# Downloading Updates 0%



## nicshow (Oct 6, 2004)

My dowloading updates icon has been in my system tray for quite a while but never shows any progress. It continues to show 0%.

I read elsewhere in this forum that it may be a firewall setting but I have received other XP updates successfully with no change to the firewall.

Can anyone offer any help?

Thanks!


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## Mark B (Sep 24, 2004)

*Had exactly the same problem*

I had the same problem and went to the Microsoft Online Support, they gave me the following instructions quoted directly from their e-mail back to me:

"This issue may occur because of a corrupted SoftwareDistribution folder. We will rename this corrupt folder so that a new one is created when you access the site. Please follow the steps I have listed below. 

We will first stop the Automatic Updates Service

1. Click Start. Choose Run. 
2. In the Run box, type services.msc. Click OK. 
3. Right-click the Automatic Updates Service. Click Stop.

After Stopping the Service we will rename the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

1. Open Windows Explorer. Navigate to the Windows folder 
2. Click on the + next to the Windows folder 
3. Navigate to SoftwareDistribution folder. Right Click on the SoftwareDistribution folder 
4. Select rename from the Menu 
5. Rename the folder to SoftwareDistribution.old and click Enter 
6. Now restart the Automatic Update Service.

Now restart the Automatic Updates service

a. Click Start. Choose Run. 
b. In the Run box, type services.msc. Click OK. 
c. Right-click the Automatic Updates Service. Click Start.

Now disable any firewall and antivirus software that may be running in the background and go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com check whether the issue is resolved."

This cured my problem hope it helps you. Good luck!

Mark


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## Pancake (Nov 22, 2003)

There is another way to fix it.
Turn off your System Restore,reboot,and then turn it back on again.The icon should be gone and its all back to normal.


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## Dan_17 (Oct 25, 2004)

*The softwaredistribution folder*

Can this folder be deleted?


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## carabrat (Oct 26, 2004)

*Downloading updates:*

After a bit of searching i found that you get this when Control Panel/Automatic Updates is set to Automatic (recommended). I've changed my setting to "Notify Me but don't autmatically download or install them" so i can let the feature out to play when it suits me.


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## Godot (Jul 12, 2008)

I'd had the same problem for a few weeks. I realize this is an old thread, but as this is the first link Goog displays when searching, thought I'd post what fixed my issue here. 

The Background Intelligent Transfer Service *MUST* be running for automatic updates to complete.

To check if BITS is running, open your services console:
Run - services.msc

Check status of BITS. If it's not 'started,' right-click and select 'Start.'

If it will not start, step through the instructions on this page:
http://www.botmanfamily.net/~aurelien/articles/bits-reinstall.shtml

This will get your BITS service running and finally enable auto-updates.

My issue was fixed after a reboot at step 3. Yours may be fixed sooner or may need to go through all his steps. But regardless, step though those instructions in the order he's posted them. Don't neglect to reboot between changes.

HTH
-Godot

take your fingers out of your noses. your wait is over.


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## ThorXP (Mar 11, 2008)

There are a number of things that can break Windows Update in XP, including performing a repair/reinstall. Some are also having issues after installing Service Pack 3. For a quick fix, do this:

Open Notepad and copy/paste the following text:

regsvr32 wuapi.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 atl.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll
regsvr32 wups2.dll
regsvr32 msxml.dll
regsvr32 msxml3.dll
regsvr32 msxml2.dll
regsvr32 qmgr.dll
regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32 Softpub.dll
regsvr32 Mssip32.dll
regsvr32 Initpki.dll
end

Save the file to your desktop as UpdatesFix.cmd (you'll have to click the "Save As Type... dropdown and select "All Files" before you click the Save button). 

Some of these dll files can take a bit to get reregistered. If you use the /s switch in the script, as some suggest, you might think that the thing has hung or stopped responding, because that switch silences any feedback from the script itself. I don't use the /s switch, because I want to know just what's going on.

If you'd rather not try the batch file, you can enter each line in the Run box one at a time and click OK after each one.

Doubleclick the UpdatesFix.cmd file; a command window will open, and you'll see a series of dialogue boxes saying DLLRegisterServer in *.dll succeeded. Click OK to step through the process. Once all the dll's have been successfully reregistered, visit the Windows Update site. Often you will have to download and install Windows Installer 3.1 and the Windows Genuine Advantage tool before you can download any more updates.

On rare occaissions, a reregister will fail; in such cases, run sfc /scannow (have your OS CD handy) and then try again.

Other times, the reregistering will succeed, but Windows Update still fails. This can occur if the temporary folders of Windows Update have been corrupted. You can refer to these steps to rename these folders. Be assured the folders will be created again when you visit the Windows Update site again.

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Run the following command in the opened window:

net stop wuauserv

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir%\SoftwareDistribution and press Enter to open the temporary folder of the Windows Update engine. Then, rename the following two subfolders:

DataStore
Download

For example, rename DataStore to DataStore-old, and Download to Download-old.

3. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Run the following command in the opened window:

net start wuauserv

After you rename the above folders, please restart the computer in normal mode and visit the Windows Update site again.

If you are still having problems, post the specifics on this forum, and we will see if we can help.

Original Post By: bbearren at Tech Support Guy Forums


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## Guess (Jul 14, 2008)

My symptoms are slightly different. I have recently reinstalled XP SP2 and have already received a few updates.

I have updates et to download and let me choose whether to install. I do not want updates for modules I don't use.

My understanding is that SP3 will be downloaded at some time in the near future.

What is happening now is that the update icon is appearing in the icon tray and regular checking sees the percentage rise. My calculations are that it will take about 24 hours. No problem I have left it all night twice now. Both time when I recheck the percentage has gone down as if it had restarted. So far, since the problem started I have not received any updates in full.

BITS is running so I will try the other suggestion and report back

BTW I have stopped all other downloads but the Windows update does not speed up.


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## 120inna55 (Apr 3, 2009)

*Re: Had exactly the same problem*



Mark B said:


> I had the same problem and went to the Microsoft Online Support, they gave me the following instructions quoted directly from their e-mail back to me:
> 
> "This issue may occur because of a corrupted SoftwareDistribution folder. We will rename this corrupt folder so that a new one is created when you access the site. Please follow the steps I have listed below.
> 
> ...


I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to chime in saying this was very useful information and has resolved my problem with my PC at work. Googling "Downloading Updates 0%" lead me here. Just wanted to let you know that 5 years later this thread is still helping people. Thanks!


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## sandyd2001 (Sep 21, 2010)

Echoing 120inna55's comment, I wanted to keep this alive as well.

The above did not solve my problem, but it did help me to find a solution to what was affecting my computer.

It turns out that a virus can put the kibosh on your Windows Update as well. I had a cleansweep.exe virus that caused the following symptoms:

1) The downloading 0% problem

2) I couldn't access the Windows Update site. I kept getting some random error message saying that the site was too busy and try again later.

3) My computer would not hibernate. If you tried to do it under the Shutdown menu, it wouldn't do a thing. If you went to Sleep and it tried to Hibernate after the set time, the computer would actually turn back on.

4) My Internet Explorer would randomly open new tabs and be directed to some advertising site.

5) Start up times were really really long.

The way I solved this was:

1) I downloaded Malwarebytes which took care of the cleansweep.exe problem, but left me with all the symptoms still

2) I downloaded Hitman Pro 3.5, which worked awesome and now my computer is running like it's old self and I am a happy camper! 

Good luck and I hope this helps someone fix their computer!


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