Client had a bunch of virus’s and spyware I had to remove from bench. When plugged back into PC the Windows Updates and MSE Updates would not work. Tried MS Fixit for updates and still did not work. Found out the BITS service was missing. Found the following to get the BITS to work:
First I had to create the service entry by copy and paste the following into a DOS-PROMPT (I used as Administrator)
sc create BITS binpath= “c:\windows\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs” start= delayed-auto
After this the BITS would not start. I tried the following (copy/paste into DOS-PROMPT):
regsvr32 qmgr.dll /s
regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll /s
sc sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll /s
That did not work. I then had to export the following registry from a working PC and then import it into the failing PC:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\BITS
Here is the .reg file that you just merge and it should solve the problem (Windows 7).
I also created one for XP users. Try the XP-BITS.reg
The update from the last downloaded update would not install. Other updates would. I downloaded the .msi update associated and tried to install but it said it was not needed so I hid that update. All other updates worked fine.
AMENDMENT:
I found this site that has the bits.reg file along with other .reg files that could fix updates. They are broken down for Windows 7 (Seven.zip) Vista.zip and XP.zip. Click on the download link and select the appropriate OS. Extract the files and then select the bits.reg and wuauserv.reg.
Hello,
Did you try the sc command to create it? I also found this thread that might fix it.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-windows_update/windows-update-failed-get-error-message-0x80246008/1fd3ce28-62b2-454c-922b-3130e9106328
Steve
Steve
Nightmare – back again after two months from previous fix. Update failed again. When I try to run Windows Update, it says ” Files required to use Windows Update are no longer registered or installed on your computer. To continue:
Register or reinstall the files for me now (Recommended)
When I select this, it just sits on “Download and install the latest updating software: Registering 100% …” for ages.
Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated, though I’m not particularly technical.
Is this Microsoft driving XP users away? Sure feels like it.
I found this on line that you can try:
Solution:
This problem can be corrected by re-registering the various dll files that Windows Update requires to run.
To do this firstly click on the “Start” button then “Run” and enter the following command into the “Run” dialog box
· regsvr32 wuapi.dll
You should then receive a message to say it was successful. The above process then needs to be done for each of the following commands:-
· regsvr32 wups.dll
· regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
· regsvr32 wucltui.dll
· regsvr32 atl.dll
· regsvr32 msxml3.dll
This week explorer.exe wouldn’t run on my XP+SP3 test machine, could only boot safe mode w/cmd. DLL cache hosed. sfc /purgecache then reloaded from XP+SP3 CD. Uninstalled IE8 and it all sprang into life. Windows Update wouldn’t work. BITS missing. Got BITS to run thanks to your registry patch. Reinstalled IE8. Still no go. svchost/wuauclt.exe still at 100% on one core. Rebooted this morning and got 3 updates advertised in system tray. All installed OK. IE8 updates also work. MBSA2.3 works. All updates present and correct. svchost/wuauclt.exe behaving. All good. Thanks a million Steve!
Steve,
I want to thank you for the XP reg key as this seems to be one of the final piece which actually fixed the BITs service on my XP Mediacenter. I’m going to include my details here as they may help others facing a similar situation.
