Windows update fails with error code 0x643

I have tried almost all of the suggested set of steps in this thread.  Some .NET versions in a sequence will install and then 1 doesn't.  The result is that in each method, something doesn't install.  And it seems to vary.  I also ran into a curious thing when following the Method 1: steps (Manually remove and reinstall .NET Framework), some links would install and download directly and for other versions I used the microsoft update tool - customize - and picked the one I needed and it successfully downloaded and installed that way!

Also, I go to some of these microsoft KBs, like "How to determine which versions of the .NET Framework are installed and whether service packs have been applied" and things don't seem to match up to my PC.  In fact, for that particular KB, only one of the versions listed matched what my system had (2.0.50727.3053).  A couple of them differed only in the last 4 digit segment of the version #.  V 3.0 and 3.5, there was no mscorlib.dll file to even look at!

Also, I think it was also that KB, it said I could take the %system%\Microsoft.NET\Framework, copy and paste it into the Windows Explorer address bar.  Unless it's something that I've never come across, my system doesn't have an address bar in window expl.!  I just ended up using Search, giving it "Microsoft.NET" and let it find it for me.  I realized %system% wasn't the name of a folder, so when WINDOWS folder showed up, I figured that's what it was and that's where I checked all the version folders.

I'm getting completely frustrated and these microsoft sites add to it.

I'm going to try davelasker 's suggestion as my next attempt.  Hopefully that will be the magic bullet.

chark86 wrote: ...The v1.1 SP1 and v2.0 SP2 installed successfully, but v3.5 SP1 failed.  I tried rebooting since 2 had succeeded and wanted a reboot, then went back to microsoft and tried again to install v3.5 SP1.  It still fails.

Here's my log file:

<SNIP>

2009-10-15    17:07:36:484    1592    40c    DnldMgr    Regulation: {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D} - Update 261D2186-5058-4BC5-B783-544E0B87CC3B is "Priority" regulated and can NOT download. Sequence 5369 vs AcceptRate 0.

2009-10-15    17:07:36:484    1592    40c    DnldMgr      * Update is not allowed to download due to regulation.

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    f3c    AU    Triggering Offline detection (non-interactive)

<SNIP>

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    40c    Agent    *********

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    40c    Agent    **  END  **  Agent: Installing updates [CallerId = MicrosoftUpdate]

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    f3c    AU    #############

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    f3c    AU    ## START ##  AU: Search for updates

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    40c    Agent    *************

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI    >>--  RESUMED  -- COMAPI: Install [ClientId = MicrosoftUpdate]

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    1592    f3c    AU    #########

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI      - Install call complete (succeeded = 0, succeeded with errors = 0, failed = 1, unaccounted = 0)

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI      - Reboot required = No

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI      - WARNING: Exit code = 0x00000000; Call error code = 0x80240022

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI    ---------

2009-10-15    17:07:36:968    2840    6ec    COMAPI    --  END  --  COMAPI: Install [ClientId = MicrosoftUpdate]

<SNIP>

The snippet of the log you posted only tells us that the update server was too busy to handle Automatic Updates' request at 17:07 local time on 15 Oct-09. I suspect Automatic Updates has tried again, possibly successfully, since then.

IN RE Update is not allowed to download due to regulation and the 0x80240022 error, see...

   Updates are not downloaded or the “Automatic Updates” icon does not display the status of downloads when you enable the Automatic Updates service:

   http://support.microsoft.com/kb/910340im

In most cases, you can check for and install all available updates manually via http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com (WinXP) or by running Windows Update manually (Vista) instead: Understand that by doing so, you're pushing all other Automatic Updates users further back in the queue...which may explain, at least in part, why Automatic Updates hasn't brought all of them in for you yet.

===========================

How to determine which versions of the .NET Framework are installed and whether service packs have been applied

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318785 

Aaron Stebner's WebLog: .NET Framework Setup Verification Tool User's Guide

http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/pages/8999004.aspx

~Robear Dyer (PA Bear); MS MVP (IE, Mail, Security, Windows & Update Services) since 2002; Disclaimer: I neither represent nor work for Microsoft

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU    AU received install approval from client for 1 updates

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU    #############

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU    ## START ##  AU: Install updates

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU    #########

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU      # Initiating manual install

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU      # Approved updates = 1

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    574    AU    <<## SUBMITTED ## AU: Install updates / installing updates [CallId = {AFDA2E9E-EEAE-4AB2-94FC-0CDED45541D2}]

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    123c    Agent    *************

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    123c    Agent    ** START **  Agent: Installing updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    123c    Agent    *********

