Windows update agent gone wrong!

Box Brownie · 14 Jun 2015

Hi all
I run W7 Pro with SP1 and I had 9 updates back in May that were out of sequence a couple of days all bar one was 23kb and the last 25kb
The next day the same list appeared, although they appeared in the "update history" I thought well perhaps there was an issue so allowed the updates to install. They are now there twice in the history list.............................and now again Win update is telling me the same updates are required. Their original issue dates range from this year back to 2013 so what the heck is going on.
Here is the screengrab of the history list and you can see the 23rd and 24th May the same KB numbers.

The problem has persisted though with the usual monthly MS malware screening update as well as a few older ones as noted and the odd new being offered. And in the case of the newer ones I selected they are offered again within hours of the updating process.

Any insight would be much appreciated as for now I will 'hide' them to avoid yet a third installation of the set. FWIW I did Google for such a situation and have yet to discover what is causing it???

Lastly, the Win Update Agent was last 'updated' itself on 25th March 2015 and the file number is different to what MS say on one of the sites I found that states the newest/current version.............but out of date files on MS's own site not a surprise :lol:

I tried the MS "FixIt" online diagnostic for this issue and it found nothing wrong plus I ran SFC.exe and that failed to run even in safe mode. Oh, just remembered on the Win Update though I can see the "update history" the "Installed Updates" is empty.

TIA for any feedback and advice as how to sort this out.

kendo1 · 14 Jun 2015

Just a thought: has update KB3004394 been installed- maybe late last year?

Otherwise: use system restore to restore to a point before the problems.

Box Brownie · 14 Jun 2015

Hi Ken

I will have to look through the update history for that KB update as well as Google for it.......................apart from what I might read about it why do you mention it? Though if it is on the list as the installed updates are not listed I could not uninstall it via that route!

As for Restore, I did try that though maybe did not go back far enough. If I recall I used the Restore snapshot taken before the 23rd May update.....perhaps I should have gone 13th May???

Edit ~ just Googled for the KB3004394 and though I have never seen the Error code listed the release date of the problem file predates the Win Update problem I am having i.e. it seemed to be running fine up until 13th May2015

Edit 2 ~ just found it on the history list as installed on 11th Dec2014, the fix relating to the error code and Win Update not working is here https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/3024777 , now need to read up about that one if it is applicable to use where no error code occurs???? Hmmmm! the info only talks about using where the error code happens, what to do?

Box Brownie · 14 Jun 2015

Interestingly I found ref to a tech article where there was an unannounced re-release of the same KB dated 13th Feb 2015 and there it is on my updates history list!

Snapsh0t · 15 Jun 2015

Watch the screen as the PC starts up after an 'update' and you may see a message that it's reverting to a previous configuration. If so then KB3033929 may be the culprit and you'll find plenty of info on how to sort it out.

But I think I told you that already on the Q3 forum.....

Box Brownie · 15 Jun 2015

Hi Jonathan

Sorry Q3 forum??? I had posted about this on dpreview PC Talk and only there as far as I recall

However, the KB you mention does not appear to be associated with my issue.

What I have found was the KB3024777 gave me more trouble with a Win Update error code 8007370B.......................so ran the system restore from 13th May and all was OK with installed updates showing as normal

But about 30mins later not surprisingly WinUpdate found some updates and checking the publications dates they were all recent i.e. 12th May and June dates. So ran that update install and now no installed updates showing so it would appear that one of those updates is the trigger one. Here is a screen grab showing them and oddly because I do not recall it before many say "pending"

View attachment 39624

I will have to Google them all later but if any jump out to you please do say........................if nothing found then it looks like another system restore and install the updates one at a time and see where it then creates the problem???

kendo1 · 15 Jun 2015

Only 17 pendings

Weird how it only affects some machines, but I suppose everyone's PC is set up differently.

Box Brownie · 15 Jun 2015

kendo1 said:
Only 17 pendings
Weird how it only affects some machines, but I suppose everyone's PC is set up differently.

