Windows 7 SP1 x64 will not Update (Windows Update error code 800724F4)

[terryssmith44]

I have a Windows 7 SP1 x64 PC has had no MS updates since 2012. I finally have time to work on it. It has a lot of data and programs that I use on a daily bases, so if I don't have to install Windows again I would be thankful.


I get the Windows Update error code 800724F4. I completed the usual fix is by syncing the time and date to the proper time zone. I have tried this several times without success. Time and Date is correct.


While in a clean boot I ran the Windows Fix it program, ran SFC /scannow command and several other MS support recommended solutions from the (admin) prompt command line, but still didn't resolve the update issue. Today I found that the Components directory was missing from the the HKey_Local_Machine regedit location so I tried the System Update Readiness Tool. The "Components" directory is back, but still get the error code 800724F4.


I just tried the the following from a similar post (971058):

To reset the Windows Update components, follow these steps:

1. Open a command prompt. To do this, use one of the following methods, depending on your version of Windows:
   • Windows 10: Press and hold (or right-click) the Windows logo button on the taskbar and then selectCommand Prompt (Admin). Click Yes when the User Account Control box appears.
   • Windows8.1 and Windows 8: From the Start screen, swipe in from the right side to display the charms, select Search, and then search for cmd. (Or, if you are using a keyboard and mouse, type cmd at the Start screen.) In the search results, press-and-hold or right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run as Administrator.
   • Windows 7 and earlier versions: Press the Windows logo key + R, type cmd in the Run box, and then press Enter. Right-click cmd, and then select Run as Administrator.
2. Stop the BITS service, the Windows Update service, and the Cryptographic service. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following commands. Make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
   • net stop bits
   • net stop wuauserv
   • net stop appidsvc
   • net stop cryptsvc
3. Delete the qmgr*.dat files. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"
4. If this is your first attempt at resolving your Windows Update issues by following the steps in this article, you should skip step 4 and go to step 5. You should follow step 4 at this point in the troubleshooting only if you cannot resolve your Windows Update issues after you follow all steps except step 4. (Step 4 is performed by the "Aggressive" mode of the Fix it Solution that was mentioned earlier.)
   1. Rename the softare distribution folders backup copies. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following commands. Make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
      • Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
      • Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
   2. Reset the BITS service and the Windows Update service to the default security descriptor. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following commands. Make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
      • 
        sc.exe sdset bits DA;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
      • 
        sc.exe sdset wuauserv DA;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
5. At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   cd /d %windir%\system32
6. Reregister the BITS files and the Windows Update files. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following commands. Make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
   • regsvr32.exe atl.dll
   • regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
   • regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
   • regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
   • regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
   • regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
   • regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
   • regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
   • regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
   • regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
   • regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
   • regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
   • regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
   • regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
   • regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
   • regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll
7. Reset Winsock. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   netsh winsock reset
8. If you are running Windows XP, you have to configure the proxy settings. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   
   proxycfg.exe -d
   If you are running other versions of Windows, at a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:
   netsh winhttp reset proxy
9. Restart the BITS service, the Windows Update service, and the Cryptographic service. To do this, at a command prompt, type the following commands. Make sure that you press Enter after you type each command.
   • net start bits
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start appidsvc

• net start cryptsvc

** I think I did more damage then repairing the Update command. Now when I try to Update the system says:


"Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer."


I did check the Services.msc and found that Windows Update is missing now. So, looks like I have to address this first before tackling the first update issue. Can anyone help with how to reinstall the Windows update command in Services?

Sorry for this lengthy post.

Thanks Much!!!


Terry

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