Vista: The update does not apply to your system

The plot thickens!

...I haven't done a manual check for updates before. I used to have automatic updates switched on, and then switched it off (following the instructions in the previous discussion) when the update problems started in around May or June of last year.

Who knew?

1. When (approx. date) did you disable (turn off) automatic updates?
2. What instructions in which previous discussion?
3. When (approx. date) did you re-enable (turn on) automatic updates?

The last successful update I had was on the 8th May, 2016. This was made up entirely of Office updates. My last successful Windows security update was on 10th March, 2016.

4. Were the Office updates in May 2016 offered & installed via "automatic updates" or...?

COMMENT: Extended Support (and updates) for Vista SP2 ends on 11 April 2017 so you'll be needing to replace your computer very soon. As such, I'm not sure it's worth your (or my) time to get the computer fully-patched & automatic updating working again.
 Your call.

Hello again.

1. Probably some time in August.
2. The first reply from Great White North here. It's a huge discussion about automatic updates taking hours (even days) to run in Vista and Windows 7. That's the problem I'm experiencing. The solution suggested by Great White North seems to be successful for most people, but I'm having the problem of the first update I try to install manually (kb3185911) returns "The update does not apply to your system". I've tried some of the subsequent updates too, and get the same error.
3. They're still switched off.
4. By an automatic update. Up until around May or June, automatic updates were working. From around June onwards, they started taking so long I was having to cancel them. For example, I left one running for about 4 hours, and it was still sitting at 0%. I started looking around the internet for possible solutions, and discovered most Vista and W7 users were experiencing the same problem. Then I found the discussion about it, and have been trying to follow the instructions ever since.

As regards getting a new PC, I know. Extended support ends soon, and I know I need a new PC. I'd like to keep this running for a few months before getting a new one, so want to get it patched up as much as possible. The fact I've not been able to update Windows for 7 months now is a bit concerning.

Thanks.

2. The first reply from Great White North here. It's a huge discussion about automatic updates taking hours (even days) to run in Vista and Windows 7. That's the problem I'm experiencing...

Here's GWN's latest edit (I've not included anything that would NOT apply to your situation):

If Windows Update failed to install your December 2016 Patch Tuesday updates (or you have reinstalled / restored your Vista SP2 OS to an earlier date and can't get Windows Update to run to completion), please follow these steps:

1. Disable automatic Windows Updates [Windows Update | Change settings | Important updates | Never check for updates (not recommended)] and re-boot to terminate any Windows Update sessions currently running in the background on your system.
2. As of 10-Jan-2017, the current list of Win32K.sys updates that need to be installed on your system to speed up Windows Update is: KB3078601 (rel. 18-Aug-2015); KB3109094 (rel. 07-Dec-2015); KB3185911 (rel. 13-Sep-2016); KB3191203 (rel. 11-Oct-2016); KB3203859 (rel. 08-Nov-2016); KB3204723 (rel. 13-Dec-2016). See Note 1.
3. Search your installed updates at Control Panel | Programs and Features | View Installed Updates to see if any of these Win32K.sys updates is already installed your system. When searching, enter the full KB number in the search box (e.g., "KB3078601" and not a partial string like "3078601").
4. Download the standalone update packages (.msu files) for any missing Win32K.sys updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog and save them to your Windows desktop - see Note 2 for download links.   Use the Vista x86 installer if you have a 32-bit OS; use the Vista x64 installer if you have a 64-bit OS.  See Note 3 if you have problems downloading the .msu installers.
5. Install any missing updates in chronological order, from oldest (lowest KB) to newest (highest KB).  Double-click the .msu file on your desktop to start each installer - restart your computer when prompted after each update is installed.  See Notes 4 and 5 if you have problems running the .msu installers.
6. Once all missing Win32K.sys updates are pre-installed, run a manual Windows Update [Windows Update | Check for updates] to install your remaining updates.  See Note 6.

This "solution" is only a temporary workaround and a new Win32K.sys update(s) will be posted on Dalai's webpage on 14-Feb-2017 that will have to be pre-installed before you run Windows Update to install your February 2017 Patch Tuesday updates.

______________________

Note 1:  KB3191203 (rel. 11-Oct-2016) has replaced (superseded) KB3145739 and KB3168965; KB3203859 (rel. 08-Nov-2016) has replaced KB3164033.  KB3204723 (rel. 13-Dec-2016) has replaced KB3198234.

