I'm posting this to the two forums, which have helped me in
the past, since there's a real scarcity of information on the Net
about this subject.

I did the same in regards to how to fix Norton's Live Update
a while ago, which seemed to help a bunch of people, sooooo...

[Since that Topic is a 'Sticky', I'll give you a link here in case someone has
problems with that too - it's on the Norton Anti-Virus Forum and the
Topic is Unable to Connect Symantec Program to Internet and it's here:
/postlite88026-.html
(My answer is about 1/2 way down -- from Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:31 am)]

-------------------------------------------------------------
...And now -- on to the Main Event...
-------------------------------------------------------------

[As far as the W/U (BITS/AU) fix goes, this applies to Win Pro XP SP2.
I don't know if the Registry entries will be applicable to any other OS]

About two months ago, my Windows Update feature stopped working.
I could not download Critical Updates (much less the optional ones).
I researched it for about two weeks, learned everything I could,
tried everything and nothing worked.

Finally I chose the option to speak with a M.S. Tech. Rep.,
because apparently since a lot of people were having the
same or similar problems, they put in an option where you
could speak to one directly (for free) for this (and closely) related
problems only.

What ensued was a very friendly, ongoing, two week, detailed,
trial and error e-mail correspondence (which I won't print here, obviously).
What you see below is the final result, after everything finally worked.

Hope it's helpful to someone:


BITS/AU FIX


{Before you start -- I recommend if you have any kind of
Symantec (Norton) Firewall, turn on your Windows Firewall
first and then turn the Symantec (Norton) Firewall off.}


BEFORE you do the Steps below, you have to add these sites
to your Trusted Sites in I.E. -or- you can turn off your
Windows Firewall (or configure any other firewall you may have).

Tools -> Internet Options -> Security -> Trusted Sites ->
Sites -> Add this Web site to the zone:

http://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com (Add)
http://download.windowsupdate.com (Add)
http://update.microsoft.com/ (Add)
https://*.windowsupdate.microsoft.com (Add)
https://windowsupdate.microsoft.com (Add)

Don't click the box which reads:
"Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone"

Then click OK and OK again.
Then proceed with the steps below...


Step 1: Restart the BITS and AU services
=============================
1. Click Start and click Control Panel.
2. Click switch to a Classic View in left panel.
3. Double-click Administrative Tools.
4. Double-Click Services.
(or go to Run and type in services.msc )
5. Double-click the service "Background Intelligent Transfer Service".
6. Click the Log On tab, ensure the option "Local System account" is
selected and the option "Allow service to interact with desktop" is unchecked.
7. Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile.
If not, click the Enable button to enable it.
8. Click on the "General" tab and make sure the "Startup Type" is
"Automatic" or "Manual".
9. Then click the "Start" button under "Service Status" to start the service.
10. Repeat the above steps with another service:
"Automatic Updates"

After Step 1, go to the Windows Update website and
check if the problem still exists.
If there is still a problem, continue with Step 2.


Step 2: Register the related BITS key in the Registry
=====================================
Download the attachment (BITSservice.zip) at the bottom of this post
and unzip it to the desktop.
You will get the BITSservice.reg files

***** BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST *****
{If you don't know how to back up your registry,
I suggest you carefully read this}:
Elder Geek Registry Back-Up Info

Double click it and click OK to import the registry information
to your system. (This adds more permissions to the users of your PC)

After Step 1 and Step 2, go to the Windows Update website
and check if the problem still exists.
If the problem persists, go on with Step 3.


Step 3: Register related dll files
=======================
1. Click Start, click Run, type Regsvr32 qmgr.dll in the Open box,
and then click OK.
2. Click OK.
3. Click Start, click Run, type Regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll in the Open box,
and then click OK.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Start, click Run, type cmd and press Enter.
6. In the Command Prompt window, input the following commands.
Press Enter after each command:


net stop bits
[Enter]

(If you receive any error message here, such as:
The BITS service is not started
NET HELPMSG 3521
just ignore it)


rd /q /s %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader
(all on one line, of course)
[Enter]

(If you receive any error messages here, such as:
The system cannot find the file specified
The system cannot find the file specified
The system cannot find the file specified
The system cannot find the file specified
The system cannot find the file specified
just ignore them)

----------------------------------------------------
[or do – in lieu of previous rd step]:

a. cd %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader
(all on one line, of course)
[Enter]
(This will probably be:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader
for those people more comfortable using Explorer)

b. List all Files in this Folder --
dir
[Enter]

c. Delete all Files in this Folder --
del (all files you found in Step b.)
[Enter]

d. OR you can just Delete the Folder --
rd {which does the same thing as Steps b.) and c.)}
[Enter]
MAKE SURE you're in the Folder specified in Step a.) or
you will Delete the wrong Folder/Files.
(If you're NOT comfortable with DOS, then use Explorer)

e. You MAY ALSO have to do the above with:

%WINDIR%\SoftwareDistribution\Download
(Which is: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
for those people more comfortable using Explorer)

and:

