Problem checking for updates - Code 80240442 - Windows Update ran into a problem

Anonymous
2014-04-08T19:18:08+00:00

Just updated to 8.1 update 1 manually hoping that it would clear an issue I'm having with Windows update, but to no avail.  (Oh - and the error message before the Win8.1 Update 1 was 80244FFF.  I think it's the same issue, just a new number.)

I've not been able to connect to Windows Update for over a month, and nothing I've tried has managed to reset it. 

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2014-08-13T22:37:43+00:00

bizarre, my update is working after months of failure. i am not joking. BUT only automatically. if i try to check for updates manually i receive the same error code and no updates

AND i believe i have the solution for all of these problems...

i needed to restart my modem. as soon as it had restarted, automatic updates worked. i think all who are suffering from this problem should at least give this a try. just unplug your modem, wait 30 seconds then re-plug in your modem or push the restart button. it is worth a try. 

paz from mexico

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  1. Anonymous
    2014-09-16T00:56:54+00:00

    OK, so a week or two ago everything started magically working. But not wanting to get one of those annoying "that's great" messages from Ratandeep, I didn't report it.

    Since then I have had lots of updates install automatically. Manual update almost always fails (same error code as usual). Automatic updates sometimes fail. Once Windows Update reported that I'd "never" checked for updates, then it installed more updates within the next day or two.

    I think I'm more or less caught up at this point but this software is still buggy, buggy, buggy.

    And so NO, Ratandeep, I'm not going to my "local repair shop" or completely wiping my hard drive or any of the other time-wasting things that might or might not fix my computer. It would be great if Microsoft would start out by owning this issue as many on this thread have requested.

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  2. Anonymous
    2014-09-16T01:05:24+00:00

    Nope, still neither way works.  But I have downloaded updates manually from this site:

    http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/search/DownloadResults.aspx?FORM=DLC&ftapplicableproducts=%5e%22Windows%22&sortby=-availabledate&q=&first=1&ftfreeandpaid=Free

    Up to know it's the only way I can get them.

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  3. Anonymous
    2014-09-16T01:35:39+00:00

    Yeah, I've noticed Automatic updates randomly working lately, but I also get the same thing error with manually searching. 

    Hopefully I get some sort of contact from the Windows team at a developer meeting this week.  I know a couple people on the Visual Studio team, but nobody on the Windows team.  I don't think support can fix it because they only have their predefined script to go by.

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-09-16T01:47:09+00:00

    I really hope you do get some sort of response.   I have 3 PCs with Win 8.1 and none updates automatically.  Only through the hpps I indicated above.

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