WU Stops at "Checking for the latest version..." (0x8007007E)

Hello everyone,

When trying to run Windowsupdate (OS: Win2000 SP4; IE 6), the page displays
the message: "Checking for the latest version of the Windows Update
software". It stops there, there is not even a progress bar. CPU usage 0%.

When trying Microsoft update I get the same, but this time there's an error
code: 0x8007007E.

Here are the things I already tried:

I ran IE repair tool using this method (as it's not in the add/remove list):
http://www.infopackets.com/channels/...t_explorer.htm

Registered my system files:
regsvr32 /i Urlmon.dll
regsrv32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 /i Shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 Msjava.dll
regsvr32 Actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 Oleaut32.dll
regsvr32 /i Mshtml.dll
regsvr32 /i Browseui.dll
regsvr32 /i Shell32.dll
regsvr32 Ole32.dll
regsvr32 inseng.dll
regsvr32 Mssip32.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\vbscript.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\mshtml.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\msjava.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\jscript.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\msxml.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\actxprxy.dll
regsvr32 c:\winnt\system32\shdocvw.dll

Installed the latest scripting engine 5.6,

Disabled the automatic configuration script,

Switched off ZoneAlarm,

Installed Microsoft XML Parser SDK,

Manually updated the Windows Update software by installing the iuctl.cab
files.

Went through the settings in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/818018/en-us

This may be important: I also tried the old trick to remove the
SoftwareDistribution folder. Hereby I noticed in services.msc that the
status of the Automatic Updates Service hangs (and keeps hanging) at
"Starting" and that the Start and Stop and Pause options are greyed out.

In the log file the latest lines are like:
2007-10-21 16:34:23:806 1380 654 WUWeb FATAL: CreateObject for
Microsoft.Update.SystemInfo failed: error 0x8007007e

Earlier on I have a lot of lines like this one:
2007-10-21 16:34:23:796 1380 654 Setup Update NOT required for
C:\WINNT\system32\wups2.dll: target version = 7.0.6000.381, required version
= 7.0.6000.381

Update MUST however be required as I'm working on a partition I haven't
accessed for months.

There's no line containing:
"Determining machine configuration..."

The problem persists.
Any help appreciated!
Ralph















--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com