%WINDIR%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore
(Which is: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore
for those people more comfortable using Explorer)

f. Also (in Explorer),go to:
C:\Windows\inf
Scroll down and find the branches.inf File
Right click it and click Properties and make sure the
Read Only Attribute box is NOT checked.
----------------------------------------------------


net start bits
[Enter]

(If you receive any error message here, such as:
The BITS service is starting
BITS could not be started
A Service Specific Error occurred: 2147942405 (which is the dec. rep. for 0x80070005)
NET HELPMSG 3547
just ignore it)


exit
[Enter]

After Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3, go to the Windows Update
website and check if the problem still exists.
If there is still a problem, continue with Step 4


Step 4: Add permissions to access related folders and registry keys
===============================================

***** BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST *****
{If you don't know how to back up your registry,
I suggest you carefully read this}:
Elder Geek Registry Back-Up Info

1. Click Start and click Run.
2. In the Open box, type REGEDIT, and then click OK.
3. In the left panel, you can find the root key "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT".
4. Right-click HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and click Permissions.
5. Select Everyone in the "Group or user names" list.

You may not have a Group or User Name called “Everyone”
and have something like the below:
ADMINISTRATORS [Allow - Full Control/Read]
CREATOR OWNER [Allow - Special Permissions]
POWER USERS [Allow - Read/Special Permissions]
SYSTEM [Allow - Full Control/Read]
USERS [Allow - Read]

If you don’t have a Group or User Name called “Everyone”:
Click Add, type Everyone in the open text box and click
Check Names, then click OK.
(now do Step #5 again -- Select Everyone in the "Group or
user names" list.)

6. Under Permissions for Everyone, click to select the "Full Control" check box
in the Allow column.
7. Select each user, in turn, in the Group or user names list,
and then verify that no check boxes are selected in the Deny column.
Clear any check boxes that are selected in the Deny column.
8. Click the Advanced button, click the "Replace permission entries on all child objects"
check box and then click OK.

You might have:
The "Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects.
Include these with entries explicitly defined here." box was unchecked.

The "Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here
that apply to child objects." box was also unchecked.
(I checked the "Replace permission entries..." box and clicked Apply.)

9. Click Yes if you are prompted for confirmation, and then click OK
to close the dialog box.

Note: You MAY receive the following message. It is normal,
because the permission of some registry keys cannot be reset:
"Error: The Registry Editor could not set security in the key currently selected,
or some of its subkeys."
(If you receive this message, click OK).

10. Locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and perform the above steps again.
(This will also take you several minutes and you MAY receive an error message
at this step. Click OK to continue)

You may have something like the below in the "Group or user names" box:
ADMINISTRATORS [Allow - Full Control/Read]
EVERYONE [Allow - Read]
RESTRICTED [Allow - Read]
SYSTEM [Allow - Full Control/Read]

You may have:
The "Inherit from parent the permission entries that apply to child objects.
Include these with entries explicitly defined here." box was already checked.

The "Replace permission entries on all child objects with entries shown here
that apply to child objects." box was unchecked.
(I checked the "Replace permission entries..." box and clicked Apply.)


Step 5: In case you get Error 0x8007043b
==============================

***** BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST *****
{If you don't know how to back up your registry,
I suggest you carefully read this}:
Elder Geek Registry Back-Up Info

1. Click Start and click Run.
2. In the Open box, type REGEDIT, and then click OK.
3. Navigate to the following key:
HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SvcHost
(but do not expand the SvcHost key in the left panel).
4. In the right panel, double-click the netsvcs key, which will open a
pop up box, entitled, "Edit Multistring".
5. Under the "Value data:" box will be a list of services.
Add BITS and wuauserv (on separate lines) to the list of services
(if they are not listed already).
6. Click OK
7. Exit the registry
8. Re-boot the system (mandatory or the changes won't go into effect).


Step 6: In case you get Error 0x80246008
==============================

***** BACK UP YOUR REGISTRY FIRST *****
{If you don't know how to back up your registry,
I suggest you carefully read this}:
Elder Geek Registry Back-Up Info

1. 0x80246008 is the error you get when Automatic Update fails.
When you try to Start it Manually, you get a 2147024894 error.
2. Instead of me rewriting another very long set of instructions,
first check out this site:
PC Review
3. Read his problem and then that will lead you to this site:
Re-installing the BITS Service on Windows XP SP2 When It Has Been Corrupted
4. Follow those instructions as posted.
5. You'll notice that there are many references given at the bottom
of that post in Step 3, one of which happens to be this thread!!
6. Read the other links at the bottom of that post too. They also
contain some very good information. If you follow all the links to their
respective 'end of the roads', so to speak, you will see that a LOT of
problems are caused by interactions with Symantec products (i.e.
upgrading, installation, uninstalls, etc.).

