Windows Update Error (80244FFF)

Anonymous
2013-11-13T00:47:27+00:00

I've been having an issue updating my copy of Windows 8.1.  I went into Windows Update and noticed that it hadn't checked for updates since November 1st.  Every time I run Windows Update, either on the desktop or tiled interface, it gives a 80244FFF error.  It is able to download and install Windows Defender definition updates.  I've tried turning off Windows Defender and firewall, plugging my PC directly into the cable modem, trying Safe Mode (Which doesn't allow Windows Update to run), scanning all my drives for errors, and disconnecting all my hard drives except the boot drive but nothing has worked.  I don't want to "Refresh" my copy of Windows 8.1 given that I have many desktop applications and don't want to reinstall manually.

I did find a workaround, of sorts, using WSUS Offline, but I'm wanting the normal Windows Update process to work as intended.  Below is my log from the Windows directory showing what has been happening.  I'm surprised that there are no Action Center items saying Windows Update isn't working.  Is there a way to get Windows Update running as it should?

2013-11-12    19:33:46:852    1032    558    Misc    Validating signature for C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\SelfUpdate\wuident.cab:

2013-11-12    19:33:46:859    1032    558    Misc     Microsoft signed: Yes

2013-11-12    19:33:46:859    1032    558    Misc     Infrastructure signed: Yes

2013-11-12    19:33:46:864    1032    558    Misc    Validating signature for C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\SelfUpdate\TMP606C.tmp:

2013-11-12    19:33:46:870    1032    558    Misc     Microsoft signed: Yes

2013-11-12    19:33:46:870    1032    558    Misc     Infrastructure signed: Yes

2013-11-12    19:33:46:872    1032    558    Setup    Skipping SelfUpdate check based on the /SKIP directive in wuident

2013-11-12    19:33:46:872    1032    558    Setup    SelfUpdate check completed.  SelfUpdate is NOT required.

2013-11-12    19:33:57:001    1032    558    PT    +++++++++++  PT: Synchronizing server updates  +++++++++++

2013-11-12    19:33:57:001    1032    558    PT      + ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL = https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx

2013-11-12    19:33:57:007    1032    558    Agent    Reading cached app categories using lifetime 604800 seconds

2013-11-12    19:33:57:007    1032    558    Agent    Read 1 cached app categories

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Nws Failure: errorCode=0x803d0014

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Original error code: 0x80072efe

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: There was an error communicating with the endpoint at 'https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx'.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: There was an error receiving the HTTP reply.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: The connection with the remote endpoint was terminated.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Web service call failed with hr = 80240440.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Current service auth scheme='None'.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Proxy List used: '(null)', Bypass List used: '(null)', Last Proxy used: '(null)', Last auth Schemes used: 'None'.

2013-11-12    19:34:02:967    1032    558    WS    FATAL: OnCallFailure(hrCall, m_error) failed with hr=0x80240440

2013-11-12    19:34:02:972    1032    558    PT    WARNING: PTError: 0x80240440

2013-11-12    19:34:02:972    1032    558    PT    WARNING: SyncUpdates_WithRecovery failed.: 0x80240440

2013-11-12    19:34:02:972    1032    558    PT    WARNING: Sync of Drivers failed (Software succeeded): 0x80240440

2013-11-12    19:34:08:878    1032    558    PT    +++++++++++  PT: Synchronizing extended update info  +++++++++++

2013-11-12    19:34:08:878    1032    558    PT      + ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}, Server URL = https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Nws Failure: errorCode=0x803d0001

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Original error code: 0x80072efe

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: The operation could not be completed because the channel is in a faulted state.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: There was an error communicating with the endpoint at 'https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx'.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: There was an error receiving the HTTP reply.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: The connection with the remote endpoint was terminated.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: The connection with the server was terminated abnormally

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Web service call failed with hr = 80244fff.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Current service auth scheme='None'.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    WARNING: Proxy List used: '(null)', Bypass List used: '(null)', Last Proxy used: '(null)', Last auth Schemes used: 'None'.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    WS    FATAL: OnCallFailure(hrCall, m_error) failed with hr=0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    PT    WARNING: PTError: 0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    PT    WARNING: GetExtendedUpdateInfo_WithRecovery: 0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    PT    WARNING: Sync of Extended Info: 0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:883    1032    558    PT    WARNING: SyncExtendedUpdateInfoInternal failed : 0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:886    1032    558    Agent      * WARNING: Exit code = 0x80244FFF

