windows [xp] update service is unavailable

when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so the
automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as far
as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are up
to date (manually installed).
many thanks,

ricko wrote:
> when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System
> Properties box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it
> states that "Windows Update Service is unavailable" - does someone
> know how to change this so the automatic updates ARE available? Am
> signed in as Administrator, and as far as I can see, Windows is
> completely installed, and "critical updates" are up to date (manually
> installed). many thanks,

Is this on a home computer or a corporate network?
Is this on Windows 2000, or XP Pro or XP Home Ed. ?
Have you (or anyone else) previously disabled any Windows Services?
--
Maurice N
MVP Windows - Shell / User
-----

Go to START, Select RUN
Type: regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
Press Ok
Now check the Service Manager for "Automatic Update" service
Click Start, select Run and type: Services.msc
Press Enter
Locate the - "Automatic Update"
Make sure the service is not disabled and started.


"ricko" <> wrote in message
news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so the
> automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as far
> as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are up
> to date (manually installed).
> many thanks,
>

Hi,
Thanks for your interest.
This is a home computer, using XP home edition, although this machine is
linked to another pc (which has win98se), using an ethernet connection.
I am very new to XP - I only just got this pc a week ago - and don't know
about "any windows services" - as far as I know, no-one has disabled
anything? (I did experience a virus infection almost immediately, while I
was trying to download & update windows in the first instance).
any clues please?


"Maurice N" wrote:

> ricko wrote:
> > when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System
> > Properties box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it
> > states that "Windows Update Service is unavailable" - does someone
> > know how to change this so the automatic updates ARE available? Am
> > signed in as Administrator, and as far as I can see, Windows is
> > completely installed, and "critical updates" are up to date (manually
> > installed). many thanks,
>
> Is this on a home computer or a corporate network?
> Is this on Windows 2000, or XP Pro or XP Home Ed. ?
> Have you (or anyone else) previously disabled any Windows Services?
> --
> Maurice N
> MVP Windows - Shell / User
> -----
>
>

Hi Kaylene,
Thanks for your tips....
I've just tried that now, but response after running that was:
"DllRegisterServer in wuaeng.dll failed. Return code was 0x80004005" ??
Can you explain please, or any other ideas...,
Thanks again...


"Kaylene aka Taurarian" wrote:

> Go to START, Select RUN
> Type: regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
> Press Ok
> Now check the Service Manager for "Automatic Update" service
> Click Start, select Run and type: Services.msc
> Press Enter
> Locate the - "Automatic Update"
> Make sure the service is not disabled and started.
>
>
> "ricko" <> wrote in message
> news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> > when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> > box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> > Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so the
> > automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as far
> > as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are up
> > to date (manually installed).
> > many thanks,
> >
>
>

sorry, my earlier reply gave incorrect file number (I left out the 2nd "u" in
wuaueng) but I did use the correct one when it was submitted...
cheers,


"Kaylene aka Taurarian" wrote:

> Go to START, Select RUN
> Type: regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
> Press Ok
> Now check the Service Manager for "Automatic Update" service
> Click Start, select Run and type: Services.msc
> Press Enter
> Locate the - "Automatic Update"
> Make sure the service is not disabled and started.
>
>
> "ricko" <> wrote in message
> news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> > when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> > box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> > Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so the
> > automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as far
> > as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are up
> > to date (manually installed).
> > many thanks,
> >
>
>

Do you have SP1 installed? The Automatic Update client is only available
with SP1 or higher. To get SP1, just go to
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and click on Scan for updates.

"ricko" <> wrote in message
news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so
the
> automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as
far
> as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are
up
> to date (manually installed).
> many thanks,
>

Yep, all updates have been manually downloaded and installed, so that doesn't
seem to be related to this problem?
Thanks anyway...

"serverguy" wrote:

> Do you have SP1 installed? The Automatic Update client is only available
> with SP1 or higher. To get SP1, just go to
> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and click on Scan for updates.
>
> "ricko" <> wrote in message
> news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> > when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> > box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> > Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so
> the
> > automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as
> far
> > as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are
> up
> > to date (manually installed).
> > many thanks,
> >
>
>
>

This is all I have on the error code, is this related to your problem?
http://support.microsoft.com/default...b;en-us;306081
"Error Code: 0x80004005� error message when you install Windows XP
A problem is preventing Windows from accurately checking the license for this
computer. Error Code: 0x80004005


"ricko" <> wrote in message
news:21303D48-E56F-4498-A0DF-...
> Hi Kaylene,
> Thanks for your tips....
> I've just tried that now, but response after running that was:
> "DllRegisterServer in wuaeng.dll failed. Return code was 0x80004005" ??
> Can you explain please, or any other ideas...,
> Thanks again...
>
>
> "Kaylene aka Taurarian" wrote:
>
> > Go to START, Select RUN
> > Type: regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
> > Press Ok
> > Now check the Service Manager for "Automatic Update" service
> > Click Start, select Run and type: Services.msc
> > Press Enter
> > Locate the - "Automatic Update"
> > Make sure the service is not disabled and started.
> >
> >
> > "ricko" <> wrote in message
> > news:3C6D6CD9-5A9C-4591-8E8C-...
> > > when trying to sign up for "automatic updates" using the System Properties
> > > box through Control Panel (automatic updates tab), it states that "Windows
> > > Update Service is unavailable" - does someone know how to change this so
the
> > > automatic updates ARE available? Am signed in as Administrator, and as
far
> > > as I can see, Windows is completely installed, and "critical updates" are
up
> > > to date (manually installed).
> > > many thanks,
> > >
> >
> >