Windows Update Check Failure Error-80072EE2 - Recurrence

[AlanCB]

My HP ProBook 450G1 Notebook PC, which came with Windows 8 Pro installed, is now running on Windows 8.1 Pro, with Internet Explorer 11 as the browser, and with Norton Internet Security 2014 (version 22.5.2.15) for anti-virus & firewall protection.

In a previous thread ( https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...ows-update-error-80072ee2-sfcfix-results.html ), I had reported that a problem that I had experienced with Windows Update failing to check for updates (with error code 80072EE2), which started in June 2015, had resolved itself after about 1 month.

Unfortunately this problem has occurred again, starting on 29 Sep 15.

I have tried the Windows "Troubleshooting Tool" in the Control Panel, & also the WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.cab Tool on the MS Support website, & although they both claimed to have found & fixed some "issues", this has not resulted in the resolution of my Windows Update Check failure, error 80072EE2 problem.

I have also tried temporarily disabling the NIS Smart Firewall without success.

Would greatly appreciate some help.

Here is the SFCFix result, which not detect any corruptions :

SFCFix version 2.4.5.0 by niemiro.
Start time: 2015-10-09 11:17:20.101
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Update 3 - amd64
Not using a script file.
AutoAnalysis::
SUMMARY: No corruptions were detected.
AutoAnalysis:: directive completed successfully.
Successfully processed all directives.
SFCFix version 2.4.5.0 by niemiro has completed.
Currently storing 0 datablocks.
Finish time: 2015-10-09 11:19:50.900
----------------------EOF-----------------------

Very large CBS logfiles to follow after I post this.
Upload of the CBS logfiles subsequently failed with message " Error when running sfcfix.exe : Entry Point Not Found

 

[AlanCB]

Trying again to upload very large CBSlogfiles. Failed again.

 

[Aura]

Hi Alan :)

My name is Aura and I'll be assisting you with your issue. The error code 80072EE2 is associated with a connection issue to Windows Update servers, most often caused by an conflicting security software (like a firewall). Because we take a look under this angle, let's make sure that DISM and SFC returns clean logs. Follow the instructions below please.

System File Checker (SFC)
Follow the instructions below to run a SFC scan on your system and to provide the CBS log in your next reply;

• On Windows Vista & 7, click on the Windows Start Menu, then enter cmd in the search box, right-click on the cmd icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator
• On Windows 8, drag your cursor in the bottom-left corner, and right-click on the metro menu preview, then select Command Prompt (Admin);
• On Windows 8.1, right click on the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner and select Command Prompt (Admin);
• Enter the command below and press on Enter;
  

  sfc /scannow

  Note: There's a space between "sfc" and "/scannow";
• Once the scan is complete, enter the command below and press on Enter
  

  copy %windir%\logs\cbs\cbs.log "%userprofile%\Desktop\cbs.txt"

• A file called cbs.txt will have appeared on your Desktop. Upload the file on Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive and post the download URL for it here;

Note: Please note that the CBS.log is volatile, which means that if you don't upload it after the SFC scan is completed, it won't have the information from the scan anymore. So archive it and upload it as soon as you can.

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura
My apologies for not replying sooner to your response of 10Oct15, 6:57pm, which is in part due to my not diligently checking the thread for responses, & also in part due to not having Dropbox, Google Drive or One Drive installed, none of which I am familiar with; consequently have had to "research" them first, & I decided to go with Dropbox, which I have just installed. I have attempted to carry out your instructions with respect to running sfc /scannow, & the creation & uploading of the cbs.txt file to Dropbox:

Here is the Dropbox download URL for the cbs.txt file : https://www.dropbox.com/s/xahkclb7k63ooom/cbs.txt?dl=0

I do not know whether this is the URL that you require. Please let me know.

Regards
AlanCB

 

[Aura]

All good Alan :) SFC only reports two corrupt files and they are false positives as well (from the KB3068708). Since they don't affect anything on your system, we don't have to replace them. Let's see if SURT can tell us anything else.

