Microsoft Windows 7 updates; continuing problem

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I too haven’t had an update in a while. I started checking and it appears Windows 7 won’t update because it can’t connect to the internet. This is really strange since I can email and browse just fine. AVG free says i’m virus free. I ran the troubleshooter with no fix.

Any ideas folks?

wd4

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Did you have a specific error message?

Have you checked the event logs?

Joe

--Joe

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Here is what I did:
Control Panel > Windows Update > Searching for updates. Then get “Windows could not search for new updates. An error occured while checking for new updates for your computer. Error(s) found: Code 80072EFD Windows Update encountered an unknown error.”

To my knowlege, I have no firewall running.

Did you have a specific error message?

Have you checked the event logs?

Joe

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Also run Malwarebytes and tddskiller . I would also check Control Panel > Internet options> connections tab > Lan Settings button and make sure “Use a Proxy Server …” is not set and verify your Hosts file hasn’t been tampered with. (C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts).

Jerry

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Thanks folks for the ideas. I’ll check when I get back home to that machine.

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spybot clean
malwarebytes clean
TDSSKiller clean
no proxy server set
How do I tell if Hosts file has been tampered with?

Also run Malwarebytes and tddskiller . I would also check Control Panel > Internet options> connections tab > Lan Settings button and make sure “Use a Proxy Server …” is not set and verify your Hosts file hasn’t been tampered with. (C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts).

Jerry

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Also run Malwarebytes and tddskiller . I would also check Control Panel > Internet options> connections tab > Lan Settings button and make sure “Use a Proxy Server …” is not set and verify your Hosts file hasn’t been tampered with. (C:WindowsSystem32driversetchosts).

Jerry

Thank you this solved my problem. I inadvertently turned on proxy in IE. Everything else worked so I didn’t think about it until I went to update and suddenly couldn’t anymore. I’m replying to an old message because this is the only place I found the answer through Google. It deserves a bump-up because many people are recently having this problem and doing extensive work with no results.

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I also see that Secunia PSI 2.0 scan will not run. Scan aborts a few seconds after I start it.

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I assume you read this page and have done as suggested?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-vista/Windows-Update-error-80072efd

You will have Windows 7 firewall running unless you have disabled it. However, it should automatically allow access.

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I turned firewall off a while back but I will verify that it hasn’t been turned on again by some update. I will check when I get home tonight. I’ve tried several times to update with the same error message.

Thanks

I assume you read this page and have done as suggested?

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/windows-vista/Windows-Update-error-80072efd

You will have Windows 7 firewall running unless you have disabled it. However, it should automatically allow access.

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You might try the Fixit at Windows 7 Update error 80072EFD.

Joe

--Joe

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As to your question about your hosts file being tampered with, normally, you won’t have anything in there that isn’t commented out (# in front of the line.) If you have anything in there about any of the the microsoft.com sites, comment out those lines, and see if that helps.

Tim

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Hasn’t worked so far. It agrees there is a problem.

You might try the Fixit at Windows 7 Update error 80072EFD.

Joe

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Your host file should look something like this normally.>

# Copyright (c) 1993-2009 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a ‘#’ symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost

If there is anything else in there especially without the hash in front then delete the lines and save the file.

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OK; Windows firewall is off.

Hosts file has LOTS of entries put there by Spybot. See below for sample. List goes on for pages. No Microsoft.com entries. Hosts file modification date was Sep 2010. If correct, I haven’t had the problem for that long. Should I just uninstall spybot and see? I assume uninstall removes these entries.

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost
# Start of entries inserted by Spybot – Search & Destroy
127.0.0.1 http://www.007guard.com
127.0.0.1 007guard.com
127.0.0.1 008i.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.008k.com
127.0.0.1 008k.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.00hq.com
127.0.0.1 00hq.com
127.0.0.1 010402.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.032439.com
127.0.0.1 032439.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.0scan.com
127.0.0.1 0scan.com
127.0.0.1 1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1 1001namen.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1001namen.com
127.0.0.1 100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1 100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1 10sek.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.10sek.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1 1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1 123fporn.info
127.0.0.1 http://www.123fporn.info
127.0.0.1 123haustiereundmehr.com

etc etc

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OK; Windows firewall is off.

Hosts file has LOTS of entries put there by Spybot. See below for sample. List goes on for pages. No Microsoft.com entries. Hosts file modification date was Sep 2010. If correct, I haven’t had the problem for that long. Should I just uninstall spybot and see? I assume uninstall removes these entries.

# localhost name resolution is handled within DNS itself.
# 127.0.0.1 localhost
# ::1 localhost
# Start of entries inserted by Spybot – Search & Destroy
127.0.0.1 http://www.007guard.com
127.0.0.1 007guard.com
127.0.0.1 008i.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.008k.com
127.0.0.1 008k.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.00hq.com
127.0.0.1 00hq.com
127.0.0.1 010402.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.032439.com
127.0.0.1 032439.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.0scan.com
127.0.0.1 0scan.com
127.0.0.1 1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1000gratisproben.com
127.0.0.1 1001namen.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1001namen.com
127.0.0.1 100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.100888290cs.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1 100sexlinks.com
127.0.0.1 10sek.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.10sek.com
127.0.0.1 http://www.1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1 1-2005-search.com
127.0.0.1 123fporn.info
127.0.0.1 http://www.123fporn.info
127.0.0.1 123haustiereundmehr.com

etc etc

Uninstalling spybot on its own will not clear its entries in the host file. But there is a setting in spybot that does remove them. Not sure where though but not to hard to find. Its a while since I had spybot installed.

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You could try resetting Windows Update by following the instructions here .

