Error number: 0x80090008

[Janet Carroll]

I've been working with Microsoft for over a month without resolution and it
has now come down to reinstalling my operating system which I really would
like to avoid. I noticed in December that I was not getting any update
notifications so after about 2 weeks I went to the website for updates and
when I click express I now get Error number: 0x80090008. This even comes up
when I try to update windows defender software. I can't believe that there
is no reference to what this error number refers to. Anyone have any
suggestions? Thanks.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Windows version would be...?

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 the
computer (e.g., a free-trial version that came preinstalled when you bought
it)?

[Janet Carroll]

I have Windowsw XP SP 2. McAfee subscription is current (one of the things
done was to reinstall McAfee but still had the error). Also McAfee firewall.
Never installed any other such as Norton. Everything was working ok until
mid-December and have not loaded any new apps during that time.

> .
>

[Janet Carroll]

Additional information. I just found that error code 80090008 exists for
Visual Basic for invalid algorithm specified. Could my Update error actually
be referring to VB?

"PA Bear [MS MVP]" wrote:

> .
>

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

Answer my questions by number in your reply (don't try to quote my post &
intersperse your anwsers):

1. To the best of your knowledge, when was the last time Windows Updates
successfully installed (e.g., mid-November 2009; September 2009 or earlier)?

2. Any particular reason you hadn't installed WinXP SP3 over a year ago?

[Extended Support for WinXP SP2 ends on 10 July 2010. After that date,
computers running WinXP SP2 will NOT be offered any further critical
security updates, Automatic Updates will not work, and Windows Update
website will not be accessible until SP3 is installed.]

3. Did a McAfee free trial come preinstalled on the computer when you bought
it? How about a Norton free trial? (Doesn't matter if you never used or
Activated it.)

4. Has your McAfee subscription (or free trial) ever expired, if only for a
day or two?

5. Is Automatic Updates enabled? If not, can you enable it, reboot & then
find it's still enabled?

6. The above notwithstanding, see if this McAfee three-step fix resolves the
problem: http://service.mcafee.com/FAQDocument.aspx?id=TS100507

[Janet Carroll]

1. End of January 2010 by working with MS support
2. Yes. I downloaded SP3 when it first came out and it hosed my computer.
I worked with MS for days to get it back, had to order my install disks from
Dell, and MS was finally able to uninstall SP3 for me through a back door.
3. No. Full purchased package was preinstalled, not a free trial.
4. No. McAfee subscription runs through June of 2010.
5. Yes.
6. Working with MS support, I previously removed McAfee but did not run
MCPR.exe. I will try that now.

> .
>

[Janet Carroll]

6. Following uninstall of McAfee I am unable to locate and download MCPR.exe

> .
>

[Alan]

Hi Janet,
I'm having the same problem as you. I have had no updates since the 9th Dec
2009. I'm just a novice on the computer so I don't know what this SP 3 means
etc.
I have got Windows XP home edition and that's about all I know.
I have uninstalled AVG and knocked my firewall off but I still can't access
the update website. It goes throught the motions of checking my PC for
updates and then the webpage will not open. Also Windows Defender won't
update.
Alan

[Alan]

Hi Janet,
Just downloaded and installed Windows service pack 3. This took an hour from
start to finish. Everything now works including updates and the PC is faster.
I have sat for hours and listened to a lot of advise but, this is all you
have to do. This update should have been done automatic but it did not happen
on mine. Nothing to do with security site's etc.
It works....Bliss
Alan

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

IMPORTANT! Enable the Windows Firewall NOW if you've not done so already!!

1. Download the McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool, saving it to your
desktop:
http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

2. Close all open applications (i.e., anything with an icon on the taskbar).

3. Double-click on the file you saved in #1 above to run the utility. Don't
TOUCH your keyboard until the run completes, then reboot.

4. IMPORTANT! Reinstall your McAfee application or install a different AV
ap NOW!!!

Repost: If you do not have WinXP SP3 installed by 10 July 2010, your
computer will NOT be offered any further updates whatsoever, Automatic
Updates will not work, and you will not be able to access Windows Update
website. So whatever your problem was, you'd better get it straightened out
by July.

Note: The next batch of updates will be released c. 12 Noon PST (UTC -8) on
Tuesday, 9 February 2010 (or less than 12 hours from now).
--
~PA Bear

Janet Carroll wrote:
<paste>

> 1. End of January 2010 by working with MS support
> 2. Yes. I downloaded SP3 when it first came out and it hosed my
> computer.
> I worked with MS for days to get it back, had to order my install disks
> from
> Dell, and MS was finally able to uninstall SP3 for me through a back door.
> 3. No. Full purchased package was preinstalled, not a free trial.
> 4. No. McAfee subscription runs through June of 2010.
> 5. Yes.
> 6. Working with MS support, I previously removed McAfee but did not run
> MCPR.exe. I will try that now.

