Windows 7 Update won't run - Error 80246002

Ron Czapala

I tried to manually check for Windows 7 Updates this morning and got this error code: 80246002

I did some research and apparently a MS update is to blame. Over several hours I found several MS community posts and "fixes" but only ended up getting a different error: 80072EE2.

I finally did a restore from late July (using the Windows 7 Backup) and finally was able to get the Update working again.

If you are experiencing this problem, here are a couple of links that might be helpful (or maybe not)...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2982791 (see known issues)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2993651 (I believe this was issued to replace the one above)

MS Community discussions
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_update/win-7-windows-update-80246002-unable-to-run/2903e560-0c04-4fb6-a03d-6b0b76f2cf40?page=1&tm=1409272162558
DNS server issue??

change the DNS servers to 8.8.8.8 & 8.8.4.4 and it fixed the issue

- Google's DNS servers

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_update/windows-update-error-code-80246002-on-every/769867b7-8c94-489b-b353-4cdf79077ea7

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_update/update-error-80246002/7c4077bf-b6d8-4e2d-993a-276d9a5083a2

Ron Czapala

Just found this article on ZDNET

Microsoft reissues flawed Windows security update with new flaws

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-reissues-flawed-windows-security-update-7000033049/

Microsoft today re-released the updates for security bulletin MS14-045. This update had been released on the August Patch Tuesday, August 12, but withdrawn later in the week after user reports of blue screen crashes and disabled systems.

At the same time Microsoft withdrew MS14-045, it withdrew three non-security updates, KB2970228, KB2975719 and KB2975331. None of those have been reissued and we have no further information on them.

NWCCTV

Microsoft reissues flawed Windows security update with new flaws

No way, the MS I know would NEVER do this. Ah, wait, this is what I complain about frequently. They fix one thing and breaks many others, which is why I have given up updating!!!!

mindrobots

It's disconcerting reading this having just noticed the "updates" shield appearing on my laptop when I locked it earlier....now what should I do? Do I have good updates or bad updates pending? Will it come back to life if I reboot? I'm sure nothing bad will happen they do test this stuff, right?

Ron Czapala

mindrobots wrote: »

It's disconcerting reading this having just noticed the "updates" shield appearing on my laptop when I locked it earlier....now what should I do? Do I have good updates or bad updates pending? Will it come back to life if I reboot? I'm sure nothing bad will happen they do test this stuff, right?

I also compared the "Update History" list with the "Installed Updates" list.

It turns out that they don't always agree and can't be synchronized. In my case, some of the updates in question show up in the history but not installed.
Of course I did restore from a month ago but I don't think that explains all of the differences...

Microsoft screwed up this time.

When the Update fails, it gets nasty.

You can manually download updates from the Catalog here: http://catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/site/home.aspx - Just enter the KB????? number and make sure you get the right version for your operating system.

Ron Czapala

Apparently Windows 8 and 8.1 are affected too.

Another article:

Microsoft republishes pulled Windows update, but still recommends a registry hack

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2599591/microsoft-republishes-pulled-windows-update-but-still-recommends-a-registry-hack.html

So should the updated patch solve the problems with the previous update? Yes—and no. Microsoft previously released security update 2982791, which was the update that was pulled a week ago. The new update is labeled “2993651,” and should replace 2982791. As part of that process, Microsoft advised users to manually remove update 2982791 through a process of rebooting and deleting certain files.

Unfortunately, patching the previous patch won’t solve the problem. Microsoft still recommends that you uninstall security update 2982791 through the process outlined above, which includes wading through the system registry.

A comment from the article - wish I had found this earlier!

Whatever you do folks, don't uninstall any of those previous KBs listed. Uninstalling the 791 and rebooting, basically completely hoses Windows Update. You'll get an error message when you try to run it. Running any of the Troubleshooters (there are many) and FixIt's, basically won't solve that problem either. Error 80246002. All the workarounds for that little problem - stopping the Win Update Service, renaming folders etc. - don't solve it either.

Also: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2465631/microsoft-pulls-august-windows-update-after-crashes.html

NWCCTV

I just wish they would learn how to fix their own garbage before sending it out to the end user to determine there is an issue. I am beginning to smell a class action lawsuit against MS to recover all the lost production hours their OS "fixes" have caused the general public.

RDL2004

Weird. I've updated four different Windows 7 systems this week and haven't had a single problem. It must only affect certain unusual configurations. In five years of running Windows 7 on multiple computers I only recall one problem. It didn't break the computer, it was just that part of one update wouldn't install.

Rsadeika

Weird. I just went and checked for updates, all I get is an update for Security Essentials. I have not had a system update in probably a week or so, and it did NOT shut down my system.

Ray

Ron Czapala

Rsadeika wrote: »

Weird. I just went and checked for updates, all I get is an update for Security Essentials. I have not had a system update in probably a week or so, and it did NOT shut down my system.