I have rarely if ever seen "pending"..... So why do some updates become " pending" and installed as one might expect them to?

landwomble · 15 Jun 2015

If WU is screwed your first port of call is open up an admin command prompt and run the following:
net stop wuauserv
cd %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution
ren Download Download.old
net start wuauserv

What this will do is clear out any partially installed/stuck in pending updates and force a brand new scan for baseline. Usually works.

Snapsh0t · 16 Jun 2015

Box Brownie said:
Hi Jonathan

Sorry Q3 forum??? I had posted about this on dpreview PC Talk and only there as far as I recall

However, the KB you mention does not appear to be associated with my issue.

Sorry, there's a user called boxbrownie on the Audi Q3 forum who has pretty much the same problem and I rashly assumed it was you.

Box Brownie · 29 Jul 2015

Hi Guys

Somewhat later than intended here is an update.

Starting with landwombles method I tried all possible routes to repairing WU including the advice here https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/971058 with the exception of step 4 (the more aggressive action) without a resolution

Of note in a good few of the regsver32 steps I got errors in regard to missing dll or ocx.

I had previously tried sfc /scannow and that fails as the dllcache is non existant and my reading of its absence if that I have W7 Pro 64 SP1 and it the SP1 that removed it!

I understand there is an indirect method of using sfc tool off of the original OS installer DVD but as this if the none SP1 original I have read of conflicting advice in (a) simply run it then reinstall SP1 and (b) uninstall SP1, run the sfc off the DVD and then reinstall SP1

Of course in either of the above I am surmising sfc will find damaged or corrupted files and fix them...........................and then WU will be 'restored'.

I noted elsewhere about the critical update MS15-078 and did this manually but when I ran the appropriate file for my OS the installer reported that it was not the correct one for my software??? Do those standalone installers work in collaboration with the WUA ?

So back to the sfc question where SP1 is installed, what is the proper protocol and as such is this likely to cure the WUA issue?

Secondary question on the surmise that the above does not cure it what are my options?

TIA for your further insights

PS WU now throws this error code 8007370B

Box Brownie · 2 Aug 2015

In case anyone has the same/similar issue here is what I found worked for me after much hair pulling and aggghhh!

Having exhausted all the fixes and methods I went back to basics and did a Restore back to 10th May when according to the 'update log' I was AOK for WU to work.
So following the restoration WU worked and I was presented with approx. 45 updates (oh, forgot to add I altered the WU settings to not download but notify as I wanted to have control over what & when downloads took place!)
Now I made written list of the updates and the publication dates and progressively updated in small lots of offers based on the publication dates..............I was fairly sure the rogue KB update was in the ones dated 12th May. To cut a long story short I was checking that the list of installed updates was present after each "step" and lo & behold at one particular step trying to download the 9th June updates it errored out with 8007370B but before that the installed list was there to see!!!!
So I restored back to position just before 3 of the 12th May updates and all OK so looked at those updates more critically and there was one that MS Info was that it was to update and cure a WU issue plus that in itself could cause an update issue but advice as to how that self resolved on the same page. As a test I installed that single KB and the problem occurred so IMO this was proof positive...............a quick restore and back to good times with progressively the rest to the outstanding updates installed but still in blocks to trap any recurrence tot he problem.
The rogue was KB3020369 - the April 2015 serving stack update for W7. The telling info as far as I could work out was that "the servicing stack is included in all Windows installations" so all being well not installing this little pain in the posterior will not give rise to other issues further down the road.

kendo1 · 2 Aug 2015

Box Brownie said:
In case anyone has the same/similar issue here is what I found worked for me after much hair pulling and aggghhh!

