"An update for Windows update"

My Dad just got a new Vostro with Vista Basic on it. He hasn't done anything to it except install Office and today he installed the LogMeIn software so I could help him get some things set up.

So out of the box Windows update doesn't seem to work. It tells me that it needs to download "an update for Windows Update" I click proceed, click through all the "are you sure" prompts and get an error code "80096010"

Searching provides few answers on what to do except for possibly some pretty extensive registry hacks and/or deleting of system files that may fix the problem or might just turn his laptop into a brick. Something that neither of us is comfortable trying, especially since I'm on the opposite side of the country.

So any ideas on easy things we can try to get this functionality working? He is really only trying to download and install SP3 for Office 2003 so that he can get his Business Contact Manager to work with Vista. The manual update doesn't seem to work for this file either, it starts the install and then says that the file is corrupted and has to close.

I'm pretty frustrated with Vista right now. I knew that there would be all sorts of annoyances with it that would take a bunch of hair pulling to figure out how to turn off, but I figured that basic functionality like installing updates would work.

-Dylan

 

This is not a Vista Problem.

I've written before about this.

 

Maybe I'm misunderstanding what is written in that other thread, but I'm not complaining about a stealth update to Windows Update (although that does bug me). My problem is that when I specifically tell it to update the updater, it fails and I can't even manually install OS or Office updates.

 

Go to Windows Update (Control Panel/System and Maintenance/Windows Update) and click on the Change Settings link. At the bottom of that screen, click the box to use the Microsoft Update service. Click OK. Shut down. Restart. Try updating again.

 

Still doesn't work. The box next to "Use Microsoft Update Service" was already checked, so I unchecked it and rechecked it, and then rebooted. When I try to use Windows Update I get the message that I first need to install an update for Windows update. I try to get this and get the error code 80096010, which doesn't seem to have a solution in the MS knowledge base.

 

This copy of Vista has been activated?

 

Yes, just checked and it shows as being active.

 

guys am facing the error code.not gettin any solution to it.is anyone here got the solution to this 80096010 error.it keeps askin to verify he digital sceurity signature. ..plz help..

 

Sorry Vishal, I wasn't able to resolve my issue. Dell has asked that I reinstall the OS, which I haven't had time to do yet.

 

I also had error messages trying to to do a Windows update on their website using IE. What ever fix MS suggested didn't work. I finally got it to update using AOL's browser.

 

hey got a solution of it ..sort off..i was using netgear router.so i was gettin the wi-fi signal.and all was workin well but for the updates.so i tried to connect my laptop striaght via the broadband cable. and guess wt it started workin.all is updating ..except the msn messanger which is just not gettin installed.error is digital signature of the publisher is nt verified.so guys try that...
hy did the reintallin of the os solved ur prob..no i guss/

 

A desktop which is connected directly to my Linksys router via ethernet was able to update using the MS update website and IE7 but when I hooked up my laptop the same way, I wasn't able to. The only thing that works on my laptop is using the AOL browser. Go figure.

P.S. Earlier today I tried rolling back my IE browser to IE6 and that didn't work, so I updated again to IE7. After the browser update, I still couldn't use IE7 and get Windows updates, then the AOL browser (also whatever version of IE you're using) wouldn't work, so I down graded again. Finally, although IE6 won't update Windows, my AOL browser will again.

BTW, the error code I'm getting is: 0x80072EFD

 

well ur error code is totaly diff from mine..so sorry i duno wts the prob with ur os...

 

Yes, I realize that but, rather than start a separate thread about Windows update errors, I added to yours.

P.S. While you're problem solving, you ought to get that keyboard checked.

 

wt u mean by keyboard check?

 

Your continued use of "text speak" here.

Gary