>
> Where to from here?

Sorry, I should have said what I did - I followed the instructions on this
page ...

http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx

The error code is 0x80266408


"TaurArian" wrote:

> You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
> relevant.
> More information is required.
> On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on failed
> update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
> If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
> alternative, do a search for the error code.
>
> --
>
> TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2010 - Update Services
> http://taurarian.mvps.org
> ======================================
> Disclaimer: The information has been posted "as is" with no warranties or
> guarantees and doesn't give any rights.
>
>
>
> "Ken G" <> wrote in message
> news:6B6578DE-709D-4F86-911D-...
> > For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for the
> > inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix that
> > successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high priority
> > updates
> > that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
> >
> > When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in
> > about
> > half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
> >
> > Where to from here?
>
>
>
>

Sorry again - fat finger syndrome. The error code is 0x80246008 not as per my
previous post.

"Ken G" wrote:

> Sorry, I should have said what I did - I followed the instructions on this
> page ...
>
> http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx
>
> The error code is 0x80266408
>
>
> "TaurArian" wrote:
>
> > You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
> > relevant.
> > More information is required.
> > On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on failed
> > update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
> > If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
> > alternative, do a search for the error code.
> >
> > --
> >
> > TaurArian [MVP] 2005-2010 - Update Services
> > http://taurarian.mvps.org
> > ======================================
> > Disclaimer: The information has been posted "as is" with no warranties or
> > guarantees and doesn't give any rights.
> >
> >
> >
> > "Ken G" <> wrote in message
> > news:6B6578DE-709D-4F86-911D-...
> > > For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for the
> > > inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix that
> > > successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high priority
> > > updates
> > > that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
> > >
> > > When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in
> > > about
> > > half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
> > >
> > > Where to from here?
> >
> >
> >
> >

Error message when you search for available updates on the Windows Update
Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site: "0x80246008":
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956706

You receive a "The necessary services are disabled or unavailable" error
message when you connect to the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or to the
Microsoft Update Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883822

The above notwithstanding, there is a very good chance that you are seeing
the effects of a hijackware infection!

NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!

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! You may need to download the
MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.

2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] 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

**Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as well.**

If these 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.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002

Ken G wrote:
> Sorry again - fat finger syndrome. The error code is 0x80246008 not as per
> my previous post.
>
>> Sorry, I should have said what I did - I followed the instructions on
>> this
>> page ...
>>
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx
>>
>> The error code is 0x80266408
>>
>> "TaurArian" wrote:
>>> You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
>>> relevant.
>>> More information is required.
>>> On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on failed
>>> update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
>>> If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
>>> alternative, do a search for the error code.
>>>
>>>> For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for
>>>> the
>>>> inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix
>>>> that successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high
>>>> priority
>>>> updates
>>>> that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
>>>>
>>>> When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in
>>>> about
>>>> half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
>>>>
>>>> Where to from here?

Thanks. I downloaded and ran full scan MSRT and it found nothing. I ran a ful
scan with Malwarebytes and it found nothing, so I started trawling again, and
found someone (in the web - not in the newsgroups) with an identical lead up
to my problem. ie recently cleaned of a virus - in my case about two months
ago. They also could not start BITS and discovered that even though their
system had been cleaned, two remnants remained. In the registry they
discovered two occurrences of "%fystemRoot%" where the S had been changed to
an f. I searched my registry for %fystemRoot%, found that I also had two
occurences and changed them back to %SystemRoot% and everything works again.

I'll post this separately in this group.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> Error message when you search for available updates on the Windows Update
> Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site: "0x80246008":
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956706
>
> You receive a "The necessary services are disabled or unavailable" error
> message when you connect to the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or to the
> Microsoft Update Web site:
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883822
>
> The above notwithstanding, there is a very good chance that you are seeing
> the effects of a hijackware infection!
>
> NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription had
> expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription has
> since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
> Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
> Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!
>
> 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! You may need to download the
> MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
> machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.
>
> 2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] 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
>
> **Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
> http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
> http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
> http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
> http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as well.**
>
> If these 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.
> --
> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
>
> Ken G wrote:
> > Sorry again - fat finger syndrome. The error code is 0x80246008 not as per
> > my previous post.
> >
> >> Sorry, I should have said what I did - I followed the instructions on
> >> this
> >> page ...
> >>
> >> http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx
> >>
> >> The error code is 0x80266408
> >>
> >> "TaurArian" wrote:
> >>> You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
> >>> relevant.
> >>> More information is required.
> >>> On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on failed
> >>> update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
> >>> If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
> >>> alternative, do a search for the error code.
> >>>
> >>>> For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for
> >>>> the
> >>>> inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix
> >>>> that successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high
> >>>> priority
> >>>> updates
> >>>> that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
> >>>>
> >>>> When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past in
> >>>> about
> >>>> half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
> >>>>
> >>>> Where to from here?
>
>

