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
    2011-01-13T22:19:17+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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  2. 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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  3. Anonymous
    2011-01-23T20:15:12+00:00

    If this issue matches what you are seeing on your system, then contact MS for the Hotfix -

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

    Issue 1

    You receive the following error message when you click the Check for Updates button on Windows Update site:

    Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because the service is not running. You may have to restart your computer.

    Additionally, the following error is logged into the Application log:

    Log Name: Application

    Source: ESENT

    Date: <<var>Date time</var>>

    Event ID: 412

    Task Category: Logging/Recovery

    Level: Error

    Keywords: Classic

    Description:

    wuaueng.dll (936) SUS20ClientDataStore: Unable to read the header of logfile C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edb.log. Error -546.

    Issue 5 shows the Hotfix does include an AMD driver update

    Many storage drivers do not support correct sector size reporting for Advanced Format disks. Updates to the following drivers are included in this hotfix:

    • IaStorV.sys
    • Amdsata.sys
    • Nvraid.sys
    • Nvsata.sys

    MowGreen

    Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

    *-343-* FDNY

    NEVER FORGOTTEN

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  4. Anonymous
    2011-01-23T20:28:44+00:00

    Hi MowGreen,

    I downloaded this Hotfix but when I want to install it i get the error message: "Installer encountered an error: 0xc8000222"

    Any idea how to fix this?

    Thanks!

    EDIT:

    Here is the log of the Windows Update attept with this Hotfix:

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Report CWERReporter::Init succeeded

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent ***********  Agent: Initializing Windows Update Agent  ***********

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent ***********  Agent: Initializing global settings cache  ***********

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent  * WSUS server: <NULL>

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent  * WSUS status server: <NULL>

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent  * Target group: (Unassigned Computers)

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4281144 d14Agent  * Windows Update access disabled: No

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4361144 d14DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4361144 d14DnldMgr Download manager restoring 0 downloads

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4361144 d14Agent  * Failed to load persisted download calls, error = 0xc8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4451144 d14DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4451144 d14Agent WARNING: DeleteVolatileServices::GetServiceList failed with 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4521144 d14DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4521144 d14DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::RestoreDownloadJobs: GetSession failed with 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4521144 d14DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::DelayedInit: RestoreDownloadJobs failed with 0x00000000.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4531144 d14AU ###########  AU: Initializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4541144 d14AU AU setting next detection timeout to 2011-01-23 20:45:10

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4541144 d14AU AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2011-01-23 20:45:10

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14Agent WARNING: GetServiceList failed with error 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU WARNING: QueryRegisteredProvider failed with error 0xc8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU  # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU  # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at 3:00

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU  # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User preference)

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU  # Will interact with non-admins (Non-admins are elevated (User preference))

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4621144 d14AU  # Accelerated install is required

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU FATAL: Failed to get session from datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU FATAL: Failed to Unserialize from data store, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU  # WARNING: Exit code = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU ###########  AU: Uninitializing Automatic Updates  ###########

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU WARNING: InitAUComponents Failed, will restart AU in 30 mins, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:4681144 d14AU AU Restart required....

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:7781144 d14Report ***********  Report: Initializing static reporting data  ***********

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:7781144 d14Report  * OS Version = 6.1.7600.0.0.66304

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:7781144 d14Report  * OS Product Type = 0x00000003

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8031144 d14Report  * Computer Brand = Hewlett-Packard

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8041144 d14Report  * Computer Model = HP TouchSmart tx2 Notebook PC

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8071144 d14Report  * Bios Revision = F.25

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8071144 d14Report  * Bios Name = Default System BIOS

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8071144 d14Report  * Bios Release Date = 2009-11-06T00:00:00

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8071144 d14Report  * Locale ID = 18441

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8141144 730DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8141144 730DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::CheckAllCallDownloadStates: GetSession failed with 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8191144 730DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8191144 730DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::PurgeExpiredFiles: GetSession failed with 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8241144 730DtaStor FATAL: Failed to initialize datastore, error = 0xC8000222

    2011-01-23 21:45:10:8241144 730DnldMgr FATAL: DM:CAgentDownloadManager::PurgeExpiredUpdates: GetSession failed with 0xc8000222.

    2011-01-23 21:45:15:8151144 730Report CWERReporter finishing event handling. (00000000)

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