i screwed up Windows Update by shutting down while it was running, please someone help me, i know it's offtopic, but please!

PLEASE HELP!

if anyone out there can help me it would mean so much to me, because going through a Win7 reinstall on a G73Jh is quite stressful with all those special drivers it needs... it's really too much for me, i'm as noob as it gets.

so, last night i was playing music on my G73 (closed lid) and i started to fall asleep, so i went and hit the sleep key on my external keyboard and waited a bit, but nothing happened, so i hit it again and it still wouldn't sleep, so then i opened the lid but the sceen was turned off and pressing keys didn't wake it up, i tried with the Fn+F7 but it didnt work (but now i think i might have pressed Alt instead of Fn... not sure), then i pressed the Play key on my external keyboard and the music started playing so i know it wasnt sleeping.

i was now getting really annoyed because it was the middle of the night and i really needed sleep so i just held down the power button and manually shut it off. (i had no idea that Update might be running, i found that out today when it wouldn't work and i checked the windowsupdate.log, however it didnt say that it was downloading or installing, it was just checking for updates i think)

well, it "works" but it's VERY slow to open up (i have to wait about 30 min for it to open from the Control Panel) and when it opens it gives me the red shield with the X and when i click "check for updates" is give me: "Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer."

then i did a System Restore to several days earlier but that didn't help at all, so i Undid that.

i also deleted the SoftwareDistribution folder and it also didn't help, so i restored it back (i read in some forums that it might help).

another program that is affected by this is Microsoft Security Essentials, which won't update itself even after reinstalling it: it downloads the updates, then it starts installing but freezes for like 20-30 minutes and then gives me this: "Security Essentials could not complete the virus and spyware definitions update due to an Internet or network connectivity issue"

here's some stuff from my windowsupdate.log from that night (the 20th) and the following morning when i was trying to run it:

