anandk
Distinguished Member
if u ever encounter an "error code 0x80240029 - cannot update" which btw is the most common one, when updating defender, here is a solution which will help u.
this usually happens if the distribution database is broken and needs to be re-created.
my vista homprem had all the default settings. my microsoft update was set to automatic; and yet i had this problem yesterday.
here r the solutions i found :
1) as far as vista goes (dont know if this applies to xp) u can do this by clicking start>all programs > windows updates> change settings > uncheck automatic updates, uncheck recommended updates and uncheck use microsoft update service. this will switch from Microsoft Update back to using Windows Update.
reboot.
this was sgstd on a msdn site. i tried this and it WORKED ! u can now reset the update settings to as they were earlier, if u feel.
2) I also came across this download from Microsoft (vista/xp) *i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/coolthumb.gif
this actually FORCES defender to update !
*download.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/mpas-fe.exe
this too definately WoRKS !
3) lastly if both above dont work, there is another way sgstd too :
Boot into safe mode
Open Windows explorer
Open the Windows folder
Find the folder named SoftwareDistribution (or else FLUSH it !)
Rename SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old
reboot
Run update (at this point a new SoftwareDistribution folder will be created)
it will help ! but I've not done this fix personally.
the first two have been tried by me and worked.
*i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/stylucm5.gif
this usually happens if the distribution database is broken and needs to be re-created.
my vista homprem had all the default settings. my microsoft update was set to automatic; and yet i had this problem yesterday.
here r the solutions i found :
1) as far as vista goes (dont know if this applies to xp) u can do this by clicking start>all programs > windows updates> change settings > uncheck automatic updates, uncheck recommended updates and uncheck use microsoft update service. this will switch from Microsoft Update back to using Windows Update.
reboot.
this was sgstd on a msdn site. i tried this and it WORKED ! u can now reset the update settings to as they were earlier, if u feel.
2) I also came across this download from Microsoft (vista/xp) *i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/coolthumb.gif
this actually FORCES defender to update !
*download.microsoft.com/download/DefinitionUpdates/mpas-fe.exe
this too definately WoRKS !
3) lastly if both above dont work, there is another way sgstd too :
Boot into safe mode
Open Windows explorer
Open the Windows folder
Find the folder named SoftwareDistribution (or else FLUSH it !)
Rename SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old
reboot
Run update (at this point a new SoftwareDistribution folder will be created)
it will help ! but I've not done this fix personally.
the first two have been tried by me and worked.
*i144.photobucket.com/albums/r168/happyandy/stylucm5.gif