Windows was unable to get a list of devices from Windows Update. Try again later

Anonymous
2012-04-20T15:26:32+00:00

Original title:Windows 7 Printer List cannot be updated

I installed a 32 bit windows 7 OS several weeks ago on my Futitsu-Siemens Work Station and followed the instructions on the HP wizard to try and install the HP Deskjet 990c driver to drive my HP 6122 printer. According to the HP Wizard, the only way to do so is to update the printer list by clicking the "Windows Update" button on the "Add a Printer" dialog window.  I have clicked this button several dozen times in the last few weeks and every time I get the message "Windows was unable to get a list of devices from Windows Update. Try again later".

I installed a 32 bit windows 7 OS several months ago on my HP laptop and the printer list updated without a hitch to include many more HP printers than are shown on the Futitsu-Siemens Work Station including the HP 990c.

What should I do?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Devices and drivers

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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Anonymous
2012-04-30T21:28:27+00:00

Here is what I have found my system which is a HP Z210 running windows7 64. I just updated my Bios to v1.35

What I did to get the update to work once and what I have to do every time to add another printer using Window Update.

  1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del)
  2. Click Sevices Tab and then Services Button (Bottom Right)
  3. Under Name find "Windows Update"
  4. Right click "Windows Update" and select Stop. do not close
  5. Open Window Exploper and browse to C:\Windows
  6. Delete the Folder "SoftwareDistribution"
  7. Go back to Servies, Right click "Windows Update" and select Start

Now the "Windows Update" button should work. For me I have to do this every time I install a printer which requires me to use windows update

Still looking for what casues the error

at the very bottom of a file named WindowUpdate.log located in C:\Windows after I get the message "Windows was unabel to..." I have this text below.

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent *************

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent ** START **  Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = CDM]

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent *********

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent   * Online = Yes; Ignore download priority = No

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent   * Criteria = "Type = 'Driver' and DeploymentAction = 'Installation' and DriverClass = 'Printer' and DriverMatch = 'Catalog'"

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent   * ServiceID = {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77} Windows Update

2012-04-30 14:20:18:782  284 5cc Agent   * Search Scope = {Machine}

2012-04-30 14:20:19:952  284 5cc Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\muv4wuredir.cab:

2012-04-30 14:20:19:952  284 5cc Misc  Microsoft signed: Yes

2012-04-30 14:20:20:030  284 5cc Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\muv4wuredir.cab:

2012-04-30 14:20:20:030  284 5cc Misc  Microsoft signed: Yes

2012-04-30 14:20:20:030  284 5cc PT +++++++++++  PT: Synchronizing server updates  +++++++++++

2012-04-30 14:20:20:030  284 5cc PT   + ServiceId = {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}, Server URL = https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx

2012-04-30 14:20:22:183  284 5cc Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\muv4wuredir.cab:

2012-04-30 14:20:22:183  284 5cc Misc  Microsoft signed: Yes

2012-04-30 14:20:22:214  284 5cc Misc Validating signature for C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir\9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77\muv4wuredir.cab:

2012-04-30 14:20:22:214  284 5cc Misc  Microsoft signed: Yes

2012-04-30 14:20:22:214  284 5cc PT +++++++++++  PT: Synchronizing applicable printers  +++++++++++

2012-04-30 14:20:22:214  284 5cc PT   + ServiceId = {9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77}, Server URL = https://www.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING: SyncPrinterCatalog failure, error = 0x8024400D, soap client error = 7, soap error code = 300, HTTP status code = 200

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING: SOAP Fault: 0x00012c

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING:     faultstring:Fault occurred

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING:     ErrorCode:InvalidParameters(7)

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING:     Message:printerUpdateIDs

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING:     Method:"http://www.microsoft.com/SoftwareDistribution/Server/ClientWebService/SyncPrinterCatalog"

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING:     ID:fd5a6897-e20b-4a8f-a118-c9c791da6851

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING: PTError: 0x8024400d

2012-04-30 14:20:23:072  284 5cc PT WARNING: PTError: 0x8024400d

2012-04-30 14:20:23:150  284 72c AU Can not perform non-interactive scan if AU is interactive-only

2012-04-30 14:20:23:150  284 5cc Agent   * Found 0 updates and 17 categories in search; evaluated appl. rules of 193 out of 660 deployed entities

2012-04-30 14:20:23:150  284 5cc Agent *********

2012-04-30 14:20:23:150  284 5cc Agent **  END  **  Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = CDM]

2012-04-30 14:20:23:150  284 5cc Agent *************

2012-04-30 14:20:28:162  284 5cc Report REPORT EVENT: {C7177063-6BAB-4A17-AC0B-74B0D47355FA} 2012-04-30 14:20:23:150-0700 1 147 101 {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} 0 0 CDM Success Software Synchronization Windows Update Client successfully detected 0 updates.

2012-04-30 14:20:28:162  284 5cc Report CWERReporter finishing event handling. (00000000)

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-09-13T19:15:55+00:00

    Thank you Gearsawe.

    My system which is a Brand new Acer running windows7 64.

    After installing the OKI ML 590 printer via Windows Updates button (driver for this model cannot be found on their website),

    I face the same error message when I try to install HP Laserjet 5M driver. HP driver site state that the 5M driver can be found in MS Windows 7.

    I found your post and did a check on the folder "C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution". The files in 'C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore' seem to be recently changed (base on the modified date and time).

    What I did to get the update to work again:

     

    1. Open Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del)
    2. Click Sevices Tab and then Services Button (Bottom Right)
    3. Under Name find "Windows Update"
    4. Right click "Windows Update" and select Stop. Do not close Services window
    5. Open Window Exploper and browse to C:\Windows
    6. Open the Folder "SoftwareDistribution"
    7. Open the Folder "DataStore" and delete all the files in this folder
    8. Go back to Servies, Right click "Windows Update" and select Start

    THANK YOU!! This worked!  I have a Laserjet 6P shared on my network through a Windows 7 x86 PC, and was unable to add the 64 bit drivers manually on that computer since the drivers are only available through Windows Update. FINALLY I can install my printer the normal way; I was going crazy! 

    AN OBSERVATION: My girlfriends computer has Windows 7 on it, and mine did previously (I recently reformatted) and they were both working and able to install the printer over the network.  However, after reformatting my computer, I installed all Windows Updates PRIOR to installing my printer!! I HIGHLY SUSPECT that Windows 7 Service Pack 1 breaks the Printer Sync. It is the only difference between my computer before and after the reformat. Previously, I had installed the printer (and therefore updated my printer list) prior to installing the Service Pack (or some other update) Thanks, Microsoft.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-09-13T17:16:15+00:00

    An answer that worked!! I am grateful!

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-08-31T15:07:56+00:00

    This worked for me.

    W7pro 64

    thanks!

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