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
    2013-12-15T15:59:01+00:00

    I too had to go this painful route as suggested by DJBPace07.  And it will get results, but . . .

    I've been looking for some time for answers; and to date the only real solution has been to reinstall Windows 8.1.  Something I really did not want to do.

    So I went to another (probably equally laborious) solution.  Brought up a WIndows WSUS server on my home network.  The WSUS service is not that hard, but getting a non-Active Directory computer (network) was a bit more of a challenge, requiring local security policy updates and a variety of other hoops.

    Bottom line, once I pointed my local computer to my local WSUS server, I found 48 updates (OS and Office).  This "solved" my problem, but the updates did not fix the root problem, as I still can't update over the Internet; at the moment, I'm stuck running a local WSUS server to update one lousy WIndows 8.1 computer.

    WIth all that said, this does introduce some new information, implying that there is some issue with Internet based network connections that is stopping WIndows 8.1 from updating.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-12-13T01:12:48+00:00

    As of right now, what I'm planning to do is wait until the next version of Windows is out, either 8.2 or something else, then do a clean install of that.  It will be very annoying to reinstall everything again, but, it may be the only solution.  Until then, I will keep using WSUS Offline.  If you are using WSUS, keep in mind that patch Tuesday is the second Tuesday of the month.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-12-13T00:59:17+00:00

    I'd like to add my voice to this as well concerning this problem.  I have a Windows 8.1 install that looks to have stopped updating itself around 11/13/2013.   I've tried every troubleshooting method listed in the thread short of a full refresh to try and restore functionality without success.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-11-29T23:21:01+00:00

    I don't believe it is ISP related as I doubt everyone who has this problem uses the same ISP.  We all also have different antivirus software, in my case I only use Windows Defender.  The irony is, this is an upgrade install from Windows 8.0 and Windows Update worked normally there.  I wonder what could have changed that is causing this problem...

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-11-29T22:52:53+00:00

    I wouldn't hold my breath for them to be able to fix it, sadly.  They will eventually have you do a clean install, which will work for a while before it reappears (after the issue will be closed on their end).  Then you are back where you started.

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