Windows Update Error number: 0x800A01CE

[xxexbushpig]

Running a stand alone PC with Windows XP, thru Internet Explorer v7.0.5730,
behind a Commodo firewall, on the Windows Update page,
http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us
there is an 'Express' and a 'Custom"' button.
Clicking on either button produces:
"The website has encountered a problem and cannot display the page you are
trying to view. Error number: 0x800A01CE"
The following Services are started and running. Their settings are:
Background Intelligent Transfer Service(BITS) - Automatic
Cryptographic Services - Automatic
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) - Automatic
System Restore Service - Automatic

There is nothing about this in Windows newsgroups, the Update FAQs,
Microsoft
help and Support.

Google has lots of ideas (many more than Microsoft!), but none helped.

On article said "0x800A138F error is in fact a general error message. To get
a clearer picture of the real error message you'd need to go to the "Windows
Update Log" and look for any "Errors". This gives a clearer indication as to
the exact nature of the problem."
I did this and found
2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI ---------
2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI WARNING: Unable to listen to
self-update/shutdown event (hr=0X800706BA)
2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish
connection to the service. (hr=800706BA)
2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI - WARNING: Exit code = 0x800706BA
2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to initiate
asynchronous search, hr=800706BA

This lead to MS article (910338) which seemed promising, but didn't help in
the end.

So does anyone out there know what this error message means?

What I really don't understand is why Microsoft cannot simply make a list of
their error codes with a link to how to fix it. After all, they write the
program! And it is only good practice to document software properly!

[MowGreen [MVP]]

The issue is related to script blocking. Disable "I-defense" or whatever
Commodo calls it, as it's blocking communications as shown by the
following entries

> Unable to listen to
> self-update/shutdown event (hr=0X800706BA)
> 2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish
> connection to the service. (hr=800706BA)
> 2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI - WARNING: Exit code = 0x800706BA
> 2008-07-19 16:33:50:062 2508 ad4 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to initiate
> asynchronous search, hr=800706BA

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2008]
===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

[validity]

"What I really don't understand is why Microsoft cannot simply make a list of
their error codes with a link to how to fix it. After all, they write the
program! And it is only good practice to document software properly!"

Similar to Lawmakers intensionally leaving loopholes in the laws they
create. Keep the ecomony stimulated. Create more jobs.

I successfully accessed Windows Update 3 times before I mysteriously
received the same message. I have the same IE version and Comodo firewall and
did not make changes in my firewall settings, so it must have been one of
their updates that created the problem to begin with.

[MowGreen [MVP]]

0x800A01CE The remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable

Disable Comodo, enable the native XP firewall.
Did that resolve the updating issue ?

MowGreen [MVP 2003-2009]

===============
*-343-* FDNY
Never Forgotten
===============

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Or you, too, may be seeing the affects of a hijackware infection.

MowGreen [MVP] wrote:
> 0x800A01CE The remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable
>
> Disable Comodo, enable the native XP firewall.
> Did that resolve the updating issue ?
>

[Sedoshi7]

"validity" wrote:

> "What I really don't understand is why Microsoft cannot simply make a list of
> their error codes with a link to how to fix it. After all, they write the
> program! And it is only good practice to document software properly!"

True. It would be an ethical practice. The problem they have is fear of
the lost help lines revenue, cha-ching.