Jump to content

Windows Update Service causes XP hang


Guest Guest_duh_*

Recommended Posts

Guest Guest_duh_*

Hello,

I've got a problem with a Windows XP machine that hangs after a couple of minutes if the Automatic Update Service is running. If I run services.msc directly after startup and try to stop AUS, it eventually gives me an Error 1053. The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion. If I disable the service in safe mode and restart, XP appears to run okay apart from the security center complaining that Automatic Updates are not turned on.

The problem first started when I cloned the original ATA HDD onto a new SATA HDD with Acronis True Image. I don't know if this is related. I have tested the HDD with the Hitachi Drive Fitness Tool and its okay.

The PC has been scanned for viruses/spyware with AVG, Spybot S&D, Adaware 2007, AVG Antispyware and scrubbed with CCleaner. I have tested the RAM with memtest86 and its okay.

All Windows updates had been installed when it first happened, Ive now done a repair install and it still does it. When I visit the Windows Update website with the service turned off it complains about it and I can't get any updates (Is this new? What a .....!). I have run SFC /scannow, and it sort of does something - the update service appears to be on and it doesn't hang. If I visit the windows update site however it tells me that "Files required to use Windows Update are no longer registered or installed..." It doesn't tell me which ones unfortunately, and when it helpfully tries to register or install the missing ones, it hangs.

In Dial-a-fix 0.60.0.24 I have reinstalled the windows update service and BITS from the tools menu, to no effect. In the main menu, fixing windows update gets to Stopping WUAUSERV in the SSL/HTTPS/Cryptsvc Section before it hangs.

I have flushed the softwaredistribution folder, and renamed it, and I have renamed the catroot2 folder.

I'm not sure what else can I try, does anyone have any ideas - at the moment I'm happy to try anything or even revisit stuff. I'd like to avoid a reinstall if I possibly can though. Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Guest_duh_*

Hi duh,

Have you run sfc /scannow? If so, what results did you get from it?

Hi Tarun,

Yes I have. It does appear to 'fix' the windows update service - after running it the computer will continue to function with the update service running. However when I visit the windows update site, I get an error message saying that certain files needed are no longer installed or registered. When the update site attempts to fix this, the computer hangs again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Perhaps try sfc /scannow and then run Dial-a-fix.

I sent you an email regarding your login information. You may want to check your email and also the Junk Bin in case anything was filtered.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ran sfc /scannow and then dial-a-fix instead of windows update. It completes Section 3 WU/WUAU successfully, but it hangs when trying to shutdown WUAUSERV in Section 4 - Fix SSL/HTTPS/Crypto. Any other ideas?

Cheers

Perhaps try sfc /scannow and then run Dial-a-fix.

I sent you an email regarding your login information. You may want to check your email and also the Junk Bin in case anything was filtered.

Thanks for the login email, all sorted.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Was this issue present before cloning to a new drive?

2. Which drive did you scan, the original or the new sata?

3. Can you try scanning with any other tools? Can you check the S.M.A.R.T. status? etc

Normally I would say a bad drive. There are, btw, drives that I've seen fail (overheating, for instance) but pass all fitness / diagnostic tests. I have one in my pc right now - it runs fine if I keep the case open with the drives exposed to the air but if I close it up it overheats and the computer randomly reboots itself without warning. Drive passes all hardware diagnostics, however.

-Seramar

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

Go to Start > Run and enter eventvwr.msc

Under System, look for any Errors and please post some of them.

Also, are you going from a SATA to a SATA, or an IDE to a SATA?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1. Was this issue present before cloning to a new drive?

2. Which drive did you scan, the original or the new sata?

3. Can you try scanning with any other tools? Can you check the S.M.A.R.T. status? etc

Normally I would say a bad drive. There are, btw, drives that I've seen fail (overheating, for instance) but pass all fitness / diagnostic tests. I have one in my pc right now - it runs fine if I keep the case open with the drives exposed to the air but if I close it up it overheats and the computer randomly reboots itself without warning. Drive passes all hardware diagnostics, however.

-Seramar

1. No, I don't think so, but I can't be 100% sure.

2. The new SATA drive. The old drive is no longer attached.

3. The new SATA drive has been scanned and passed with Hitachi drive tools. With the Windows Update Service turned off the machine works without problem (and has been doing so for a couple of weeks now), so I don't think the hard drive is the problem. I will throw some more drive testers at it anyway

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go to Start > Run and enter eventvwr.msc

Under System, look for any Errors and please post some of them.

Also, are you going from a SATA to a SATA, or an IDE to a SATA?

Good tip, I'll have a read through and see if I can make head or tail of them, and paste here when I work out an easy way to do it :) .

It was an IDE to a SATA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrator

You may need to install your chipset drivers.

Here's how you can copy some of the events from the event viewer.

Double click on an error entry in the System event viewer.

Next you can click the Copy button which can be found here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You may need to install your chipset drivers.

Here's how you can copy some of the events from the event viewer.

Double click on an error entry in the System event viewer.

Next you can click the Copy button which can be found here.

All drivers were installed. Thanks for all your thoughts on this, but its looking like a reinstall is inevitable - Im going to just have to bite the bullet. Thanks again!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Guest_JL_COG_*

you could run an os install on top of your existing one and then run the daf options. its worth trying before hosing your long personalized setup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you're willing to try one more thing and do some deeper forensics before giving up, I would strongly suggest following the instructions here under the section "Memory dump of the entire system". If you can do that, and generate a full dump, we might be able to tell you (after looking at said .dmp file) why the system is hung.

Can you ping it when it's like this from another machine, btw?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...