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
    2011-01-23T19:47:08+00:00

    Hi!

    I have the same problem on my HP Touchsmart TX2 (Win 7 HP 64 bit) with AMD Turion...is there something similar for the AMD?

    Thanks

    Chris

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  2. Anonymous
    2011-01-13T22:19:17+00:00

    Here's a list of Intel chipsets and controller hubs that the IRSTD supports -

    http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-020644.htm?wapkw=(Intel+Rapid+Storage+Technology+Driver)  

    You can use this utility to determine the chipset - Intel® Chipset Identification Utility

    And, here's the link to the Intel Drive Update Utility

    You may also need to request this Hotfix if updating the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drive does not resolve the Windows Update service issue and the Issues that are described in the KB article exist on your system -

    An update that improves the compatibility of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with Advanced Format Disks is available

    MowGreen Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-13T21:12:09+00:00

    So can you please elaborate exactly what you did to solve this problem?  I have same problem running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit and ran into this "Windows Update service not running" predicament on my ASUS laptop PC which I also have installed a Samsung HM100UI 1TB hard drive.  It became quirky after installing the 1TB hard drive.  I don't know if it is the Samsung disk is flaky and bad or is it something to do with the Intel driver you mentioned now.  Where and what Intel updated drivers did you get?  Can you post a link please.

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-01-11T02:31:36+00:00

    Alright, just got off work and tried the clean boot which didn't work. Also my purchase only came with the computer, keyboard, and mouse. I don't have a windows 7/Vista DVD.

    Here's the last 50 lines in Windowsupdate.log

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2011-01-11 02:22:57

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8Agent WARNING: GetServiceList failed with error 0xc8000247.

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU WARNING: QueryRegisteredProvider failed with error 0xc8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU  # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU  # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at 3:00

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU  # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User preference)

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU  # Will interact with non-admins (Non-admins are elevated (User preference))

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:25910647c8AU  # Power management is turned off through policy

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU FATAL: Failed to get session from datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU FATAL: Failed to Unserialize from data store, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU  # WARNING: Exit code = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU ###########  AU: Uninitializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU WARNING: InitAUComponents Failed, will restart AU in 30 mins, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:27510647c8AU AU Restart required....

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:9611064828Report ***********  Report: Initializing static reporting data  ***********

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:9611064828Report  * OS Version = 6.1.7600.0.0.66304

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:9611064828Report  * OS Product Type = 0x00000003

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:9921064828Report  * Computer Brand = Gateway

    2011-01-10 20:22:57:9921064828Report  * Computer Model = FX6840

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0081064828Report  * Bios Revision = P01-A3        

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0081064828Report  * Bios Name = Default System BIOS

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0081064828Report  * Bios Release Date = 2010-05-17T00:00:00

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0081064828Report  * Locale ID = 1033

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::CheckAllCallDownloadStates: GetSession failed with 0xc8000247.

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::PurgeExpiredFiles: GetSession failed with 0xc8000247.

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:22:58:0391064bd0DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::PurgeExpiredUpdates: GetSession failed with 0xc8000247.

    2011-01-10 20:23:03:0601064bd0Report CWERReporter finishing event handling. (00000000)

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU ###########  AU: Initializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU AU setting next detection timeout to 2011-01-11 02:23:42

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2011-01-11 02:23:42

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828Agent WARNING: GetServiceList failed with error 0xc8000247.

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU WARNING: QueryRegisteredProvider failed with error 0xc8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at 3:00

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User preference)

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # Will interact with non-admins (Non-admins are elevated (User preference))

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # Power management is turned off through policy

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU FATAL: Failed to get session from datastore, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU FATAL: Failed to Unserialize from data store, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU  # WARNING: Exit code = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU ###########  AU: Uninitializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU WARNING: InitAUComponents Failed, will restart AU in 30 mins, error = 0xC8000247

    2011-01-10 20:23:42:1401064828AU AU Restart required....

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