System Update Readiness Tool (SURT) - Scan
Follow the instructions below to run a scan with the System Update Readiness Tool (SURT) and provide a log;

• Download the right version of SURT for your system;
  • Your version of Windows is:
• Once downloaded, execute the installer, and go throught the installation (this process can take around 15-20 minutes);
• On completion, a log will be created in C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log;
• Attach this log in your next reply;

Alternatively, if these instructions are unclear for you, you can follow the tutorial below.

System Update Readiness Tool (SURT)

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I am using Win 8.1 Pro 64-bit, & apparently SURT does not apply to it. Instead Microsoft's instruction is to use the DISM command, "DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth." to detect & fix corruptions.

However when using the "/Restore Health" switch, DISM normally requires that the Windows Update client is functioning, in order to repair any corruptions that it has found.

If the Windows Update client is not working (as it is not on my Notebook PC), then the other recommended alternatives are quote - " (1) use a running Windows installation as the repair source, or (2) use a Windows side-by-side folder, either (2a) from a network share, or (2b) from a removable media, such as the Windows DVD, as the source of the files".

Options (1) & (2a) are not available to me, & I do not know whether Option (2b) is possible.

Option (2b) requires running the following command, quote - "DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:RepairSource /LimitAccess", where "RepairSource" is the location of the repair source.

My HP ProBook 450 G1 notebook came with Windows 8 Pro (OEM) installed, and I had to upgrade to Win 8.1 Pro using the Windows Update client.

Instead of a Win 8 Pro DVD, the Notebook PC has a Windows 8 Pro "Recovery Image (D:)" partition (which in fact I had previously used in June 2015 to do "factory reset" from Win 8.1 Pro, back to Win 8 Pro).

I do not know whether the Win 8 Pro "Recovery Image (D:)" partition, or the Win 8 Pro "Recovery Image" USB 3.0 Flash Drive that I created from it, can be used as the "RepairSource", also bearing in mind that my Notebook PC is running Win 8.1 Pro. Please advise.

In the meantime I can run DISM with the "/ScanHealth" switch, which quote - "checks for component store corruption and records that corruption to the C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log, but no corruption is fixed using this switch".
Should I run the DISM "/ScanHealth" ?

I suppose that without a functioning Windows Update client, running the DISM "/RestoreHealth", would accomplish the same thing as the DISM "/ScanHealth" ?

Regards
Alan CB

 

[Aura]

If you go in your Services (press on Win Key + R, type services.msc and press on Enter), can you find the Windows Update service? If so, is it Started or Stopped?

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

With regard to whether the Windows Update service is "started" or "stopped", "Services" indicates that the Windows Update service is "running"; however when I right-clicked on it, the "stop" option was greyed-out, but the "start" option was not greyed-out, which is opposite of what I would expect if it is already running.

My Windows Update Setting is "check for updates only, but let me choose whether to download & install them", & normally Windows Update would check quite soon after I "wake" the Notebook from "sleep" in the morning.

Consequently, I thought that maybe the "start" & "stop" right-click options referred to when the Windows Update service actually checks for Updates. So I clicked the "start"right-click option of the Windows service, which I thought might result in a manual check for updates, but nothing happened in the Windows Update window (accessed from the Control Panel). Then in the "Services" window, when I right-clicked on the Windows Update service, (with Status of "Running"), the "start" option was greyed-out & the "stop" option was not greyed-out (as expected)

In the Windows Update window, I also tried a manual "check for updates", but it failed again with error 80072EE2.

I then clicked on the "stop" right-click option of the Windows Update service, which caused the Windows Update service Status to change from "Running" to "Blank" (i.e "Running" disappeared - it did not say "not running" or "stopped" ).

Anyway I have now "Started" (right click option = start), the Window Update service again, so that now the Status is "Running", & the right-click options are "Start" (greyed-out), & Stop (not greyed-out) , which are the opposite of what they originally were.

