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
    2014-05-15T14:06:36+00:00

    Unfortunately that post is about problems installing "Update 1". That's not my problem or the reason this thread was started. The problem at hand is that Windows Update no longer works.  It returns error code 80244FFF (changed to 80240442 on Update 1). For me, and for many others (and maybe all?), this seems to have started when moving from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1. Using a work around, I can still grab updates and was actually able to install "Update 1" without issue. Unfortunately that did not fix the fact that Windows Update is broken. It did change the error code reported from 80244FFF to 80240442. But it's still busted.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-05-15T14:12:25+00:00

    That first foundation package might be related to enabling or disabling Windows features like IIS or Hyper-V.

    That's interesting. I have Hyper-V enabled. As it changes many network adapter settings, I've wondered if that might somehow be related. I recently mentioned Hyper-V on another thread but someone reported having it on a machine that did not experience this problem. Not that this whole situation is logical or anything.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-05-15T19:14:19+00:00

    I ran Mika and Robert's PowerShell. They appear to return different results.

    I have since decided that there is little to be gained by sorting by timestamp.  The granularity is only in minutes which is useless for judging order for mass updates such as Mika's.  Also, it appears that Mika is running a server.  I have a new Surface Pro 2 which I only started using in April, so some of the dates in my full list would be manufacturing artifacts.

    C.f.  (a comparison I did based on Mika's list in Jim's thread)

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_install/windows-81-feature-pack-kb2932046-part-of/eb4543c7-2647-4a40-a235-19d7d12b76be?page=4&msgId=d934f40d-1ddc-4ffd-9f8f-113a4e887a70

    BTW Jim is looking for another W8.1 32-bit to compare with.  I only have a Surface RT 2 which would fit that category but perhaps that's not going to be close enough either?

    Interesting.  I tried removing the Sort stage and found that it may be a more accurate representation of the order of installs than by sorting by InstalledOn?   In any case, I think for ease of comparison this would be a better tool:

    PS C:> Get-WindowsPackage -Online Sort-Object PackageName Format-Table InstallTime, PackageName -AutoSize

    but as Mika's list has proved, it helps to be comparing the same OS!  <eg>

    Robert

    Edit:  I finally tweaked to what Z.B. is calling "Robert's list".

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-05-16T03:14:13+00:00

    That first foundation package might be related to enabling or disabling Windows features like IIS or Hyper-V.

    That's interesting. I have Hyper-V enabled. As it changes many network adapter settings, I've wondered if that might somehow be related. I recently mentioned Hyper-V on another thread but someone reported having it on a machine that did not experience this problem. Not that this whole situation is logical or anything.

    I also have Hyper-V enabled and one of the first things I tried was to disable the network changes that were made in order to allow the VMs to share the network connection.  This did not resolve the problem.

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  5. Anonymous
    2014-05-16T03:41:32+00:00

    Also, someone started a new thread here:

    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_update/problem-checking-for-updates-code-80240442-windows/ac50c65b-664b-4028-8979-8d8621c52903

    about the new issue.  I honestly think that this current thread is being ignored and at page 13, we're starting to deviate.  I suggest we continue to try and figure it out ourselves in this thread, but the new thread with the new error code got a support engineer to respond, so fingers crossed, someone might take it seriously.

    I write code for a living and I would kill to have an error code in a bug report.  99.99999% of the time it's vague descriptions and unimportant nonsense, so I cannot fathom why they can't just look up the error in the actual code and give a quick and easy answer.

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