Having exhausted all the fixes and methods I went back to basics and did a Restore back to 10th May when according to the 'update log' I was AOK for WU to work.
So following the restoration WU worked and I was presented with approx. 45 updates (oh, forgot to add I altered the WU settings to not download but notify as I wanted to have control over what & when downloads took place!)
Now I made written list of the updates and the publication dates and progressively updated in small lots of offers based on the publication dates..............I was fairly sure the rogue KB update was in the ones dated 12th May. To cut a long story short I was checking that the list of installed updates was present after each "step" and lo & behold at one particular step trying to download the 9th June updates it errored out with 8007370B but before that the installed list was there to see!!!!
So I restored back to position just before 3 of the 12th May updates and all OK so looked at those updates more critically and there was one that MS Info was that it was to update and cure a WU issue plus that in itself could cause an update issue but advice as to how that self resolved on the same page. As a test I installed that single KB and the problem occurred so IMO this was proof positive...............a quick restore and back to good times with progressively the rest to the outstanding updates installed but still in blocks to trap any recurrence tot he problem.
The rogue was KB3020369 - the April 2015 serving stack update for W7. The telling info as far as I could work out was that "the servicing stack is included in all Windows installations" so all being well not installing this little pain in the posterior will not give rise to other issues further down the road.

Glad it worked out OK.
It's taken a wee while to fix

Box Brownie · 2 Aug 2015

kendo1 said:
Glad it worked out OK.
It's taken a wee while to fix

Oh yes....

I started on Thursday last with the initial restore to check that I had a good starting point and then today without using the PC in the meantime it has taken on & off about 6 hours! Just pleased all seems well :lol:

Mikesphotaes · 3 Aug 2015

Box Brownie said:
In case anyone has the same/similar issue here is what I found worked for me after much hair pulling and aggghhh!

Having exhausted all the fixes and methods I went back to basics and did a Restore back to 10th May when according to the 'update log' I was AOK for WU to work.
So following the restoration WU worked and I was presented with approx. 45 updates (oh, forgot to add I altered the WU settings to not download but notify as I wanted to have control over what & when downloads took place!)
Now I made written list of the updates and the publication dates and progressively updated in small lots of offers based on the publication dates..............I was fairly sure the rogue KB update was in the ones dated 12th May. To cut a long story short I was checking that the list of installed updates was present after each "step" and lo & behold at one particular step trying to download the 9th June updates it errored out with 8007370B but before that the installed list was there to see!!!!
So I restored back to position just before 3 of the 12th May updates and all OK so looked at those updates more critically and there was one that MS Info was that it was to update and cure a WU issue plus that in itself could cause an update issue but advice as to how that self resolved on the same page. As a test I installed that single KB and the problem occurred so IMO this was proof positive...............a quick restore and back to good times with progressively the rest to the outstanding updates installed but still in blocks to trap any recurrence tot he problem.
The rogue was KB3020369 - the April 2015 serving stack update for W7. The telling info as far as I could work out was that "the servicing stack is included in all Windows installations" so all being well not installing this little pain in the posterior will not give rise to other issues further down the road.

Have followed this thread through curiosity, so had a wee look through my installed updates and your rogue one installed on the 16th April, perfectly OK.

I don't think you got to the root of the problem yet

Box Brownie · 3 Aug 2015

Mikesphotaes said:
Have followed this thread through curiosity, so had a wee look through my installed updates and your rogue one installed on the 16th April, perfectly OK.

I don't think you got to the root of the problem yet

You may be right...... though the rogue nature of that KB is known to MS but in my case it did nor behave as they stated in regard to it being 'made to work'. MS have a way of saying things sometimes shrouded in "well if that does not work the way we say you are on your own......" :lol:

especially as I think I recall that KB was supposedly design to cure/supercede an earlier with with a similar problem!

There are so many 1000's of lines of code in an OS that installing various KB a few of which may never be downloaded because WU does not analyse them as needed it co.es as no surprise that my PC can be different to other folks.

Having said that I have no idea, as MS do not appear to have updated that KB, whether I still have an issue or if there is one whether it can be resolved and if so how???