why has vista stopped automatic updates?

Hi MM - Suggest you try setting Windows Update to Never Check, restart PC, go to Services and STOP Windows Update Service, then without restart, open Windows Update, manually check for updates and leave on over night if needed to get the last three - might work.

Finally SUCCESS!!!! VISTA automatic updates now work exactly as they should.

I  updated Internet Explorer 9 first with KB4012204, then downloaded and installed all the other fixes you recommended. I did get the '8DDD0010' error at first, but I just used the back arrow and tried again immediately and it worked. Later my computer automatically downloaded and installed new updates.

However, upon viewing Update History I find that two fixes – KB3167679 and KB3198483 had repeatedly failed to install. Then yesterday, a new fix – KB4011981 also failed. All three are described as “Security Updates - Important”. I tried to manually download and install them, and everything proceeds normally right to the end, when the word “failed” appears. Has anyone else had this problem?

Now that I have my update settings set to "Install updates automatically - recommended" it keeps trying to process those three fixes every time I shut down, so I guess I will need to change back to "Never check for updates".

after April 11 there will no further updates, but I gather you could still obtain fixes in effect until that date, via WSUS Offline.

Hi FrederickBarfoot:

There will be no further security updates for Vista SP2 and IE9 after extended support for Vista ends on 11-Apr-2017 but I assume that Windows Update will continue to deliver updates for other supported Microsoft products.  If Vista SP2 users continue to encounter problems updating MS Office and/or the MS Office Compatibility Packafter 11-Apr-2017 the WSUS Offline Update tool might still be useful.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.0.1 * NIS v22.9.1.12 * MBAM Premium v2.2.1

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

Thanks GWN for your further directions on WSUS Offline Installer.

I did in fact select "Legacy Products" tab for the Vista SP2 patches, however, after April 11 there will no further updates, but I gather you could still obtain fixes in effect until that date, via WSUS Offline.

Cheers!