2013-11-12    19:34:08:886    1032    558    Agent    *********

2013-11-12    19:34:08:886    1032    558    Agent    **  END  **  Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp  Id = 1]

2013-11-12    19:34:08:886    1032    558    Agent    *************

2013-11-12    19:34:08:886    1032    558    Agent    WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    558    IdleTmr    WU operation (CSearchCall::Init ID 1, operation # 13) stopped; does use network; is not at background priority

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    558    IdleTmr    Decremented PDC RefCount for Network to 0

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    558    IdleTmr    Decremented idle timer priority operation counter to 1

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    a30    AU    >>##  RESUMED  ## AU: Search for updates [CallId = {768D461F-C399-446D-808C-97FBBA11CFE1} ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}]

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    a30    AU      # WARNING: Search callback failed, result = 0x80244FFF

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    a30    AU    #########

2013-11-12    19:34:08:887    1032    a30    AU    ##  END  ##  AU: Search for updates  [CallId = {768D461F-C399-446D-808C-97FBBA11CFE1} ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}]

2013-11-12    19:34:08:888    1032    a30    AU    #############

2013-11-12    19:34:08:888    1032    a30    AU    All AU searches complete.

2013-11-12    19:34:08:888    1032    a30    AU      # WARNING: Failed to find updates with error code 80244fff

2013-11-12    19:34:08:888    1032    a30    AU    AU was unable to detect updates for more than 48 hours

2013-11-12    19:34:08:888    1032    a30    AU    AU setting next detection timeout to 2013-11-13 05:34:08

2013-11-12    19:34:08:889    1032    a30    AU      # Publishing WNF Per user update count event Count: 0 SID {S-1-5-21-1016054517-69094927-1167762118-1000} Service {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}

2013-11-12    19:34:08:889    1032    a30    AU      # Publishing WNF Per user update count event Count: 0 SID {S-1-5-21-1016054517-69094927-1167762118-1000} Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782}

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-03-14T13:01:31+00:00

    Given the the variation in the solutions that work in this thread, there are apparently many causes for this error.   I tried the manual approach given at: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058and I noticed that when re-registering the DLLs that about 8 were either missing or corrupted.  I decided to restore to a previous saved system restore point for which I knew Windows Update worked, and Windows Update began working again after the reboot!   Disk diagnostics did not show errors, so I can only speculate that something in the Windows Update process messed up and installed the wrong set of DLLs.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-03-10T03:57:53+00:00

    I tried this exactly and it still failed.

    Oh, and THIS IS STUPID.  We shouldn't have to muck about with proxy server settings to get updates on the OS.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-03-06T17:50:05+00:00

    The following solution may be a work around.

    Use Internet Explorer for updates and change the Internet Options.

    Go to Internet Options->Connections->LAN settings.  Check "Use a proxy server for your LAN".  Under "Advanced", for the "HTTP" and "Secure" text boxes, type in "127.0.0.1" for the address and "8888" for the port.  Under "exceptions", type in: "<-loopback>".

    This is from:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_update/windows-8-windows-update-fails-with-error-80244fff/5d16d73b-8ddf-4a7b-88af-f110ce11b4f4

    Curiously enough, the other solution for some people in that post was formatting a secondary hard drive with errors.

    This worked great for me - but only after I followed the instructions exactly as written.

    The first time I tried, on LAN Settings I checked the box next to "Use a proxy server for your LAN" then I filled in the IP Address and Port before clicking on Advanced. On Advanced I made sure the settings looked as described, but something must have been different. It did not work.

    I came back to it later and this time I checked the box next to "Use a proxy server for your LAN". Then I clicked Advanced. I made sure that "Use the same proxy server for all protocols" was not checked. I filled in the http and https rows with 127.0.0.1 and 8888, and finally I added the exception: <-loopback>

    This time it worked. Thanks for the workaround. I don't know if it matters but on the LAN Settings window the first option "Automatically detect settings" was checked. It was checked the first time I looked at the settings so I left it checked throughout my testing.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-03-04T00:05:35+00:00

    To keep this alive, I've been working with Microsoft tier two as well. They've tried every option on this thread with no success. I'm leaning toward WSUS at this point.

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-02-17T00:37:32+00:00

    Using a VM will work and should be more effective if you have this error on multiple Windows 8 PC's.  WSUS Offline is simpler and is often enough for most users.

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