BleepingComputer.com: Unable to search Windows Update

I have Vista ultimate and since early December 2008, I have not been able to get MS updates. Instead I get an error message code 80070026, unable to search for updates. BTW, it's a Dell XPS M1330 computer, recently purchased in July 2008. I have both McAfee and Windows Defender, which get regular updates. MS techies have not been able to resolve problem and I'm stuck.

Hi there! Thank you for using Bleeping Computer as your source of help today. If I saw clearly, you are having problems installing updates on Windows Vista.

I will request that you do both things listed.

1. Please tell me if you are currently running Service Pack 1 of Windows Vista.

2. My first evaluation of this situation is that you may have a Windows Installer error. Please do the following step-by-step:

If the above solution does not work, please try this Microsoft Solution: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946414/en-us

Hi there and thank you for your response. I'm unsure if I have the service pack as all my update history was removed when an MS tech was trying to solve this problem so I'm hesitant to do as you say without this information. Is there a way for me to find out if I have it installed?

Yes!

Right click on My Computer and click Properties.
You will see Service Pack 1 in the first paragraph of text if you have it installed!

Jay, yes my computer is running the Service Pack 1 of Vista (Ultimate). BTW, I've researched this error code and many techies have suggested that there may be a conflict with existing 3rd party antivirus program. I've turned off the real time protection as suggested and it didn't work. One also suggested uninstalling one program, which I haven't done. How valid is this? And how likely is it that a virus is preventing me from getting updates? You see I'm so worried that I downloaded the BETA One Care Scanner just in case, and it's running in the background as we speak. Once it's done then I'll do as you say. Will you be around for another hour?

The solutions you have listed are invalid. Most antivirus and solutions for firewall are set to automatically cooperate with Windows Update, as the security programs know that a system process is running by what is called TrustedInstaller. Once a security program sees the hidden codename TrustedInstaller, process are automatically allowed.

Did you try the fix it? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/946414/en-us

If you have, then you may have a corrupt user profile. I will allow you to post anymore results then I will help you with the next step in potentially solving this issue!

Jay,

I tried but it came back with this message: "fix it" failed, does not apply to your system.

I also tried to do the first instruction but the command screen is not doing anything???

Okay, I'll be waiting for the next step. P.S. The scan came back negative.

Can you explain what corrupt file means?

It means that your Windows Account is damaged/corrupt and you need to either access a different User Account that has Administrator Privileges or create a new administrator account. Please tell me if you have any questions about how to do this!

Before you do the above step, please open the start menu and enter Windows Update in to the search box. When it appears in the pane, please right click on it and click Run as Administrator. After you do that, please check for updates again!

Okay, I ran the updates as the administrator and got the same error message. Please tell me how to create a new administrator account. Thanks!

UPDATE: I changed the admin. acct. into a standard user acct and created a new administrator. I then ran updates (while as an administrator) and still no luck: same error message.

It is true that some Windows Sysem files have been damaged. Whenever System files get damaged, Microsoft Installer locks itself to prevent any further damage to your computer. This is known as Windows System File Protection. Please run System File Checker to automatically repair system files. After that completes, please restart the computer and run Windows Update again!

[Edit: spelling error]

To check this problem, please TEMPORARILY disable your firewall and any Internet Security software that may be blocking the connection attempts.

Then test Windows Update, then IMMEDIATELY re-enable the stuff that you disabled!

Let us know what happens.

Also, check the Windows Update log files ( http://support.microsoft.com/kb/902093 ) and let us know what you find there.

Jay-P VIP, on Mar 30 2009, 11:20 PM, said:

Thank you!

Hi Jay,

I will be getting home late tonight but will try your last instruction unless you think it's best to postpone it until this Confliker virus hysteria subsides. From your last comment, I take it that it's best if I don't take up John's advice. I seem to recall that MS techies have provided the same instruction to me in December and it didn't resolve the problem.

Thank you. I have tried the method that John placed in his post on my own one time, and I checked update logs, and the problem went unresolved. I had update errors back in Late January-Early February and I tried many methods--including John's.

In each Firewall and Antivirus Suites, there is a port automatically allowed to download and upload data for Windows Update. This port is number 443, which is the remote port. The port is heavily guarded by Windows Updates, security -type, to ensure the port is safe. This is the second most exploited port in Windows. Port 1025 is a port to download Windows Installer files for the updates, when those are available. Obviously, when we unregistered and Re-registered the Windows Installer in my first solution to you -- this was deemed okay! Obviously after the first solution, the problem still was not solved.

1 of two system files/folders have been damaged on your machine. Both of these are related to Windows Update.

Software Distribution folder
or
C:\Windows\System32\winipsec.dll <<<Windows IPSec SPD Client DLL (also located in %windir%\ServicePackFiles\i386)

------------

Along with System File Checker, please do the following:

Please run disk cleanup. This can be done from the Start menu>All Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Cleanup.

Make sure temporary files is checked and make sure they get removed.

Error number: 0x80..... in Windows Update:::Microsoft.com Communities:::TaurArian [MS-MVP] said: