Windows update scan for new updates always fails (clean XP install) - 0xC80003FA, 0x8024000E,0x800706BE

[Bernd K.]

Hi all,

I've been unable to use windows update after a fresh XP SP3 install. This
is a slipstreamed disc & it has been used successfully to reinstall the OS
in the past.

I can connect to windows update, but the scan for new updates always fails
with an error message. I have seen three different error messages

0xC80003FA
0x8024000E
0x800706BE

XP installed without any issues & appears to be otherwise stable. The only
software installed prior to going to windows update was MS Office & Avira
(anti-virus). Negative anti-virus scan. Chkdsk /f /r & Seatools (drive
diagnostic)
both report a healthy drive, with no file system errors or bad sectors.
Since I
can't download windows updates, I did a clean reinstall of xP without
installing
Office & Avira, but still get the same windows update errors.

My initial thought was KB 943144 where SP3 machines couldn't connect to
windows update because Wups2.dll wasn't registered properly. Didn't help.
I also tried registering

regsvr32 wuapi.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll

The 0xC80003FA error is discussed in KB 916258. It suggests deleting a
presumably corrupt SoftwareDistribution folder. No change. I also deleted
the temp files, cookies, history & related windowsupdate status key.

I didn't find anything in the KB about the 0x8024000E error. But a Google
search suggested that it might be solved by running system file checker.
Didn't help.

And the 0x800706BE error has hundreds of KB hits, relating to the remote
procedure call (RPC) service. But I didn't see anything specfici to
windows update. I did confirm that the RPC & background intellegent
transfer service were running. One MVP suggested trying changing the RPC
service login from a WINNT system to a local user login, but it didn't
make a difference for me.

My windowsupdate logs are rather large at this point, but what I think are
the relevant portions are appended below.

I would be grateful for any insight into this or suggestions on how to
proceed.

Thanks,
Bernd

--
from WindowsUpdate.log

+++++++++++ PT: Synchronizing server updates +++++++++++
+ ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL =
https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx
WARNING: SyncUpdates failure, error = 0x8024400D, soap client error = 7,
soap error code = 300, HTTP status code = 200
WARNING: SOAP Fault: 0x00012c
WARNING: faultstring:Fault occurred
WARNING: ErrorCode:ConfigChanged(2)
WARNING: Message:(null)
WARNING:
Method:"http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService/SyncUpdates"
WARNING: ID:cf9c9580-1761-43a2-aae4-bf3c6cbfa166
WARNING: DS: Database will be reset next time it starts up due to
0xc80003fa
WARNING: PopulateDataStore failed: 0xc80003fa
WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0xc80003fa
WARNING: SyncServerUpdatesInternal failed: 0xc80003fa

+++++++++++ PT: Synchronizing server updates +++++++++++
+ ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL =
https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx
WARNING: Cached cookie has expired or new PID is available
Created new random SusClientId 69af5425-1912-4491-ab8d-66c61540e925. Old
Id: 0425944b-b524-4dbf-a50f-7f350ef93172.
WARNING: PopulateDataStore failed: 0x8024000e
WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0x8024000e
WARNING: SyncServerUpdatesInternal failed: 0x8024000e

+++++++++++ PT: Synchronizing server updates +++++++++++
+ ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL =
https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx
WARNING: Cached cookie has expired or new PID is available
WARNING: SyncUpdates failure, error = 0x8024400D, soap client error = 7,
soap error code = 300, HTTP status code = 200
WARNING: SOAP Fault: 0x00012c
WARNING: faultstring:Fault occurred
WARNING: ErrorCode:ConfigChanged(2)
WARNING: Message:(null)
WARNING:
Method:"http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService/SyncUpdates"
WARNING: ID:bba5ef24-9cb0-4e2e-9fc8-6066c0529098
WARNING: PopulateDataStore failed: 0x800706be
WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0x800706be
WARNING: SyncServerUpdatesInternal failed: 0x800706be

[MowGreen]

Bernd,

0x8024400D WU_E_PT_SOAP_CLIENT
SOAP_E_CLIENT - SOAP client found the message was malformed; fix before
resending.

What appears to be occurring is the Protocal Talker (PT) can't
communicate with the update server because the Windows Update Agent
installed is too old.

Suggest you download and *save* the latest release of the Windows Update
Agent (WUA):

How to obtain the latest version of the Windows Update Agent to help
manage updates on a computer
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949104

Prior to installing it, stop the Automatic Updates and BITS, if started,
services. You can do both from a Command Prompt
Start > Run > type in cmd
Click OK or press Enter
At the prompt type in the below and press Enter after each command

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits

Leave the Command Prompt window open, then run the WUA installation
file, windowsupdateagent30-x86.exe.
When it's finished installing enter these commands, pressing Enter after
each one, and then restart the system

net start wuauserv
exit

BTW, registering wups2.dll resolves the *installation* issue of updates,
not the detection nor download of them.

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

banthecheck.com
"Security updates should *never* have *non-security content* prechecked"

[Bernd K.]

Thank you for your suggestion. Unfortunately it didn't work in this case. If
you have any further thoughts, let me know.

I downloaded the new windows update agent from MS. At first it declined to
install, saying that it was already installed. But it did reinstall with the
force switch.

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits

c:\windowupdateagent30_x86.exe /wuforce /norestart
[successful re-install]

net start wuauserv
net start bits

[reboot PC]
windows update scan error 0x8024000E

--
windows update log

+++++++++++ PT: Synchronizing server updates +++++++++++
+ ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL =
https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx
WARNING: Cached cookie has expired or new PID is available

WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072f78.
WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr = 80072f78. Proxy List used: <(null)>
Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for
<http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3-19990518/cabpool/384878_a03563279da106dd953189a70b4b3fa20296f7d6.cab>.
error 0x80072f78
WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed.
error 0x80072f78
WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with
0x80072f78
WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072f78

WARNING: PopulateDataStore failed: 0x8024000e
WARNING: Sync of Updates: 0x8024000e
WARNING: SyncServerUpdatesInternal failed: 0x8024000e

* WARNING: Failed to synchronize, error = 0x8024000E
* WARNING: Exit code = 0x8024000E
*********
** END ** Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = MicrosoftUpdate]
*************
WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x8024000e
>>-- RESUMED -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = MicrosoftUpdate]
- Updates found = 0
- WARNING: Exit code = 0x00000000, Result code = 0x8024000E
---------
-- END -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = MicrosoftUpdate]
-------------
WARNING: Operation failed due to earlier error, hr=8024000E
FATAL: Unable to complete asynchronous search. (hr=8024000E)
REPORT EVENT: {72177C7E-26CF-436A-9FBE-6B1467660B2F} 2009-12-17
15:48:24:185-0800 1 148 101 {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} 0
8024000e MicrosoftUpdate Failure Software Synchronization Windows Update
Client failed to detect with error 0x8024000e.
########### AU: Initializing Automatic Updates ###########
AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2009-12-17 23:48:33
# AU is not configured yet
AU is not configured yet, generating timeout to launch setup wizard
Initializing featured updates
Found 0 cached featured updates
AU finished delayed initialization
AU setting pending client directive to 'Setup Wizard'
Launched new AU client for directive 'Setup Wizard', session id = 0x0
=========== Logging initialized (build: 7.4.7600.226, tz: -0800)
===========
= Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
AUClnt Launched Client UI process
=========== Logging initialized (build: 7.4.7600.226, tz: -0800)
===========
= Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
= Module: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wucltui.dll
AU client got new directive = 'Setup Wizard', serviceId =
{7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, return = 0x00000000

"MowGreen" <mowg...@nowandzen.com> wrote in message
news:OLmFWo2f...@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Why did you reinstall WinXP? Did you do a Repair Install or did you format
& do a clean install?

[Bernd K.]

It was a clean install after creating a partition & doing a full (not quick)
NTFS format.

I've found that windows becomes unstable over time, particularily if many
programs have been installed & uninstalled over a few years. This computer
had a few messed up registry keys & a few programs that would periodically
crash for no obvious reason. In my experience a clean install works much
better than a repair install.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:Ob6wW75f...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You may encounter temporary connection-related errors [e.g., 0xC80003FA]
when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941

0xC80003FA hrReadVerifyFailure
0x8024000E SUS_E_XML_INVALID
0x800706BE RPC_S_CALL_FAILED

What anti-virus application or security suite is installed and is your
subscription current? What anti-spyware applications (other than Defender)?
What third-party firewall (if any)?

Has a(another) Norton or McAfee application ever been installed on this
machine (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it and which may have been reinstalled, but invalid, when you reinstall
Windows)?

Have you tried doing a Reset yet? cf. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

[MowGreen]

0x80072f78 ERROR_WINHTTP_INVALID_SERVER_RESPONSE

> One MVP suggested trying changing the RPC service login from a WINNT system to
> a local user login, but it didn't make a difference for me.

The RPC service log on is set to " This account - NT Authority\Network
Service " with prepopulated 'Password' and 'Confirm password' on this XP
Pro SP3 system.
Was your system set to " Local system account " ?

0x8024000E WU_E_XML_INVALID
Windows Update Agent found invalid information in the update's XML data.

I suspect that either there's an issue being caused by "something"
installed or there's a DNS and/or proxy issue.

First, reregister msxml3.dll from Start > Run > type in

regsvr32 msxml3.dll
Click OK or press Enter.
Check for updates now. If no joy ...

* Are you using a DNS service ? *

* Is the system on a network ? ... if yes, connect the system to the
modem and see if it can search for updates. *
See if that resolves the update issue now.

If it is not resolved or no DNS service is being used, suggest you check
if a proxy is being used.
Open a Command Prompt, type in the following command and then press Enter

proxycfg

If no proxy is being used, the result should show

Current WinHTTP proxy settings under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\
SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet
Settings\Connections\
WinHttpSettings :

Direct access (no proxy server).

If a proxy is showing, check Internet Explorer's proxy setting and then
resest to Direct Access using the following command :

Open Internet Options in Control Panel.
Click the Connections tab, and then click LAN Settings.
In the Local Area Network (LAN) Settings dialog box, click to select the
Automatically detect settings check box, and then click OK.
Close Internet Options.

At the prompt enter the following and then press Enter

proxycfg -d

If *Direct access* is the result, then flush the system's DNS cache at a
Command Prompt.

ipconfig /flushdns

See if the system can search for updates now.
If no joy, suggest you do a clean boot to rule out an issue with
installed software -

How to configure Windows XP to start in a "clean boot" state
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310353

See if the system can contact the update servers now. If it can, then
installed software is the culprit.

The errors in the WU.log are described as 'transient' in this MSKB:

You may encounter temporary connection-related errors when you use

Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941

Not sure how MS defines 'transient' but they sure seem permanent to me.

[Bernd K.]

Thanks for your continued help MowGreen.

The RPC service login was set to NT Authority\NetworkService by default. I
temporarily changed it to local system account login based on advice I found
from another MVP in a Google search. It didn't help & I have changed it back
to a NT Authority\NetworkService login.

To test whether my antivirus or even MS office were a problem, I did a clean
XP pro SP3 install again and currently have no other software of any type
installed. Only the default components installed by the retail XP CD + SP3.
The PC has a wired connection to a Linksys router which in turn is wired to
broadband cable modem: Internet----cable modem----router----PC

I am not using a DNS service and there shouldn't be any proxy. I have
flushed the dns resolver cache before, but when I get home later today will
confirm that there is no proxy, flush the dns cache & reregister msxml3.dll
& report back.

"MowGreen" <mowg...@nowandzen.com> wrote in message

news:eqIAgVBg...@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

[Bernd K.]

Thank you for your assistance.

Initially, I had Avira anti-virus, with current updates & MS Office
installed. Norton was never installed at any point & no third party
firewalls were ever installed. As I couldn't download windows updates, I
then installed Malwarebytes's anti-malware (anti-spyware) program,
downloaded the current updates & did a full A/V & Spyware scan. The scans
were negative.

I then repartitioned & reformatted the drive & did a clean XP pro SP3
install. Currently there is no other software of any type on this PC, not
even A/V installed. Only the default components that the retail XP CD
installed + the slip-streamed service packs.

Thank you for pointing out the KB articles. I will do a reset when I get
home tonight & report the results.

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" <PABe...@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:u9Tf1l$fKHA...@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

> I then repartitioned & reformatted the drive & did a clean XP pro SP3
> install. Currently there is no other software of any type on this PC, not
> even A/V installed.

Uh-oh...

5 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/advanced/xppc.mspx