It figures - once you have a Symantec product, you're stuck. You can't
back out, you can't upgrade, you can't install new and their Customer
(Dis)Service costs a bundle, never mind that even if you DO pay, more
often than not, they can't help you anyway. Eventually, you can work
your way out of it, but I've seen people go for up to a year before they
finally straighten it all out.
How's THAT for a Norton recommendation?!!
7. There are other helpful hints on the other pages in this thread,
so I would recommend reading through all those too. Everybody's PC
setup is unique and the problems with BITS are almost endless, but a
LOT of people have written me with success stories and additions
and suggestions.

One day, if this thread gets long enough, I hope to gather up enough
different problems and present their solutions, all in one humongously
large thread! We'll see what happens...


[In case you need the below to send to the M.S. Tech. Rep.]:

Windows Update Log
1. Click on Start -> Run
2. Type: "WindowsUpdate.log" (with the quotation marks)
and Click OK
3. Click File -> Save As and save the file into a specified folder.

Event Logs
1. Click on Start -> Run
2. Type: "eventvwr" (without the quotation marks)
and Click OK.
3. Right click Application Log and choose Save Log file As...
Save the log file as app.evt.
4. Right click System Log and choose Save Log file As...
Save the log file as sys.evt.

System Information File
1. Click on Start -> Run
2. Type: msinfo32
and click OK.
3. Click File -> Save and save the file into a specified folder.

Good Luck!

Mike__________

BITSservice.zip
Description:	File for Step 2	Download
Filename:	BITSservice.zip
Filesize:	1.01 KB
Downloaded:	17510 Time(s)

Wow MekongDelta69 - that is one impressive detailed report - lets hope no one has to go through what you did but if they do, we can point them to this thread. Thanks for your hard work on this and thanks for sharing it!

Anytime Bill. Everything that could conceivably go wrong on a
PC has gone wrong on mine in the last 5 years, sooooo...!
(Plus I used to be a programmer for 25 years before I got
H-1B'd out of existence).

Since (I think) I've seen your name on the Norton
(and Kramden!) Forums, answering some questions, here's that link,
where I mentioned (above) about how to fix Norton's Live Update
(in case you can use it):

/postlite88026-.html
(About 1/2 way down -- from Mon Dec 13, 2004 1:31 am)


...And here's one for you (this is a total longshot -- if you don't
know it, don't sweat it. I've asked around all over the Net and
so far nobody knows. I'm sure it's just a matter of updating
some file, but I can't find which one (if even it's that)):

/postlite95582-.html
(Just my initial post from Wed Dec 29, 2004 11:41 pm --
you don't have to waste your time reading the rest).

Btw, were you in the AF? Also, I'm an audiophile 'freak' too,
but since I haven't been able to find a coding job to save my
life in the last two years, I guess I can kiss that interest
good-bye!!

Thanks,
Mike_________

About Norton Full scan update - had same problem with SW2002 - NAV did nightly scans but date stayed. Never figured it out - but removed NAV2002 from SW2002 and installed NAV2005, set schedule for 0500 and it does update as expected. On another system, NAV2003 works and updates as expected.

AF - yes, 24 years, 24 days, 15 hours, and 55 minutes (approximately!)

_________________
Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom Is Not Free!

Well, I've been out for nearly 10 years now - been working computers for over 30 - ever since my CO found out I had an Altair 8800 that I built (it was nice to be stationed in Albuquerque back in 70's - that's where Bill Gates got his start - wrote BASIC for MIT - the company not the school).

Never got into main frames - I walked inside one in Phoenix in an Air Defense Command "block house" - 100,000 diode tubes in row after row of equipment racks. Main framers are funny people, we use to walk in and flick the light switch and watch them go into instant panic mode. Ah, the good old days!

_________________
Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom Is Not Free!

Bill,

Ahhh - a full fledged lifer! You must've gone in a few years
after I did.

Major food group back then -- Three day old coffee, beer, midrats, a carton of Luckys (or Pall Malls), Shasta orange soda and those pre-stale cheese crackers with P/B!

I just did 4 and out (+2 inactive). Enlisted in '68, like the rest of my neighborhood, volunteered and did 1 in the jungle (like the rest of my neighborhood), then became a radioman/crypto oper., volunteered for subs and went around the world in 80 days...

Hey, it's not just an adventure, it's a job!!

Mike_________

Went in in '71. Never made it to the "jungle" - got stuck in the Azores. I fixed the radios you guys broke! - and the LFs used to talk to your subs.

_________________
Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom Is Not Free!

Bill,

Pat,

Ye gads, you guys are "old", I was drafted in 70.

Yeah Troop - we're ancient!!

PRC-25's - ouch that memory hurts, along with the "fully" solid state upgrade, 77's.

I was lucky - never assigned to mobile unit - I did mostly fixed ATC Radio equip, and Motorola non-tacs.

Didn't graduate HS until '70 so that Pooh is Old!

[quote]True -- and once in a while, we'd even 'talk' back![quote]Yeah, right - maybe if you were surfaced and you knew everyone knew your location anyways!

_________________
Bill (AFE7Ret)
Freedom Is Not Free!