I hope I have not complicated the problem.

What to do now ?

 

[Aura]

Alright, let's run a DISM scan (even if it doesn't complete, we can still use the logs), and if DISM returns clean logs, we'll use Windows Repair AIO.

DISM - Fixing Component Store Corruption
Follow the instructions below to run a DISM operation on your system.

• On Windows 8, drag your cursor in the bottom-left corner, and right-click on the metro menu preview, then select Command Prompt (Admin);
• On Windows 8.1, right click on the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner and select Command Prompt (Admin);
• Enter the command below and press on Enter;
  

  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

• Let the scan run until the end (100%). Depending on your system, it can take some time;
• Copy the C:\Windows\Logs\DISM folder and C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log file on your Desktop, then right-click on it, go to Send to... and select Compressed .zip archive;
• Upload the file on Dropbox, Google Drive or OneDrive and post the download URL for it here;

Note: Please note that the CBS.log is volatile, which means that if you don't upload it after the DISM scan is completed, it won't contains the information from the scan anymore. So archive it and upload it as soon as you can.

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I hope that I have followed your instructions correctly.

(1) Here is a screen capture of the completed DISM Restore Health process in the "Command Prompt-Admin" window, :




(2) Here is the Dropbox link to the CBS.zip folder, which contains the archived DISM folder & CBS Log file.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/52upg14nztuqcfg/CBS.zip?dl=0

Is this link correct ? It appears to be a "Download" link.

AlanCB

 

[Aura]

Your download link worked, yes :) And DISM didn't detect anything, so that's good.

=================================
Checking System Update Readiness.


Summary:
Operation: Detect and Repair 
Operation result: 0x0
Last Successful Step: Entire operation completes.
Total Detected Corruption:	0
	CBS Manifest Corruption:	0
	CBS Metadata Corruption:	0
	CSI Manifest Corruption:	0
	CSI Metadata Corruption:	0
	CSI Payload Corruption:	0
Total Repaired Corruption:	0
	CBS Manifest Repaired:	0
	CSI Manifest Repaired:	0
	CSI Payload Repaired:	0
	CSI Store Metadata refreshed:	True

Total Operation Time: 1500 seconds.

Can you check for Windows Updates now, or does it still fails? If it fails, upload the two files below for me to review please.

C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I just tried a manual Check for Updates (17Oct15, 5:07am UTC), & it failed again with error 80072EE2.

I then copied the CBSlog txt file (from C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBSlog), & the WindowsUpdate log txt file (from C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log) to the Desktop, & then archived/zipped them jointly into the zip folder, named "CBS_WU_17Oct15", which then I uploaded to my Dropbox.

The Dropbox download link is https://www.dropbox.com/s/jyocbdrnlt9e14e/CBS_WU_17Oct15.zip?dl=0

Have I done this correctly ? What happens when you click on the link ?

Hope that is what you want.

AlanCB

 

[Aura]

I got the logs, thank you :) Are you download to access this URL?

https://sls.update.microsoft.com/SLS/%7B9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77%7D/x64/6.3.9600.0/0?CH=192&L=en-GB&P=&PT=0x30&WUA=7.9.9600.18039

It should download automatically a fille called environment.cab in your web browser.

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I copied the URL link that you provided, & pasted it into the "Run" box; in the IE11 window that opened, I was asked whether I wanted to open or save the environment.cab file. I selected "save", and the environment .cab file (16KB) was saved to my Downloads folder.

What do you want me to do with it ?

Thank you very much for all your time & effort.

AlanCB

 

[Aura]

Alright, you can delete that file, I just wanted to know if we could access it or not. Follow the instructions below please.