2011-11-20 20:50:43:259 5412 4b4 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-20 20:50:43:259 5412 4b4 Misc = Process: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe
2011-11-20 20:50:43:259 5412 4b4 Misc = Module: C:\Windows\system32\wuapi.dll
2011-11-20 20:50:43:256 5412 4b4 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to connect to the service (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-20 20:50:43:259 5412 4b4 COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish connection to the service. (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-20 20:50:43:268 5412 4b4 COMAPI -------------
2011-11-20 20:50:43:268 5412 4b4 COMAPI -- START -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = Microsoft Security Essentials (EDB4FA23-53B8-4AFA-8C5D-99752CCA7094)]
2011-11-20 20:50:43:268 5412 4b4 COMAPI ---------
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to connect to the service (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish connection to the service. (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI - WARNING: Exit code = 0x8007041D
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI ---------
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI -- END -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = <NULL>]
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI -------------
2011-11-20 20:53:43:220 5412 4b4 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to initiate asynchronous search, hr=8007041D
2011-11-21 02:30:34:837 1072 11c Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-21 02:30:34:853 1072 11c Misc = Process: C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
2011-11-21 02:30:34:853 1072 11c Misc = Module: c:\windows\system32\wuaueng.dll
2011-11-21 02:30:34:837 1072 11c Service *************
2011-11-21 02:30:34:853 1072 11c Service ** START ** Service: Service startup
2011-11-21 02:30:34:853 1072 11c Service *********
2011-11-21 02:30:35:321 1072 11c Agent * WU client version 7.5.7601.17514
2011-11-21 02:30:35:321 1072 11c Agent * Base directory: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
2011-11-21 02:30:35:321 1072 11c Agent * Access type: No proxy
2011-11-21 02:30:35:321 1072 11c Agent * Network state: Connected
2011-11-21 02:30:50:874 1072 1550 Report CWERReporter::Init succeeded
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent *********** Agent: Initializing Windows Update Agent ***********
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent *********** Agent: Initializing global settings cache ***********
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent * WSUS server: <NULL>
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent * WSUS status server: <NULL>
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent * Target group: (Unassigned Computers)
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 Agent * Windows Update access disabled: No
2011-11-21 02:30:50:890 1072 1550 DnldMgr Download manager restoring 0 downloads
2011-11-21 02:30:50:905 1072 1550 DnldMgr Retrieved 3 persisted download jobs
2011-11-21 02:30:50:905 1072 1550 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 0] ***********
2011-11-21 02:30:50:905 1072 1550 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {E9578563-6476-4114-A090-15BF925D5AA8}
2011-11-21 02:30:50:905 1072 1550 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 02:30:50:968 1072 1550 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {CA26B25F-2361-4CD4-A987-C09FA27510B4}.100
2011-11-21 02:30:50:968 1072 1550 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 02:30:50:983 1072 1550 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 1] ***********
2011-11-21 02:30:50:983 1072 1550 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {BF4735A9-4231-4005-8543-1A44BE1408A5}
2011-11-21 02:30:50:983 1072 1550 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 02:30:51:014 1072 1550 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {278B46BE-6904-4273-8C76-6F9630278C34}.103
2011-11-21 02:30:51:030 1072 1550 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 02:30:51:030 1072 1550 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 2] ***********
2011-11-21 02:30:51:030 1072 1550 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {72E6D4FB-03E4-4F07-B8BA-B18D487389C6}
2011-11-21 02:30:51:030 1072 1550 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 02:30:51:061 1072 1550 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {907109EB-3725-4BB6-8371-A3611697C835}.100
2011-11-21 02:30:51:077 1072 1550 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 02:30:51:077 1072 1550 AU ########### AU: Initializing Automatic Updates ###########
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU AU setting next detection timeout to 2011-11-21 01:30:51
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2011-11-21 01:30:51
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at 3:00
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User preference)
2011-11-21 02:30:51:092 1072 1550 AU # Will interact with non-admins (Non-admins are elevated (User preference))
2011-11-21 02:30:51:326 1072 1550 AU Initializing featured updates
2011-11-21 02:30:51:326 1072 1550 AU Found 0 cached featured updates
2011-11-21 10:45:52:687 1080 ce0 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-21 10:45:52:687 1080 ce0 Misc = Process: C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe
2011-11-21 10:45:52:687 1080 ce0 Misc = Module: c:\windows\system32\wuaueng.dll
2011-11-21 10:45:52:687 1080 ce0 Service *************
2011-11-21 10:45:52:687 1080 ce0 Service ** START ** Service: Service startup
2011-11-21 10:45:52:703 1080 ce0 Service *********
2011-11-21 10:45:52:952 1080 ce0 Agent * WU client version 7.5.7601.17514
