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windows update produced generic error:

Windows 7 on ThinkPads
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thinkpadcollection
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windows update produced generic error:

#1 Post by thinkpadcollection » Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:47 pm

" Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart the computer."
Nice. That is too generic error, really need better diagnostic tool to understand what is going on and intelligently fix it. Even windows update troubleshooter did not help at all.

Cleaning out the notebook as was from a person with favorites for junkware and malicious malware stuff. Might had corrupted or swapped files that windows update needs to work. Did take a look in services and vital services are running for windows update even BITS.

I tried all the suggestions even delete a folder after backing it up. Is there other malware softwares to really clean out everything, I have done running malwarebyte, ccleaner, combofix.

I can go nuclear on this by using another hard drive and reinstall but I taking it as last resort since owner is poor with managing files for sundry things like photos, documents etc.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

axur-delmeria
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Re: windows update produced generic error:

#2 Post by axur-delmeria » Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:45 am

Sometimes, it's faster to just back up all personal files, wipe the drive, then reinstall Windows.
Planned Purchase: T480s i5-8350 FHD Touch
Impulse Buy: Thinkpad not named for safety reasons :lol:
RIP: X220 4291-C91 X61 7676-A24 760XD-U9E :cry:

w0qj
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Re: windows update produced generic error:

#3 Post by w0qj » Mon Nov 06, 2017 6:40 am

Yeah, that's what we do also...
axur-delmeria wrote:
Mon Nov 06, 2017 4:45 am
Sometimes, it's faster to just back up all personal files, wipe the drive, then reinstall Windows.
Daily Driver: (X1E3) X1 Extreme 3rd Gen | mobile broadband (WWAN)
Current Thinkpads: X1E3 | X1E1 | X1C10 | X1C9 | X1C4 | X1C3 | X230
Retired Thinkpads: X250 | T410 | T42 | 560 (circa 1996)

thinkpadcollection
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Location: kingston, ontario, Canada

Re: windows update produced generic error:

#4 Post by thinkpadcollection » Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:01 am

If you come across a error during any attempts of installing any updates on any HP computers, perform several steps:

First course of the dinner is Uninstall HP's own Intel storage driver, it's broken (Nobody said that one except for update to latest version of storage driver which was a clue, only on HP's), I used Lenovo's rapid storage driver for T410/T510 instead since this is a H55 chipset on HP intel G62 notebook in particular.

Install .Net framework 4.6.2 *first*, also install manually KB updates fixes to get Windows update working & faster, then upgrade IE to 11 version.

Then now can update the windows normally.

What a pain. This was after malware broke the windows update engine since no fixes can fix this one, had to start over in nuclear fashion by formatting and reinstall windows 7 after backing up.
Notebook is 1st gen i core so cannot risk trying a windows 10 from my experience with non-functional touchpad & trackpoint on T410 with windows 10.

Cheers, thinkpadcollection

cfds
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Re: windows update produced generic error:

#5 Post by cfds » Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:04 pm

We have 5 computers at home...I know I know!
4 lenovo's and 1 HP Touchsmart desktop all in one...
Only 1 out of 5 did not suffer this problem, one of the X1Carbons. The other X1C, T420 and X220 all had the problem.
I found on the net the following solution which worked on all computers.
-Stop windows update service, Windows key+ R, type in command box "services.msc"
-RH click on windows update service and select stop
-leave this window open
-Then open my computer and navigate to c:windows folder and delete (or rename e.g. to"softwaredistributionOLD") the softwaredistribution folder.
-then again go back to windows update services, RH click to restart the update services.
-restart computer and check for updates.
It worked on all the affected machines.
It looks like the windows temporary update folder is corrupted.
Yoga 910, i5 7200u 512GB/8GB, Win 10 Pro
Yoga 930, i7 8550U 512GB/16GB, Win 11 pro
X250 i5 5300U 240GB/8GB, FHD display, 2nd drive 500GB, Win 10 Pro
Yoga 460 i5 6200U 480GB/8GB, FHD touch, Win 10 Pro (project)

mpcook
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Re: windows update produced generic error:

#6 Post by mpcook » Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:14 pm

This worked on all my W7 Thinkpads, just updated everyone today.
cfds wrote:
Tue Dec 12, 2017 4:04 pm
-Stop windows update service, Windows key+ R, type in command box "services.msc"
-RH click on windows update service and select stop
-leave this window open
-Then open my computer and navigate to c:windows folder and delete (or rename e.g. to"softwaredistributionOLD") the softwaredistribution folder.
-then again go back to windows update services, RH click to restart the update services.
-restart computer and check for updates.
It worked on all the affected machines.
It looks like the windows temporary update folder is corrupted.
Current: 2 x W520 ET, 2 x X220 i7, T420, X230 i5, T420s, MacbookPro, Dell Venue 11 Pro, Dell XPS 8930, X1 Yoga 3GEN
Past: IBM5150-8088 500 600E 600X T20 T21 5xT23 X30 3xX31 X32 T40 T42 3xT43 T43p SL510 T60p X60T X60s T61 2xT400 T410si T400s T500-3.06GHz X200 X201 X220i5 X220i7 2xT420s

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