BITS Error 1290: 0x50a following updates

Yes I found that post by Bernd - he gave the critical fix way back on page 2 - it just wasn't recognised and given credit! But it helped me identify the critical addition to the registry that was not being cleared by the traditional fixes - or a complete overwrite of the altered keys. Merging a clean XP version of BITS restores all the normal XP BITS registry items - but leaves these additions as they come from the faulty Fix-It which adds Vista/Win7 BITS registry values.

The critical registry value that MUST be deleted is the "ServiceSidType" - this is what stops BITS loading and causes the Error 1290: 0x50a  - the title of this thread !!

The better solution was given by Elder I think - where he said better to delete the whole existing BITS registry key and import a brand new clean copy, The only drawback to that is it requires two merges I think - one to delete BITS and one to import a new version. It may be possible to do it in one go - but my method works OK for this case.

For a more general BITS cleanup when other unknown extra keys/values have been added then Elders method would be best. I may test to see if a more general delete and recreate can be done in one merge file - this might be usefull in other cases.

I have tested the new Fix-It's and they do NOT undo the damage done by the earlier faulty version - this is really disappointing - the fix was obviously quick and dirty. Make the Fix-It do what it was designed to do - but don't bother to cleanup the mess left by the previous version!!! How short sighted can you get.  So my repair method is still valid at present for any cleanup - I will leave the file on my server indefinitely - http://www.stargateuk.info/transfer2/BITS_WinXP_FIX.reg

I will leave commenting on the CPU spikes by Updates/BITS/Svchost and the speculation on SP3 for another time - if you don't mind. I am happy everything is working as best it can for the moment.

Doug I found one of the threads where the 3 incorrect registry entries were being discussed and it is on page 2 of this very same thread right here on page 1 & 2 by Bernd Pfeiffer, and I'm pretty sure there are other posts about this issue and I will keep looking.  On the last post of page 2 a user Soren_S reported that removing the invalid entries was a solution fixing a dysfunctional BITS. 

I'll keep looking and see if I can find anything else useful. 

An aside note I have said I thought the CPU spiking issue dated back to last summer well before October and this October article says the same thing

http://www.infoworld.com/t/microsoft-windows/windows-xp-update-locks-machines-svchost-redlined-100-fix-it-kb-2879017-230733

Wow it looks like Microsoft was able to find at least ten other users to reproduce the problem ;)

I just knew if they only kept looking they could do it.  :-)  Squeaking wheels get the oil.

You will be glad to hear the two faulty Fix-It's I identified have now been FIXED by Microsoft !!!

I have not yet tested to see if they repair the BITS registry the faulty Fix-It damaged - that will be interesting!

UPDATE: New version DOES NOT (at present) repair the damage done to the BITS registry by the previous faulty version!

At least they have stopped causing damage - and most likely now do fix all the issues they were designed to fix.

It has taken a week from when I spoke to them on Monday 16th December - for the fixed version to be released. They were still broken on Saturday - I doubt they released on Sunday - so 7 days from report to fix. I suppose that's acceptable?

Just one minor mistake in the new Fix-It's:

BITS gets set to Automatic Start - whereas the XP default is Manual

I can live with that - at least it works - and its easy to change.

Happy Xmas All

UPDATE:

The new version does NOT - as yet - undo the damage to the BITS registry caused by the old version!

I hope Microsoft realise how much neater it would be if the new version fixed the damage done by its predecessor.