MiniToolBox

• Download MiniToolBox and move the executable file to your Desktop;
• Right-click on MiniToolBox.exe and select
  
  Run as Administrator (for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 users);
• Check the following options:
  • Flush DNS;
  • Report IE Proxy Settings;
  • Reset IE Proxy Settings;
  • Report FF Proxy Settings;
  • Reset FF Proxy Settings;
  • List content of Hosts;
  • List IP Configuration;
  • List Last 10 Event Viewer Errors;
  • List Installed Programs;
  • List Devices - Only Problems;
  • List Users, Partitions and Memory size;
    
    
• Once this is done, click on Go and wait for the scan to complete;
• Once the scan is complete, a log will open. Please copy/paste the content of the output log in your next reply;

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I just sent you a private message with regard to supplying you with the contents of MiniToolBox scan results log.

Please reply by private message.

Thanks
AlanCB

 

[Aura]

Are you able to upgrade to the latest version of Norton, since you're still running on the 2014 version?

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura
Did you receive the private message I sent you yesterday, Wed 21 Oct 15, containing the contents on the MiniToolBox Scan Results log ?

In answer to your question, it is really called "Norton Internet Security", but I purchased it originally in 2014, which is why I referred to it as "Norton Internet Security 2014".

I just did an update check, which confirmed that I am using the latest version 22.5.4.24.

By the "latest version of Norton", are you referring to "Norton Security", Norton Security vs. Old Norton Products - Norton Security vs Norton 360 vs Norton AntiVirus vs Norton Internet Security , which was released in 2014, is carded to replace Norton Internet Security ?
I was waiting on Norton to advise me to make a mandatory change to Norton Security, which they have not done as yet.

Are you very conversant with Norton Internet Security ?

Actually one of my concerns, is whether my Norton Internet Security "Network Trust level" setting of "Public", might be intermittently causing my Windows Update problem.

My "Windows", & my "Norton Internet Security" "Network Trust Level Settings" are both "Public Network", and my "Public Network Sharing Options Settings" are: Network Discovery = OFF, File & Printer Sharing = OFF.

I selected Public Network, because I am always connected to the Internet, & currently I have no other computers or devices that I need to connect to. I must admit though, I did not really know (& still don't) what settings I should use.

Norton Internet Security has automatically replaced the "Windows Firewall" by the Norton Internet Security "Smart Firewall", and I recently discovered that in the Norton Internet Security Smart Firewall Traffic Rules, of which there are 54, the last Traffic Rule, selected (i.e. is active) by default, states, quote :
"Default Block All Inbound Windows Services (Public Networks)
Block, Direction: Inbound; Computer, Any; Protocol, Any; Create a log entry".

I wonder whether this Traffic Rule could be causing my intermittent Windows Update problem, although it is at the bottom of Traffic Rules list, & therefore has the lowest precedence of the 54 Traffic Rules, & consequently there might a Traffic Rule above it, which would normally allow Windows Update to function correctly (?).

AlanCB

 

[Aura]

I think that the Norton Firewall is the issue here. I would either disable it completely, or change it's settings so it allows Windows Services to go through, even on a public network.

 

[AlanCB]

Hi Aura

I think that the Norton Firewall is the issue here. I would either disable it completely, or change it's settings so it allows Windows Services to go through, even on a public network.

I can only temporarily disable the Norton Smart Firewall, so for a permanent resolution of the problem, I would have to change the NIS Smart Firewall Traffic Rule settings to allow the Windows Services go through on my "Public Network" "Trust Level setting".

However, events have overtaken these actions, because the "Windows Update check service" has suddenly & spontaneously started working again, without me doing anything that I think could have resolved the problem; however, yesterday I disabled the Router's WLAN & SSID broadcast, but I doubt whether these actions could have resolved the problem.

This sort of spontaneous resolution of the "Windows Update check failure error 80072EE2" problem, also occurred the last time I experienced the same problem in June/August 2015.

There are 10 Important Windows Updates (114.3MB), which I will attempt to download & install, & 10 Optional Updates (9.9MB), which I will HIDE, because Microsoft does not seem be able to guarantee that Win 8.1 optional updates will not cause problems.

Will advise you of the outcome of my attempt to install the 10 Important updates.

Thanks again for you help

Regards

AlanCB