You may have missed...

>> **Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
>> http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
>> http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
>> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
>> http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
>> http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as
>> well.**
--
~PA Bear

Ken G wrote:
> Thanks. I downloaded and ran full scan MSRT and it found nothing. I ran a
> ful scan with Malwarebytes and it found nothing, so I started trawling
> again, and found someone (in the web - not in the newsgroups) with an
> identical lead up to my problem. ie recently cleaned of a virus - in my
> case about two months ago. They also could not start BITS and discovered
> that even though their system had been cleaned, two remnants remained. In
> the registry they discovered two occurrences of "%fystemRoot%" where the
> S
> had been changed to an f. I searched my registry for %fystemRoot%, found
> that I also had two occurences and changed them back to %SystemRoot% and
> everything works again.
>
> I'll post this separately in this group.
>
> "PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Error message when you search for available updates on the Windows Update
>> Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site: "0x80246008":
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956706
>>
>> You receive a "The necessary services are disabled or unavailable" error
>> message when you connect to the Microsoft Windows Update Web site or to
>> the
>> Microsoft Update Web site:
>> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/883822
>>
>> The above notwithstanding, there is a very good chance that you are
>> seeing
>> the effects of a hijackware infection!
>>
>> NB: If you had no anti-virus application installed or the subscription
>> had
>> expired *when the machine first got infected* and/or your subscription
>> has
>> since expired and/or the machine's not been kept fully-patched at Windows
>> Update, don't waste your time with any of the below: Format & reinstall
>> Windows. A Repair Install will NOT help!
>>
>> 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! You may need to download the
>> MSRT on a non-infected machine, then transfer MRT.EXE to the infected
>> machine and rename it to SCAN.EXE before running it.
>>
>> 2. [WinXP ONLY!! =>] 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
>>
>> **Chances are you will need to seek expert assistance in
>> http://spywarehammer.com/simplemachi...php?board=10.0,
>> http://www.spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5,
>> http://www.dslreports.com/forum/cleanup,
>> http://www.bluetack.co.uk/forums/index.php,
>> http://aumha.net/viewforum.php?f=30 or other appropriate forums as
>> well.**
>>
>> If these 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.
>> --
>> ~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
>> MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Desktop Experience - since 2002
>>
>> Ken G wrote:
>>> Sorry again - fat finger syndrome. The error code is 0x80246008 not as
>>> per
>>> my previous post.
>>>
>>>> Sorry, I should have said what I did - I followed the instructions on
>>>> this
>>>> page ...
>>>>
>>>> http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archi...04/739820.aspx
>>>>
>>>> The error code is 0x80266408
>>>>
>>>> "TaurArian" wrote:
>>>>> You failed to advise how you fixed the initial problem, it might be
>>>>> relevant.
>>>>> More information is required.
>>>>> On the WU Website, select your history of updates - now click on
>>>>> failed
>>>>> update (red mark) and see if there is an error code.
>>>>> If there is an error code, write it down and post back or in the
>>>>> alternative, do a search for the error code.
>>>>>
>>>>>> For the past few days I've been trawling the newsgroups for a fix for
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> inability to load Microsoft Update in XP Pro SP3. Finally found a fix
>>>>>> that successfully opened the update window and it found 16 high
>>>>>> priority
>>>>>> updates
>>>>>> that I'd missed while update wouldn't work.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> When I clicked the install button, the whole list just whizzed past
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> about
>>>>>> half a second and said they'd all failed to load.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Where to from here?