My original problem was one where Windows Update was continually bringing down a patch for Security Essentials version 4.4.304. Not matter how many times I would get the update, it would again show up requiring further action. So to remedy I landed here at this link.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/en-us
This was some very good info, and a long list of manual adjustments to make, however I will point out that the MS-Fixit tool here will break the BITs service on an XP machine resulting in error code 1290:0x50a. If your using this MS-Fixit on Windows 7, proceed with caution. I think the MS-Fixit tool has issues which need attention :O)
So now with a fully broken BITs service, my Mediacenter was not only failing to get windows updates, any updates, but also not pulling the guide listings, which for Mediacenter is the kiss of death, and will require attention at some point. You can only ignore it for so long before your guide runs out, recordings start getting missed. 🙁
While researching this issue I ran across an interesting article about sfc /scannow and how it really works. You may find a lot of advice about running it, but after reading this link, it helps to place this tool in the proper context with how much its actually going to help with the problem your trying to solve. It’s a good read.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_xp-performance/why-does-try-running-sfc-scannow-keep-coming-up-as/ae835ec5-9867-4592-9bc3-2c87f96040bb
In addition I also learned about another tool called Dependency Walker. This one can tell you if your having problems on a system related to a dll file and it’s necessary dependent pieces. In my situation I found myself re-registering a large amount of dll files as giving on the MS-Fixit link. I determined that dependencies for qmgr.dll (Bits Service main file) mshtml.dll was only for IE6 hence will get an endpoint not found error, along with two missing ones wucltux.dll and wuwebv.dll which are not present on an XP system, and can be safely ignored. This is a very good tool to have in your arsenal.
http://www.dependencywalker.com/
I performed the remainder of the manual adjustments in this article with exception of step 4, as step 4 is only recommended as a more aggressive means to reset Windows Updates components.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/en-us
Now with my BITs service having changed name to @%SystemRoot%\system32\qmgr.dll,-1000 because of the MS-Fixit tool, I performed the following steps to remedy.
Re-register the Qmgr.dll and the Qmgrprxy.dll BITS files. See below.
To do this, follow these steps:
1.)
a.Click Start, click Run, type regsvr32 qmgr.dll, and then click OK two times.
b.Click Start, click Run, type regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll, and then click OK two times.
c.Restart the computer.
2.)
Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type the following command, and then click OK:
%windir%\System32\rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 %windir%\inf\qmgr.inf
Note If you are prompted to insert the operating system CD, type %windir%\ServicePackFiles\i386 in the Copy files from box, and then click OK.
3.)Restart the computer.
At this point I thought I should be home free but instead got another BITs Server error when trying to start start BIT’s. However, it still progress but it got a lot further at load time and failed with an entirely different error. I believe it said error code #3.
Here is where Steve’s Reg file came into play. I had a copy of the BITs reg key from a know working XP machine running in a VM, and I simply exported it and attempted to use it. However, even though it seemed to look correct it still would not work on my XP Mediacenter. I ended up using Steve’s Reg file referenced here in his blog. Steve’s reg file looks much different than the one I pulled off of known good XP machine, however his works. After having imported Steve’s XP key, I simply restarted Mediacenter, and once again had a working BITs service, and I’m now able to get Windows Updates, and the TV guild is also downloading. I’m very happy about this.
One final point is that I’m again back to the original problem where Windows Update is still continually bringing down a patch for Security Essentials version 4.4.304. The interesting thing is, my system already has version 4.4.304, however Windows Update will not recognize this fact. I’m leaving it alone for now, and will continue to look for a solution to the Security Essentials problem. I’ll check back here to see if anyone else is having this issue with Security Essentials.
Thank you Steve for providing the final piece to my puzzle. I would love to know where and how you got that reg file. It’s so very different from my known good reg file, the one I got from a known good XP virtual machine.
However yours functions, Great work Steve. :O)
Frank S.
Hello Frank,
Thanks for the kind words and giving us the detail of your struggle. I know it can be frustrating and glad it all worked out.
About where I got the XP BITS its been awhile but I thought I grabbed it from a Virtual machine XP PRO I have. You said you did the same but it looked different. I am not sure why.
Thanks,
Steve
Steve,
I could supply you my copy of the key for compare. Your’s has hex values in it, and mine is human readable for certain areas of the reg key. I was thinking to run the hex code through a tool and maybe get a conversion back to regular text to see what it says. :O)
If you reply to the email I provided to your site, I can write back with my key attached.
You can have a look at it.
Frank S.
Thanks so much, I haven’t updated windows for almost 2 years. I kept running into the same problem, but never a successful remedy. The site in your amendment did the trick! It was fixed in minutes. Now I am run run the update several times to catch up. Thanks again!