2009-10-16    17:50:36:750    1632    123c    Agent      * Updates to install = 1

2009-10-16    17:50:37:265    1632    123c    Agent      *   Title = Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 Security Update for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB953297)

2009-10-16    17:50:37:265    1632    123c    Agent      *   UpdateId = {A72E5A3C-38CC-4976-8E17-92D9D043BEDF}.100

2009-10-16    17:50:37:265    1632    123c    Agent      *     Bundles 1 updates:

2009-10-16    17:50:37:265    1632    123c    Agent      *       {3A769F99-AF69-4268-B78D-D6DFB38AE573}.100

2009-10-16    17:50:42:546    1632    123c    Handler    Attempting to create remote handler process as GODFREYFAMILY\Andrew in session 0

2009-10-16    17:50:43:265    1632    123c    DnldMgr    Preparing update for install, updateId = {3A769F99-AF69-4268-B78D-D6DFB38AE573}.100.

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Misc    ===========  Logging initialized (build: 7.2.6001.788, tz: +0100)  ===========

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Misc      = Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Misc      = Module: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuaueng.dll

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Handler    :::::::::::::

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Handler    :: START ::  Handler: Command Line Install

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Handler    :::::::::

2009-10-16    17:50:45:687    1696    8a4    Handler      : Updates to install = 1

2009-10-16    17:51:10:468    1696    8a4    Handler      : WARNING: Command line install completed. Return code = 0x00000643, Result = Failed, Reboot required = false

2009-10-16    17:51:10:468    1632    988    AU    >>##  RESUMED  ## AU: Installing update [UpdateId = {A72E5A3C-38CC-4976-8E17-92D9D043BEDF}]

2009-10-16    17:51:10:468    1632    988    AU      # WARNING: Install failed, error = 0x80070643 / 0x00000643

2009-10-16    17:51:10:468    1696    8a4    Handler      : WARNING: Exit code = 0x8024200B

2009-10-16    17:51:10:484    1696    8a4    Handler    :::::::::

2009-10-16    17:51:10:484    1696    8a4    Handler    ::  END  ::  Handler: Command Line Install

2009-10-16    17:51:10:484    1696    8a4    Handler    :::::::::::::

2009-10-16    17:51:12:593    1632    123c    Agent    *********

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    123c    Agent    **  END  **  Agent: Installing updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdates]

2009-10-16    17:51:12:593    1632    988    AU    Install call completed.

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    123c    Agent    *************

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU      # WARNING: Install call completed, reboot required = No, error = 0x00000000

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU    #########

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU    ##  END  ##  AU: Installing updates [CallId = {AFDA2E9E-EEAE-4AB2-94FC-0CDED45541D2}]

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU    #############

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU    Install complete for all calls, reboot NOT needed

2009-10-16    17:51:12:609    1632    988    AU    Setting AU scheduled install time to 2009-10-17 02:00:00

2009-10-16    17:51:15:515    1632    17f4    Report    REPORT EVENT: {2B0B03F6-44A1-4B1D-A6C9-70C4C98D6F66}    2009-10-16 17:51:10:515+0100    1    182    101    {A72E5A3C-38CC-4976-8E17-92D9D043BEDF}    100    80070643    AutomaticUpdates    Failure    Content Install    Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070643: Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Service Pack 1 Security Update for Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB953297).

After spending an entire day on just one PC running XP Pro SP3, I finally solved my problem as follows:

1. Used Control Panel-Add/Remove programs to remove those .NET Framework versions which would uninstall.

2. Used Windows Installer CleanUp Utility (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/290301) to remove remaining versions.
3. Used Aaron Stebner's tool (http://blogs.msdn.com/astebner/archive/2006/05/30/611355.aspx) to remove remaining vestiges of .NET framework.
4. Tried to install all previously present .NET Framework versions, using the links on http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923100. I got as far as 2.0 SP1. 3.0 wouldn't install due to "DepCheck indicates Windows Communication Foundation is not installed" (http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/forums/en-US/netfxsetup/thread/acfacc44-c3c8-48ad-94df-f5d2d1f10bb1/). The workarounds on that page didn't help me.
5. Ran Windows Update. Much to my pleasant surprise, this installed 2.0 SP2, 3.0 SP2, and 3.5 SP1.

It shouldn't have to be this hard!

Hey Shane79, guess what... we're in the same boat!

I have just some machines with this issues... so gald they're just testing machines.

Unfortunately this is not the first time this happens with a .NET update :(

Anyway right now I have over 80 domain controllers that wont be gettign this... till a real solution is found.

Dan