Ray

They pulled the "bad" update(s) and reissued one as KB2993651. Timing might come into play. It doesn't sound like the exact cause is clear either...

One comment indicated it only affected 64-bit systems but who knows?!?

With regard to Windows Update failing, another comment indicated that MS servers changed it that DNS servers did reflect the change

Microsoft's changed DNS must have finally filtered through the world-wide web as I can now poll for updates without getting that error with my DNS set back to the default (Automatic).
So it appears that things are normalizing again

mindrobots

My laptop (which had an "updates pending" shield yesterday) decided it had waited long enough and updated itself overnight. I really hate when Windows does that!

It survived without issue and is running fine....well, it's running like Windows, anyway.

Ron Czapala

mindrobots wrote: »

My laptop (which had an "updates pending" shield yesterday) decided it had waited long enough and updated itself overnight. I really hate when Windows does that!

It survived without issue and is running fine....well, it's running like Windows, anyway.

I have Update set to "Check for updates but let me chose whether to download and install them". I've never had it attempt to update on it's own.

New article:

What went wrong with Microsoft's August updates?

http://www.zdnet.com/what-went-wrong-with-microsofts-august-updates-7000033089/

It's been a long time since Microsoft had a Patch Tuesday this bad. By Friday they were conceding problems with several updates. Not only did they withdraw four updates, but they recommended that users uninstall one of them.

I have no hard numbers to go on, but I do suspect that the number of users affected by all these problems is, as Microsoft says, small. Perhaps very small. Even so, it's hard to escape the feeling that something went very wrong recently at Microsoft's update shop.

Yesterday they reissued that update, but they also announced that it had its own set of new bugs, one of which can make windows inaccessible or invisible. Three of the four withdrawn updates are still withdrawn and two of those are also subject to the missing window bug. Two other updates, previously uninvolved with the August updates, also have this missing window bug.

Heater.

Isn't security software like that from Avast or whatever is included in Windows now a days supposed to protect you machine from being taken over and damaged by rogue software?

Sounds like your firewall should at least block any connections to MS update sites:)

Ron Czapala

Heater. wrote: »

Isn't security software like that from Avast or whatever is included in Windows now a days supposed to protect you machine from being taken over and damaged by rogue software?

Sounds like your firewall should at least block any connections to MS update sites:)

Something like this is relatively rare but MS needs to do a better job of informing the public.

It would be interesting to know how many computers were affected.

There have been problems with updates in the past and Microsoft has been rather forthright about them in these blogs. But the discussions of the recent troubles with updates are so fleeting, perfunctory and, I would argue, misleading, that the company seems more embarrassed than concerned.

Same with the JP Morgan Bank hack: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/jpmorgan-hack-spanned-months-via-090000032.html;_ylt=AwrBEiJdggBUaE8AkkaTmYlQ

Hackers burrowed into the databanks of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and deftly dodged one of the world's largest arrays of sophisticated detection systems for months.

The use of multiple zero-day strategies, letting hackers take control of target computers by previously unknown methods, as well as layers of custom malware suggested something more than ordinary cybercrime to JPMorgan's security staff, according to the people familiar with the continuing probe.

Ron Czapala

Well I just tried the Update and got an error again (think it was the 80246002).

I went into the router and changed my DNS addresses from OpenDns to Google (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4).

Did an ipconfig release and renew.

The Update worked OK. Seems there is some sort of DNS issue.

Publison

I had the same issue a few days ago and gave up. Two days later the updates went through automatically. Freakin' Magic!

Ron Czapala

Publison wrote: »

I had the same issue a few days ago and gave up. Two days later the updates went through automatically. Freakin' Magic!

Or your ISP DNS servers got refreshed. Nah, probably magic

Publison

Ron Czapala wrote: »

Or your ISP DNS servers got refreshed. Nah, probably magic

Devine intervention. I prayed real hard that night.

Ron Czapala

Having problems updating Windows 7? Try changing DNS settings

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2599316/having-problems-updating-windows-7-try-changing-dns-settings.html

Microsoft may have republished its botched August update, but some Windows 7 users are reportedly still having problems with Windows Update. Fortunately, they've also found a simple solution.
...
A number of threads have cropped up on Microsoft's support site complaining that the update has apparently disabled and/or corrupted Windows Update.
...
So far, Microsoft support staff haven't stepped in with an official response, and the original security bulletin shows its most recent update took place on Wednesday.
...
The easier solution, and the one that seems to work, is simply to change your DNS settings to use Google's DNS servers, with the IP addresses 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.
...
No one seems to be quite sure why this works, only that it does.

prof_braino

No one seems to be quite sure why this works, only that it does

need to worry then. MS can certainly be trusted to have covered all bases, and have everyones best interest as the primary concern.

...Or you can actually address the root cause and install Mint 17 MATE, and get for free what you paid for, and are waiting on.

But that's just me, I'm a bit biased, and expect stuff to work in some useable fashion.