Windows Update Always Fails - Never Ending Loop

I'm trying to use Windows Update and keep getting the message:

"Files required to use Microsoft Update are no longer registered or
installed on your computer. To continue:

Register or reinstall the files for me now (Recommended)
Let me read about more steps that might be required to solve the problem"

If I try to "reinstall the files" it just gives me the exact same problem
over again.

Please don't tell me this has something to do with anti-virus software. I'm
running Symantec Endpoint Protection, I cannot turn it off because that's
controlled by our IT people.

I solved this problem before but I just cannot remember how.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
JEL

Pick one or two:
http://groups.google.com/group/micro...red%22+%2B+mvp

JEL wrote:
> I'm trying to use Windows Update and keep getting the message:
>
> "Files required to use Microsoft Update are no longer registered or
> installed on your computer. To continue:
>
> Register or reinstall the files for me now (Recommended)
> Let me read about more steps that might be required to solve the
> problem"
>
> If I try to "reinstall the files" it just gives me the exact same problem
> over again.
>
> Please don't tell me this has something to do with anti-virus software.
> I'm
> running Symantec Endpoint Protection, I cannot turn it off because that's
> controlled by our IT people.
>
> I solved this problem before but I just cannot remember how.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
> JEL

JEL wrote:
> I'm trying to use Windows Update and keep getting the message:
>
> "Files required to use Microsoft Update are no longer registered or
> installed on your computer. To continue:
>
> Register or reinstall the files for me now (Recommended)
> Let me read about more steps that might be required to solve the
> problem"
>
> If I try to "reinstall the files" it just gives me the exact same
> problem over again.
>
> Please don't tell me this has something to do with anti-virus
> software. I'm running Symantec Endpoint Protection, I cannot turn
> it off because that's controlled by our IT people.
>
> I solved this problem before but I just cannot remember how.

Ask your IT people. They should be controlling your updates too.

--
Shenan Stanley
MS-MVP
--
How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

I finally found the solution in Article 971058 ("How do I reset Windows
Update components") from Microsoft Support.

There's a Microsoft "Fix it" tool (50202) for download that fixed my problems.

Thanks to those who replied.

JEL

"JEL" wrote:

> I'm trying to use Windows Update and keep getting the message:
>
> "Files required to use Microsoft Update are no longer registered or
> installed on your computer. To continue:
>
> Register or reinstall the files for me now (Recommended)
> Let me read about more steps that might be required to solve the problem"
>
> If I try to "reinstall the files" it just gives me the exact same problem
> over again.
>
> Please don't tell me this has something to do with anti-virus software. I'm
> running Symantec Endpoint Protection, I cannot turn it off because that's
> controlled by our IT people.
>
> I solved this problem before but I just cannot remember how.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Thanks,
> JEL