</paste>

[Janet Carroll]

Alan,
Yes, same symptoms. Interesting. I did a chkdsk last night and there was
an error(s) that were fixed and now I can't even download McAfee. Looks like
I will have no choice but to reinstall SP2 and then install SP3 on top of
that. I had installed SP3 18 months ago but it hosed my system at the time.
With a fresh reinstall hopefully it will work and I can reinstall my other
software.

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

You're going to need to do more than that.

Help: I Got Hacked. Now What Do I Do?
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700813.aspx

Back-up any personal data (none of which should be considered 100%
trustworthy at this point) then format the HDD & do a clean install of
Windows. Please note that a Repair Install (AKA in-place upgrade) will NOT
fix this!

HOW TO do a clean install of WinXP: See
http://michaelstevenstech.com/cleanxpinstall.html#steps and/or Method 1 in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/978307

After the clean install, you'll have the equivalent of a "new computer" so
take care of everything on the following page before otherwise connecting
the machine to the internet or a local network (i.e., other computers) and
before using a flash drive or SDCard that isn't brand-new or hasn't been
freshly formatted:

4 steps to help protect your new computer before you go online
http://www.microsoft.com/security/pypc.aspx

Other helpful references include:

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP Gold (no Service Packs) fully patched
(after a clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsupdate/msg/3f5afa8ed33e121c

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b

Tip: After getting the computer fully-patched, download/install KB971029
manually: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971029

NB: Any Norton or McAfee free-trial that came preinstalled on the computer
when you bought it will be reinstalled (but invalid) when Windows is
reinstalled. You MUST uninstall the free-trial and download/run the
appropriate removal tool before installing any updates, Windows Service
Packs or IE upgrades and before installing your new anti-virus application
(which will require WinXP SP3 to be installed).

Norton Removal Tool
ftp://ftp.symantec.com/public/english_us_canada/removal_tools/Norton_Removal_Tool.exe

McAfee Consumer Products Removal Tool
http://download.mcafee.com/products/licensed/cust_support_patches/MCPR.exe

Also see:

Steps To Help Prevent Spyware
http://www.microsoft.com/security/spyware/prevent.aspx

Steps to Help Prevent Computer Worms
http://www.microsoft.com/security/worms/prevent.aspx

Avoid Rogue Security Software!
http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/rogue.aspx

If these procedures look too complex - and there is no shame in admitting
this isn't your cup of tea - take the machine to a local, reputable and
independent (i.e., not BigBoxStoreUSA or Geek Squad) computer repair shop.
--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-IE, Mail, Security, Windows Client - since 2002

[Janet Carroll]

PA Bear,
I did not see your reply yesterday. Last night I used PC restore from DELL
(Symantec) to reinstall XP. From your comments, are you telling me that this
may not have been enough and that I should have done a complete reinstall?
After PC restore, which supposedly wipes everything on my hard drive, I
reinstalled McAfee right away, received about 70+ updates from MS, started up
MS Office, etc. I have yet to install other software that was deleted,
restore files I backed up, and was thinking about installing SP3.

IF you think that I did not do a reinstall properly by flattening my hard
drive, let me know and I'll have to go to a technician. Otherwise, I will
continue with my rebuild. I appreciate all of your help on this.

BTW, if I continue, should I restore my backed ups files first and then SP3
and other software? Just wondering if the sequence matters.

Janet

> .
>

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

After doing the "recovery," did you find all of your previous data still in
My Documents folder?

Did a McAfee or Norton free trial come preinstalled on the computer when you
bought it?

In your last reply you tells us that you "reinstalled McAfee right way" but
in an earlier reply you told us, "I can't even download McAfee." Explain.

The above notwithstanding...

If you've not installed any updates since November 2009 (which would mean
that you're now 3 months behind), I'd very strongly recommend doing a clean
install now, Janet.

[Janet Carroll]

After doing the 'recovery' I do not have any data in 'My Documents' folder.
All of my previous files are gone but I do have a backup of them.

McAfee was preinstalled after my recovery but not as a trial version. I
worked with McAfee support last night and they cleaned up with the tool you
were recommending and I now have a current clean install of my McAfee
subscription running on my system.

Because I did the PC Restore for Windows XP I was again able to download
from McAfee as well as go out to Microsoft Update and run the 'Express'
option without getting the error code that started all of this. It seems to
take quite awhile to check my system but the only thing finally appearing is
to install XP SP3.

Over 70 downloads have been downloaded and successfully installed now on my
computer since doing the PC Restore last night bringing me from my initial
configuration 4 years ago of IE 6 to IE8 for example.

I think the problem has been resolved and I still have a lot of
miscellaneous software to reinstall and configure. The only things
noticeable right now are the slowness of the system to check for updates and
not being able to see images in my emails in gmail.

I still have to configure Outlook but was thinking maybe I should try to
install SP3 now before my system gets completely rebuilt (only because I had
problems installing it 18 months ago and had to have Microsoft assist in
backing it out).

I appreciate your thoughts.
Janet

> .
>

[PA Bear [MS MVP]]

HOW TO get a computer running WinXP SP1(a) or SP2 fully patched (after a
clean install)
http://groups.google.com/group/microsoft.public.windowsxp.general/msg/a066ae41add7dd2b