Windows 7 64bit: Windows Update Service Not Running (but it is running in services.msc)

Anonymous
2011-01-09T23:00:28+00:00

I just got a new desktop computer (Gateway FX6840-03e) It has Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit (not sure what service pack, I'm new to windows 7 as of this computer so i'm not sure where to find that information). It came with a norton security that i didn't bother to activate, I uninstalled it and followed up with Norton Removal Tool. I then installed AVG Free 2011 edition

When I went to Windows Update I have the red x shield and clicking on the check for updates button gives me the error "Windows cannot check for updates because the service is not running. You may need to restart the computer." Windows update service is running in services.msc though.

The first thing I did that i had read about on the product reviews for the computer since it seemed to be a problem with a few other people that bought the computer was to disable the windows update service the go into C:\windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete everything in there and re-enable windows update service afterwords. According to the reviews this worked for most people. However the problem still persisted for me. Google searching has led me to these forums and i've gone through a few threads but haven't gotten a solution yet.

I've run the windows update troubleshooter with no luck

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Open-the-Windows-Update-troubleshooter

I ran the System File Checker tool

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929833

It came back with one problem, but the log file created was blank

I ran the Fix It tool in both default and aggressive modes

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

And in one post somebody mentioned that ATI Catylist Control Center was causing their problem so I uninstalled that with no luck (I have re-installed that)

There have been many restarts between all of that above and now i'm not sure what else to try.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2011-01-13T01:55:01+00:00

Well doing some searches on the errors in the windowsupdate.log eventually led me to find that it the problem had something to do with my hard drive being large (1TB) and "Intel Rapid Storage Technology (RST)" drivers needed to be updated. Once I got the driver updated my windows update started working fine. Thanks for the help that led me to the answer.

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-01-27T09:06:54+00:00

    I even changed my registry (activate the windows update) and tried to install the hotfixes in safe mode but windows update didn't work (maybe i made the wrong entries!?). maybe someone has an idea if this would be possible (install hotfix in safe mode)?

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-27T03:06:15+00:00

    It's not just HP systems having issues.  I am running different hardware (MacBook Pro running windows with bootcamp) but I have the same errors with windows update not working after upgrading my hard drive to a Seagate 750GB, 7200RPM Hard drive.  Googling it, looks like the drive has 4k sectors.  Installing the hotfix produces the dreaded '0xC8000222' error.  Will probably have to abandon this drive now until MS gets their act together on this.

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-24T18:40:38+00:00

    Hello again,

    the antivirus is AVG Antivirus free, I am using the Windows Firewall.

    The exact model is HP Touchsmart TX2-1325au (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/product?product=4079544&lc=en&cc=sg&dlc=en&lang=en&cc=sg)

    The specs are here: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01943158&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=sg&lang=en&product=4079544

    Some more information: I replaced the standard Seagate Momentus 320 GB with a Seagate Momentus 750 GB... The Windows action center reports that my Storage Driver stopped working properly. I guess that's what we see in the Windows Update error log (all the datastore messages...!?) What exactly is the storage driver? I mean, where in the device manager could I find it? Shouldn't there be a yellow "!" somewhere if this driver isn't working properly? Can't I just uninstall and install the one from the HP website or what happens if I uninstall it? will my HDD work? 

    I was also googling a lot...it seem to be the same error like with the HP / Intel systems... just a little more difficult... ;-)

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-01-24T17:55:15+00:00

    What is the installed antivirus/security suite (SS); is a 3rd party firewall being used ?

    I tried looking up the notebook on HP's site but we need the model number, Chris :HP TouchSmart Notebook PCs

    BTW, in searching the net using the error code 0xC8000222, the same issue appears to be happening for a few other HP x64 Windows 7 systems.

    One would think that if this were a more common issue with HP x64 Win7 systems then there would be way more posts about it.

    I wonder why it's only occurring on a few HP systems ?

    MowGreen

    Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

    *-343-* FDNY

    NEVER FORGOTTEN

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