Windows Update Error Code: 80072EE2

Question

Im running Windows 7 Home Premium 32 bit edition, Microsoft Security Essentials, and windows firewall. I keep getting the 80072EE2 error.

I have no idea what to do about this. Ive already tried all the methods in both:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Windows-Update-error-80072ee2

with the exception of the Method F and the Advanced methods: B/C.

Ive been trying to update since last night, so I dont think waiting anymore will help.

Ive also uninstalled and reinstalled my network adapter driver. 

(Also tried the little "fixit" button on this thread: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/thread/bfbdec70-e928-47ee-b073-665c4851bf4c)

Any help would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi Fireblaze,

I am sorry it took so long for me to get back to your thread.

I would suggest you to follow the steps listed under **"Advanced troubleshooting methods"**in the following article:

You may encounter temporary connection-related errors when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941

Regards,

Gulrez

---

Microsoft Answers Support Engineer

Answer 2

I found the fix for my system! Apparently, some manufactureers sent out images with a registry entry pointing to a specific Microsoft server to use for automatic updates. I went into the registery and found and deleted this entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU "UseWUServer"=dword:00000001

I looked at other systems, and they do not have a subkey named "Windows Update" in the "Windows" subkey. To be safe, I just deleted the "AU" subkey data entry which contains the"UseWUServer" keyword. Note: Setting the value to dword:00000000 does not work.

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium, but this should work for any system with this subkey set and having a probloem with automatic updates.

Answer 3

Even if the thread is answered, it is still searchable by Google (It's the first result when searching for 80072ee2 windows 7 - **** so you should have all the answers here).  Yak's issue is the same as mine.  Same issue as the OP, yet the fix is not quite right.  I get to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows

and the rest of the key is not there. 

So why open a new thread, when the issue and error messages are exactly the same but there are multiple fixes for the same problem?

Let us discuss it, so that when others have the same issue all fixes for it can be found in one thread.  Would have been nice to find the fix for Yak and myself here, instead I now have to keep searching, thanks Dena.

My setup: no AV, no firewall, MS firewall turned off, no proxy server.  this is a vanilla install of Windows 7 Pro SP1.  Can't do the first Update.

-edits (below are things I am doing chronologically - I will update as I progess):

Fixes that have not worked for me, but have for other people:

• uninstall and reinstall NIC's
• statically assign ISP's dns servers
• turn off windows firewall for home and away
• enter *://*.microsoft.com and *://*.windowsupdate.com into your trusted sites
• Run FixIT tool on aggressive mode on Windows Update Agent
• Install WindowsUpdateAgent30-x64
• tried this, just in case: http://msmvps.com/blogs/thenakedmvp/archive/2009/11/08/windows-update-error-80072ee2-hyper-v-guest-issues.aspx
• statically assigning IP address
• tried this:

http://www.ghacks.net/2010/01/24/fixing-windows-update-error-0x80072ee2/

- installed the latest Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver

• Install .NET Framework 4.0

I have tried this web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058#LetMeFixItMyselfAlways

When I try to run FixIT it reports an error of 80072EE2 and tells me to go to microsoft.com to download it.  So I have tried the manual instructions and when I get to step 6 (reregister BITS) the following dll's fail to register:

mshtml.dll

shdocvw.dll

browseui.dll

msxml.dll

gpkcsp.dll

sccbase.dll

slbcsp.dll

initpki.dll

wuaueng1.dll

wucltui.dll

wuweb.dll

qmgr.dll

muweb.dll

• I have now disabled all NIC's (including ethernet) and turned on the wireless.  I connected that to my phones hotspot and was able to successfully discover 50 updates.  Before I agreed to download them, I disabled the wireless and renabled the ethernet and then continued the update via the LAN.  Downloads are continuing, which should prove it's not a proxy issue (happy to be wrong). 

I am seeing these events in the udpatelog:

DnldMgr Error 0x8024401c occurred while downloading update; notifying dependent calls.

2011-11-23 14:49:13:558  400 560 AU AU checked download status and it changed: Downloading is paused

and only 11 of 50 succeeded in installing. 

I had to go back to downloading all updates from my phones hotspot.  After they installed and a reboot I am able to use Windows Update via the ethernet without it producing an error.

Answer 4

How will this cause confusion? This is the EXACT same issue and the thread could easily keep going. This error has very little information out there and starting a new thread is redundant.

Answer 5

I found the fix for my system! Apparently, some manufactureers sent out images with a registry entry pointing to a specific Microsoft server to use for automatic updates. I went into the registery and found and deleted this entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU "UseWUServer"=dword:00000001

I looked at other systems, and they do not have a subkey named "Windows Update" in the "Windows" subkey. To be safe, I just deleted the "AU" subkey data entry which contains the"UseWUServer" keyword. Note: Setting the value to dword:00000000 does not work.

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium, but this should work for any system with this subkey set and having a probloem with automatic updates.

Thanks. This worked!