why has vista stopped automatic updates?

After processing the recommended manual updates, my Vista did 137 updates. Only two failed.

Hi Volume Z:

Just a heads up that the **KB3178690** (MS17-014: Security Update for Excel 2010: March 14, 2017) you have listed in your recommended speed up patches <here> for the March 2017 Patch Tuesday updates has a serious bug, but for some reason Microsoft has not pulled the installer from the Microsoft Update Catalog.  See Woody Leonhard's Woody on Windows InfoWorld article Botched Windows patch KB 3178690 freezes, crashes Excel 2010 for further details.

32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.0.1 * NIS v22.9.0.71 * MBAM v2.2.1

OUgrad,

I downloaded all the fixes you suggested, but had limited success installing them all.  The ones that would not

install were;  KB4012583 and KB4012497.  I just now tried these again, and they installed OK.  I've switched back to Auto Update setting and the Vista PC is checking for updates as I write this.  I'll check back with you later.

I have one other question.  When this all began, I went to the Microsoft Update Catalog and entered a search for all Vista fixes released since December 2016, my last date of installs.  In this list was KB3210142, which, when exploded out, yielded the following KBs:   3078601, 3210139, 3210129, and 3210136.  Of that list, the first and third fix returned the message "not applicable to your system".  KB3210139 did install correctly, whereas KB3210136 reported "Installation Wizard does not apply or is blocked by another condition on your computer.

My question is, why do these two .msu files and this one .exe file not apply to my system when they are spelled out in the list of x86 fixes?

One final thing here, I'm just downloading ALL current Vista fixes on another PC using WSUS Offline software in the event all those fixes you suggested don't bring my Vista PC into auto-update posture.  Is this a plan?

Thanks,

Frederick

Hi Frederick,

Regarding KB3078601, I found this link which implies if you have KB3153199 installed, KB3078601 may not install because KB3078601 must be installed before KB3153199 - see Imacri's comment #4 in link below.

https://www.vistax64.com/windows-updates/303992-windows-update-just-seems-hang-while-checking-19.html

Although the above is an x64 link, the sequence likely applies to x86. You might try uninstalling KB3153199 if you have it and then install both in the recommended order. Create a Restore Point before trying this to be safe.

Here's a link that confirms installation sequence sometimes applies as well as other possible reasons for your issue like the "Update is superseded" - more research required to determine which updates have been superseded.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3057448/-the-update-is-not-applicable-to-your-computer-error-when-you-install-windows-updates

Regarding KB3210136 here's another possible reason - do you have the applicable program for this update?

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2600847/you-received-error-message-patch-does-not-apply,-or-is-blocked-by-another-condition-on-your-computer

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/heaths/2014/05/23/update-does-not-apply-or-is-blocked-by-another-condition-on-your-computer/

OUgrad

EDIT - Before trying everything manually, you might try this first. Set WU to never check, restart PC, go to Services and Stop the WU Service, then run WU manually without PC restart. Leave the PC connected to the Internet overnight to see if you get an update list.