Jerry

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I thought I posted this this am but it didn’t show up. I’ve been dealing with Dell Tech Support on this and they have replicated the problem (good) and can’t figure out what it is (bad). As part of their testing, they reset the Windows Update without any success. Their solution is to reinstall the OS since they think it is a registry problem. I’m not happy with this at all but am willing to try.

In preparation, have been off loading files to an external hard drive. As I was transferring files over several days, I noticed my computer rebooted itself early Tuesday AM (28 dec). Then this morning I had a notification that an update was ready to install. Since this was what we were having problems with, I was surprised. This particular update was the Malicious Software tool and it updated fine. I then looked at my update history (which was reset in my Dell session) and I found a whole bunch of updates that were installed on the 28th. I’m set for notify only so this shouldn’t have happened but I thought maybe my problem had resolved itself. I then tested with a manual search for updates from Control Panel but it still could not find the internet.

Does this give any additional clues as to what is going on? I hope so because I really don’t want to have to reinstall the OS.

Thanks to all in this process.

Whit

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Just an update here. I’ve been working with Dell Tech Support and they have replicated the problem. It still occurs, even after resetting Windows Update. They finally decided that my registry is corrupted and want me to do a full reinstall of Win 7-64. I don’t like it but nothing else is working.

I’ve been offloading files bit by bit to an external HD so I don’t lose everything. Funnything tho. Tues night (Dec 27 -28) sometime my computer rebooted itseld. Now, Thurs am, I get a notice of an available update; Malicious software tool. I installed it with no problems. I looked at the install history and found a bunch of new installs that happened on the 28th early in the am. I’m set for notice only so that shouldn’t have happened. I then tried to do a manual update and got the same old error as before.

Any ideas folks?

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Just an update here. I’ve been working with Dell Tech Support and they have replicated the problem. It still occurs, even after resetting Windows Update. They finally decided that my registry is corrupted and want me to do a full reinstall of Win 7-64. I don’t like it but nothing else is working.

I’ve been offloading files bit by bit to an external HD so I don’t lose everything. Funnything tho. Tues night (Dec 27 -28) sometime my computer rebooted itseld. Now, Thurs am, I get a notice of an available update; Malicious software tool. I installed it with no problems. I looked at the install history and found a bunch of new installs that happened on the 28th early in the am. I’m set for notice only so that shouldn’t have happened. I then tried to do a manual update and got the same old error as before.

Any ideas folks?

You could try a repair install, instead of a full reinstall. No programs will be lost, but the OS itself will be like new.

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I now see my response has appeared. Sorry for the duplication. I’ll try the repair install. I asked Dell about options like this and they had no idea. I’m still going to off load as much as I can just in case.

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Backup, imaging if you can.

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Question about that. If I create an image for a back up, won’t that also return my “problem” when I restore it?

Backup, imaging if you can.

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It will, but you know where you are and, depending on what you use, you can just restore parts of it (files, folders, etc). An image will be a known point to which you can return in case something goes bad.

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Making an image of your system is always a good idea before undertaking something major such as a repair install. It is just good insurance in case of an unlikely disaster during the repair process.

Joe

--Joe

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Just an update to my unsolved problem. I’ve become good buds with Dell tech Simon and he is confused too. I reinstalled Win 7 from the cab files but problem remained. Dell mailed me OS & driver disks which I installed without improvement. Actually it got worse since I now have a crappy low res screen view and no printers and no Office 2010. Now they are going to mail me a new imaged hard drive, new motherboard & some other stuff. Tech is supposed to come out and install but no one can find the shipment (since 9 Jan). Maybe in a few days.

Boy this is fun!!!!

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Sorry for your problems. Hopefully they will find things and the tech will show up and get things installed. At least they are doing that for you. Do you have the disk to reinstall Office 2010 after the replacement? Please keep us posted on how the saga turns out.

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It has been a while since my last update here. Finally got the new imaged HD and motherboard installed by a Dell Tech last Friday. Still can’t connect to update server. Also had to download trial version of Office Prof 2010 and use key to activate. Oh goody, that process is also done with the update server. Several reformats and reinstall from Disks have had no positive results. Dell finally decided to talk to Microsoft and they are guessing that the problem is related to MS not recognizing new hardware/ SW configuration. Continued nightly chats with Dell as they try to figure this out.

I’m tired of this.

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Final Update (I hope)

Since my last update, Dell has replaced the motherboard and imaged hard drive for the 2nd time. No solution to the original problem but now the fan keeps coming on where it never did before. I suspect something not installed or plugged in when the tech swapped out the MB & HD. However, I noticed when my new HD / Win 7 set itself up, I ended up with IE9 that I never had before/originally. I went back and checked and it appears that I upgraded/got upgraded to IE9 about the time my problems started. I also found in research that all updates use IE so check IE settings. The specific setting I was to look for was a proxy server which wasn’t the problem. I did see a switch under IE>internet settings>connections that was checked to allow automatic setting detection. I turned that switch off and I was again able to reach the update server. I installed 39 updates last night (by mistake- I was turning the machine off to look inside with the tech on the phone and they ran by themselves) and all seems well again. I still have to work out the fan/heat issue and test to see if I can get my Office 2010 to activate but everything is looking up. Thanks to everyone here for the suggestions and support.

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I had major problems with IE 9. It came installed on my new HP laptop. Finally downgraded to IE 8 and no more problems. If you think IE 9 could be the source of problems, I would say uninstall it.

As I recall, when I uninstalled it using add/remove programs under its new name features and programs or something like that in control panel, it uninstalled and when I rebooted it took a long time – why, because IE 8 was automatically installing itself! That was cool. And no problems since then. I personally recommend just going back to IE 8 and the heck with 9 since it is being so quirky and obnoxious for you, even though you seem to have solved the problem at least for now.

Kelliann

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Probably better to start a new thread with a reference to this one.

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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