why has vista stopped automatic updates?

Thanks to Volume Z, it worked for me in the following order:

1) Followed VZ instructions; 'Set automatic updates to "Never check for updates" and reboot prior to manual installation.'

[Control Panel --> Windows Update --> Change settings --> Never check for updates (recommended)]

2) Downloaded all 5 updates to a local folder on PC.

3) 

Installed KB4019204.

Installed KB4012583.

Installed KB3205638.

Installed KB4015380.

4) Restarted PC.

5) Installed KB4018271 (IE9). 

6) Restarted PC (again).

7) Enabled Windows Update (Control Panel --> Windows Update --> Change settings --> Install updates automatically (recommended). Also, 'Download but let me install' and 'Check for updates but let me do download/install' might be OK?).

7a) Launched Windows Update (Start --> Windows Update). 

It did not initially work. But gave an error message (sorry, can't recall exactly).

Windows own troubleshooting/fix did not help. 

(Perhaps, should have enabled Windows Update before reboot in step 6 or rebooted PC between steps 7 and 7a? i.e Restart after enabling Windows Update and before launching Windows Update... for the changes to take effect??)

7b) Cleaned registry with CCleaner (Registry --> Scan for Issues/Fix selected Issues... and Cleaner --> Analyze/Run Cleaner).

9) Restarted PC.

10) Launched Windows Update (again).

Voila!

This time it worked. Showed 145 Updates to install.

In short, saved me hours, if not days, of going in circles or even resorting to Restore.

Good Luck.

PS; WinVista Home Premium 32-bit, SP2.

Background: 

Windows Updated Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.1 and Realtek AC'97 Audio. But the PC clock was wrong - a year too fast. 

As a result, Windows Update showed last updates in history as Aug 2019 instead of Aug 2018. 

Then stuck at checking... Also showed, "Windows Update can't check for updates" on Quick Luanch bar.

Of course, first corrected PC time (right-click on time/clock on Quick Launch --> Adjust Date/Time --> Change date and time ... OK). Also, checked BIOS settings, CMOS battery etc before manual downloads/installs.

(Last revised 3-12-2019)

The Vista Update Search issue gets triggered by applicability of at least one of the following updates for a given installation: KB4015195, KB3191203, KB3185911, KB3087039, KB4014661, Excel and Word related Security Updates for Compatibility Pack SP3, Office 2007 SP3 and Office 2010 SP2.

An installation can be made ineligible for the issue by manually preinstalling all applicable of the following:

KB4019204 (equivalent to KB4015195)    http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/secu/2017/02/windows6.0-kb4012497-x86_6bc6370b69da979c270ecdfafbdb609fcb60dc8e.msu[Download 32-bit](http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/csa/csa/secu/2017/05/windows6.0-kb4019204-x86-custom_cc1a90841c15759e36c5095580dfb0b32b34eb8a.msu)         Download 64-bit

KB4012583 (equivalent to KB3191203)    Download 32-bit         Download 64-bit

KB3205638 (equivalent to KB3185911)    Download 32-bit         Download 64-bit

KB4015380 (equivalent to KB3203859,    http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/secu/2016/11/windows6.0-kb3203859-x86_722738430267470c95ed36e962e799af92695b0e.msu[Download 32-bit](http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/secu/2017/03/windows6.0-kb40****9a.msu)         http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/secu/2016/11/windows6.0-kb3203859-x64_a5276a41e72****57fe28844706.msu[Download 64-bit](http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/msdownload/update/software/secu/2017/03/windows6.0-kb4015380-x64_959aedbe0403d160be89f4dac057e2a0cd0c6d40.msu)

         KB3164033, KB3140735 and KB3087039)

KB4018271 (IE 9 only; equivalent to         http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/msdownload/update/software/secu/2017/03/ie9-windows6.0-kb4012204-x86_4d1735925f4125dd44bb55b474e1e6df6038ddcb.msu[Download 32-bit](http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/csa/csa/secu/2017/05/ie9-windows6.0-kb4018271-x86-custom_cd47df4c2de16304e79a9bb03da882180182c3db.msu)         http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/msdownload/update/software/secu/2017/03/ie9-windows6.0-kb4012204-x64_52461c06e6b5a63278cb821cb6cec90763c01ef3.msu[Download 64-bit](http://download.windowsupdate.com/c/csa/csa/secu/2017/05/ie9-windows6.0-kb4018271-x64-custom_03cc4a6e57cecbe73ea5c9f45dc90a0cfe15eecb.msu)   

                                       KB4014661)

KB4461607 (Compatibility Pack SP3)       ****Download      

KB4018354 (Compatibility Pack SP3) **** https://download.microsoft.com/download/6/F/1/6F1A5B9A-ED3B-4C63-BDDA-26D762C51A37/wordconv2007-kb4011607-fullfile-x86-glb.exe[Download](https://download.microsoft.com/download/7/7/B/77BB1461-9693-413C-9D32-982F15BFCEC7/wordconv2007-kb4018354-fullfile-x86-glb.exe)

KB4018353 (Excel 2007)                 ****    Download

KB4018355 (Word 2007)               ****      Download

KB4462186 (Excel 2010)                      ****    https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/0/4/50451A3D-B994-41F7-AEA5-8FDA5D38DC57/excel2010-kb4461466-fullfile-x86-glb.exe[Download 32-bit](https://download.microsoft.com/download/A/7/A/A7A5293C-7E16-4CFE-A4B2-A466F1F9C47E/excel2010-kb4462186-fullfile-x86-glb.exe)        https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/B/C/3BC03963-F3FB-4100-B6CF-271A9E606616/excel2010-kb4011197-fullfile-x64-glb.exe[Download 64-bit](https://download.microsoft.com/download/5/4/4/544C015C-28A5-4D93-9CE2-780A7B485DE0/excel2010-kb4462186-fullfile-x64-glb.exe)

KB4461625 (Word 2010)           ****     https://download.microsoft.com/download/3/6/5/365BCF8D-45B4-4A09-BD58-28120984FF52/word2010-kb4092439-fullfile-x86-glb.exe[Download 32-bit](https://download.microsoft.com/download/2/E/B/2EB6576A-451A-4360-BE42-E193A299EC57/wordloc2010-kb4461625-fullfile-x86-glb.exe)        Download 64-bit

Set automatic updates to "Never check for updates" and reboot prior to manual installation.

Regards, VZ

Worked successfully in the following specific order (based  VZ instructions).

1) Set automatic updates to "Never check for updates":

Control Panel --> Windows Update --> Change settings --> Never check for updates (not recommended).

2) Downloaded all 5 updates from above links to a local folder on Desktop.

3)

Installed KB4019204.

Installed KB4012583.

Installed KB3205638.

Installed KB4015380.

4) Restarted PC.

5) Installed KB4018271 (IE9).

6) Restarted PC (again).

7) Enabled Windows Update:

Control Panel --> Windows Update --> Change settings --> Download updates but let me whether to install them-- > OK.

8) Restarted PC (third time).

9) Launched Windows Update (Start --> Windows Update).

'209 important updates are available'

'4 optional updates are available'

PS; The slightest deviation from above instructions might not fully work!

For instance, not rebooting after step 7) threw up an error that meant I had to clean the registry etc.

In short, stick to instructions as per step.

Good Luck, :)

WinVista Home Premium x86, SP2 with .NET Framework 3.5 and Realtek AC'97 Audio drivers manually preinstalled.