Note 2:  Users can find download links for all the 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) installers by searching for the KB number on the Microsoft Update Catalog (e.g., search for the string "KBxxxxxxx Vista" where xxxxxxx is the 7-digit KB number) or just click the following links:

     KB3078601:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3078601 Vista

     KB3109094:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3109094 Vista

     KB3185911:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3185911 Vista

     KB3191203:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3191203 Vista

     KB3203859:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3203859 Vista

     KB3204723:  http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB3204723 Vista  

Older standalone .msu installers can still be found on the Microsoft Download Center and download links are still archived on Dalai's website at http://wu.krelay.de/en/2016-09.htm (KB3078601/KB3109094/KB3185911) and http://wu.krelay.de/en/2016-10.htm (KB3191203).

Note 3:  Some users have reported problems downloading the .msu installers from the Microsoft.com site with Internet Explorer 9 (e.g., the user never sees a pop-up to Run/Save the file).  If this happens use an alternate browser (I recommend Firefox - Chrome is no longer supported for XP and Vista) or download the .msu installers to a USB thumb drive from another (non-Vista) computer and copy the .msu installers to your Vista desktop.

Note 4:  If you try to install a Win32K.sys update that is already installed on your computer or use an installer with the wrong bitness (e.g., you try to run a 64-bit .msu installer on a 32-bit Vista machine) you will see a "not applicable" error - see the MS support article "The update is not applicable to your computer" error when you install Windows updates.

Note 5:  The standalone update packages (.msu files) will get stuck at "Checking for updates..." if there is a Windows Update session already running in the background on your computer.  Most users find that disabling automatic Windows Updates and re-booting is sufficient (STEP # 1), but if your .msu installer still gets stuck you can temporarily disconnect from the internet or stop your Windows Update service (wuauserv) as instructed in E-Chen's thread Vista Updates just keeps "Checking" before running these installers.  Unlike Windows Update, these standalone update packages (.msu files) are associated with the Windows Update Standalone Installer (C:\Windows\System32\wusa.exe) and can be installed on computers without an internet connection.

Note 6:  If you have a fresh re-install of Vista SP2 or Windows Update has not successfully installed updates for more than one month please be patient when running your Windows Update in January 2017.  It is not unusual for Windows Update to run for several hours before it finds all available updates if your Vista SP2 OS is several months out-of-date, even after you install all missing Win32K.sys speed up patches.  If you have a supported version of MS Office 2007 or higher that uses Windows Update to deliver security updates for their Office product (Windows Update | Change settings | Microsoft Update | Give me updates for Microsoft products and check for new optional Microsoft software when I update Windows) or an Office Compatibility Pack for an older version of MS Office this can significantly increase your "Checking for updates..." hang.

If you disabled automatic updates (STEP # 1), installed all Win32K.sys speed up patches that are missing from your system (STEPS # 2 to 5) and your manual Windows Update (STEP # 6) is still stuck on "Checking for updates..." after running overnight, I would suggest you try using Torsten Witrock's WSUS Offline Update tool...

That being said...

If KB3185911 fails to install ("does not apply"), skip it.

Since you're following much-edited instructions by Great White North, you'd be better off replying to his post in that thread if you need further assistance.

If it were my computer, I would have replaced it months ago.

Good luck!

Since you're following much-edited instructions by Great White North, you'd be better off replying to his post in that thread if you need further assistance.

Hi JL3008:

I've been monitoring this thread but didn't want to interfere while PA_Bear was taking the lead on troubleshooting.  If you'd like me to take a second look at your system, please install Piriform's free Speccy diagnostic software, follow the instructions in the support article Publishing a Speccy Profile to the Web and then post the URL of your Speccy profile (File | Publish Snapshot) in your next post in this thread. If you don't want to install Speccy on your computer, Piriform also offers a portable version of this software on their builds page at http://www.piriform.com/speccy/builds that you can unzip and run from a USB thumb drive. If you aren't familiar with Speccy, I published a profile of my own 32-bit Vista SP2 machine today at http://speccy.piriform.com/results/21KTs6dHUBRXQRrTYigCvEp[http://speccy.piriform.com/results/oUhJFndsdEuNZH0TrMygKAn](http://speccy.piriform.com/results/oUhJFndsdEuNZH0TrMygKAn).

I should also mention that Vista does not have an Application Identity service (AppIDSvc).  I do not have an appidsrv.dll file in C:\Windows\System32 on my 32-bit Vista SP2 machine, and the Application Identity service is not listed on any of BlackViper's configurations for Vista SP2 (http://www.blackviper.com/service-configurations/black-vipers-windows-vista-service-pack-2-service-configurations/).  This service, however, is listed on BlackViper's site for Win 7 SP1 <here>.  I suspect that Microsoft removed most (but apparently not all) of the instructions relevant to Win XP and Vista from the support article How do I reset Windows Update components? the last time this article was edited in August 2016.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v51.0.1 * NIS v22.8.1.14 * Speccy 1.30.728

HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

Now that GWN is here, I'll leave you in his hands. Good luck to both of you!