Windows update on 2003 server looping

Track users' IT needs, easily, and with only the features you need. Learn More ». Pure Capsaicin. Windows Server expert. Why not restore the data from a backup uh, or isn't there one? ITcrackerjack This person is a verified professional. Verify your account to enable IT peers to see that you are a professional. Edited Jul 19, at UTC.

Jamesd This person is a verified professional. Robert Jul 19, at UTC. No back up Found out how to do this. My coworker suggested running IE in safe mode. The first page it brings up asks to run updates. I click that, and it prompts to install another Windows Update software package, and now things are working!!! Spread the word! No, when I then check for new updates after I install that new update agent from Microsoft, it then does the loop. I am having the exact same issue, on every server that I have attempted so far.

Any solution for this yet? Nothing updated yet. Let's get this spiced up. This has GOT to be affecting more people. Chris, any update on your side?

I have followed this string since I too encountered this problem. I received an email from a Microsoft Engineer after I posted this problem on the microsoft forums. Basically he stated there was no issue which I do not believe. Anyway, this worked for me - after the new agent is installed. When you go back to the windows update page you are back to the correct page.

Actually, I don't know if KB broke it for sure or not, but it was one of the updates that came in the November Patch Tuesday block. Windows Update was so broken I couldn't even manually download the patch set for MS - it would run, unpack, give an error, not write a log file, and exit. What fixed it: I did the manual install procedure below, though other files had to be copied as well and renamed in the process.

Once that was done, Windows Update ran - the first thing it did was run an update that updated Windows Update components. Then it ran fine, did its updates, and then proceeded to go into a loop bouncing between two screens in IE and not run again. At this point, for fun I gave the Microsoft Fix-It tool another try - this tool has never worked in the past, but to my amazement this time it worked perfectly!

Fix the problem with Microsoft Windows Update that is not working. Click on the Windows button, "Fix performance, errors or crashes, Windows Update. It was the first link in the screen, all shown here:. The screen says it is for Windows 7, but it worked perfectly for me on a Server box. Problem Details the first one, not subsequent ones. Yes, they were older notebooks. The first system was a Gateway, the second was a Dell - but based on what I've read about others with this problem, it can be any system at all.

No good, windows update was broken. Here is the the screen that comes up - click on any thumbnail image to bring up the full size version:. The short version is the install for Windows Update for some reason isn't installing all the files it needs to run.

It is leaving a couple of older files as dust bunnies, and the whole update process is failing due to the new code trying to talk to an older. DLL file. The fix, until Microsoft fixes it for real, is to manually copy the files. A catch is those files are in use, so you'll have to do some DOS prompt type commands to make it so you can update those files.

What you will need:. Fixing Windows Update! With the link downloaded, run it but don't go through the install. Checked WindowsUpdate. If you run Start All Programs.. Microsoft Update, and get prompted to download the newer updater, once you do it, you will get this infinite loop and all updating is now broken. Had the same issue on several Sever 2k3 SP2 boxes after getting the "update to the latest version" prompt when checking for updates. I am also having the same problem on Windows Server machines.

I noticed in WindowsUpdates. When i try to goto the links manually in IE, I cannot download as if the file doesn't exist. At first i thought it was our network blocking it, but I cannot download it outside of the network either.

Is anyone else seeing this also? The solution I found here worked for me. I used the French version of the Microsoft Update site and it did not loop. It prompted me to install the ActiveX control and then once it got to the page where it asked me if I wanted to do Express or Custom, I closed that windows and ran the English Microsoft Update without issue.

Took me 30 minutes to find this simple solution. What a Joke. Thanks for the fix ACS, how strange. During install I left the language as en-US but added a German keyboard, set as default and marked the US keyboard for removal at next restart.

Two out of three failed with this error, the first one worked. Adding "www. This is not a bug related to missing updates. I found that quickly clicking the "Change settings" link at the left of the "looping" Microsoft web site allows you to turn off updates which reverts you to the original "Windows Update". I then installed all updates and tried to switch to "Microsoft Update" again, but the problem returned.

It's just a problem with "Microsoft Update" then. I wouldn't bet on Microsoft fixing this because it's to do with end of life operating systems and their legacy update web sites they probably just left on to keep people happy. At least your workaround is documented here now, Thanks! I totally agree with your assesment. I have already built 3 fresh install servers with the same result. Last year going to the french site worked on an old server. But the solution does not work on fresh installs.

What a shame. This has been broken for a year now and no fix. Thanks Code Chief. That fix works in this-year.