2011-11-21 10:45:52:952 1080 ce0 Agent * Base directory: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
2011-11-21 10:45:52:952 1080 ce0 Agent * Access type: No proxy
2011-11-21 10:45:52:968 1080 ce0 Agent * Network state: Connected
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Report CWERReporter::Init succeeded
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent *********** Agent: Initializing Windows Update Agent ***********
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent *********** Agent: Initializing global settings cache ***********
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent * WSUS server: <NULL>
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent * WSUS status server: <NULL>
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent * Target group: (Unassigned Computers)
2011-11-21 10:46:39:144 1080 ce0 Agent * Windows Update access disabled: No
2011-11-21 10:46:39:160 1080 ce0 DnldMgr Download manager restoring 0 downloads
2011-11-21 10:46:39:160 1080 ce0 DnldMgr Retrieved 3 persisted download jobs
2011-11-21 10:46:39:160 1080 ce0 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 0] ***********
2011-11-21 10:46:39:160 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {E9578563-6476-4114-A090-15BF925D5AA8}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:160 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:191 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {CA26B25F-2361-4CD4-A987-C09FA27510B4}.100
2011-11-21 10:46:39:207 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 10:46:39:207 1080 ce0 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 1] ***********
2011-11-21 10:46:39:207 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {BF4735A9-4231-4005-8543-1A44BE1408A5}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:207 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:238 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {278B46BE-6904-4273-8C76-6F9630278C34}.103
2011-11-21 10:46:39:253 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 10:46:39:253 1080 ce0 DnldMgr *********** DnldMgr: Restoring download [no. 2] ***********
2011-11-21 10:46:39:253 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * BITS JobId = {72E6D4FB-03E4-4F07-B8BA-B18D487389C6}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:253 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2011-11-21 10:46:39:269 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * UpdateId = {907109EB-3725-4BB6-8371-A3611697C835}.100
2011-11-21 10:46:39:269 1080 ce0 DnldMgr * Restored download job.
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU ########### AU: Initializing Automatic Updates ###########
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU AU setting next detection timeout to 2011-11-21 09:46:39
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU AU setting next sqm report timeout to 2011-11-21 09:46:39
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at 3:00
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User preference)
2011-11-21 10:46:39:285 1080 ce0 AU # Will interact with non-admins (Non-admins are elevated (User preference))
2011-11-21 10:46:39:300 1080 ce0 AU Initializing featured updates
2011-11-21 10:46:39:300 1080 ce0 AU Found 0 cached featured updates
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 Misc = Process: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 Misc = Module: C:\Windows\system32\wuapi.dll
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 COMAPI -------------
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 COMAPI -- START -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = Microsoft Security Essentials (EDB4FA23-53B8-4AFA-8C5D-99752CCA7094)]
2011-11-21 10:53:24:284 4660 c98 COMAPI ---------
2011-11-21 10:53:24:294 4660 c98 COMAPI <<-- SUBMITTED -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = Microsoft Security Essentials (EDB4FA23-53B8-4AFA-8C5D-99752CCA7094)]
2011-11-21 11:40:09:501 4368 162c Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-21 11:40:09:501 4368 162c Misc = Process: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Client\Antimalware\MpCmdRun.exe
2011-11-21 11:40:09:501 4368 162c Misc = Module: C:\Windows\system32\wuapi.dll
2011-11-21 11:40:09:491 4368 162c COMAPI FATAL: Unable to connect to the service (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-21 11:40:09:501 4368 162c COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish connection to the service. (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-21 11:40:09:531 4368 162c COMAPI -------------
2011-11-21 11:40:09:531 4368 162c COMAPI -- START -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = Microsoft Security Essentials (EDB4FA23-53B8-4AFA-8C5D-99752CCA7094)]
2011-11-21 11:40:09:531 4368 162c COMAPI ---------
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI FATAL: Unable to connect to the service (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI WARNING: Unable to establish connection to the service. (hr=8007041D)
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI - WARNING: Exit code = 0x8007041D
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI ---------
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI -- END -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId = <NULL>]
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI -------------
2011-11-21 11:42:09:527 4368 162c COMAPI FATAL: Unable to initiate asynchronous search, hr=8007041D
2011-11-21 12:00:10:014 5720 e54 Misc =========== Logging initialized (build: 7.5.7601.17514, tz: +0100) ===========
2011-11-21 12:00:10:014 5720 e54 Misc = Process: C:\Windows\system32\DllHost.exe
2011-11-21 12:00:10:014 5720 e54 Misc = Module: C:\Windows\system32\wucltux.dll
2011-11-21 12:00:10:014 5720 e54 WUApp WARNING: Failed to enable WU service (wuauserv) or BITS service; hr=8007041D

 

Since it said the update service isn't running, I would reccomend going to the start menu and type services.msc in the search box and then press enter. In the new window, scroll down to the bottom and see if the Windows Update service is set to Automatic (Delayed Start). If it's not, set it to Automatic (Delayed Start) and reboot.

Then try Windows Update again. A System Restore should have remedied this if the service is in fact not running, but this is a place to start.

 

hey thanks for the reply, but i can't even open that file now, seem like the whole Windows is slowly going to hell....
everytime i cut/paste some file somewhere, apparently nothing happens, i have to click Refresh to see that the file is gone from the folder it was in and that it has appeared in the folder i was copying it to, i never had to do that before! Or like when i delete something from my desktop, the icon is still there but when i click on it it's 0 bytes, and then when i refresh and it moves to the Recycle Bin.
also, the PC won't read my USB sticks anymore... when i insert one nothing happens and when i go to My Computer it starts to "think" , i.e. the horizontal green bar on top starts filling in but never actually fills in...
i think i somehow screwed up the Windows Explorer. However, the Internet Explorer still runs fine, except when i bookmark a site the bookmark doesn't show , it shows only when i close and open IE again....
also my sound disappeared.

that's just some of the weird things i'm noticing now.... i'm sure there will be more....

what should i do?

 

man up and reinstall. it's not that hard.

 

wait, i can just use the Recovery DVDs as a last measure...

but let me get something clearly: if i use the 6 Asus Recovery DVDs, they return my C: back to the exact state it was in when i burned them, right?

i mean, does it only return Win7 to that state (along with all the drivers and stuff), or does it also return all my programs and files i had on C: when i burned the dvds?

also, should i worry about all the programs and files that are not on my C: drive? they are going to remain untouched, right?

i burned 5 DVDs right after i bought the G73 (a year ago) and then burned another 6 about five months ago (and those are the ones i'll be using).

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but my understanding is that the data recovery burner utility just creates DVDs of the recovery partition. I do not think it is backing up any of your data at all.

Furthermore, I believe that the recovery blows away all of the partitions on that drive. If you use those disks to recover the computer, it will be like it was when you bought it. Your stuff will be gone. I would make a backup before proceeding if you have important files on that computer. Perhaps you can purchase a 2.5 inch drive enclosure, put your hard drive in it, and plug it into another computer to backup your important stuff. I have an adapter that I use for this. It's basically a SATA connector you plug into a hard drive that has a USB cable on the other side of it.

If you have TWO hard drives, you could pull the second hard drive out and just rebuild the one hard drive. Two hard drives are not necessary to make the recovery process work. Furthermore, recovering from the recovery partition would be faster than recovering from those disks you made. There is or should be a 20GB partition on the main hard drive. I believe you press F11 when the computer boots to kick off the factory restore from that partition.

 

I've done recovery with the disks once, and Jody is correct. Not much backup of your files there.

 

ok i'm totally lost now... what exactly is the recovery partition?

you say that using these Recovery DVDs my computer "will be like it was when you bought it" , do you mean Win7 will also be there like it was when i first turned it on? (even though i made these Recovery dvd's after i had been using the G73 for half a year and after i had updated some drivers and the BIOS and vBIOS) ?

 

There is a hidden recovery partition on your main HDD. you can't see it, but it is there, you can also restore from the recovery partition. It's either F10 or F9 at boot to access it. you'll need to backup all your important data first then reinstall all of your programs. It'll be somewhat long, but as an earlier poster said, man up and reinstall . sometimes it might take less time to backup your data and reinstall than spending hours troubleshooting an issue you may or may not fix. If you look at the total HDd space on your primary drive, it'll come out at ~446GB instead of the 465GB that a 500GB HDD should give you.

 

delete the useless recovery partition while you're at it. use Acronis for backups.

 

I mean it will be exactly like it was the day you took it out of the box. Original drivers, Windows 7 WITHOUT Service Pack 1, all of the factory Asus software still installed, etc. You will have lots of windows updates to do and you'll have to reinstall your games and applications.

When you run the "Create Recovery Disks" application, what it's doing is making a bootable copy of the hidden recovery partition that is on your hard drive. You will need this if your hard drive completely dies. If there's nothing wrong with your hard drive, you can just restore directly from the partition. There's a hotkey you press when the computer gets to the ASUS bios screen. I thought it was F11 but someone here said it was F9 or F10. I just press them all at the Asus screen and one of them works.

 

ahh ok, i think i'm starting to get it now

so, it restores my factory windows and also deletes everything on the D: E: and G: partitions? well, that's a bit of a bummer, since i keep a lot of music and movies on those....

but i think it's still easier for a noob like me to reset back to factory and just install the exact G73 updates that have kept my machine stable (up until now), than to do a complete fresh reinstall....

so, just to make this clear: i won't have to update my BIOS and vBIOS again after i recover from the hidden partition, correct?

 

You will not have to update your BIOS again. That recovery is specifically for the OS and won't affect your BIOS.

 

It would be amuch better idea to just do a fresh install of Windows. Everything will be clean and up to date, plus you'll get to keep your D:, E: and G: partitions.