Cannot connect to Microsoft.com for Updates

Hey guys, I'm running Windows Vista Home Premium (32-bit) and I cannot connect to microsoft.com or the Microsoft update utility in vista to update. When trying to update from the website upon clicking the "Download" button i get a page cannot load, no matter which update I try to download. The utility in Vista says it cannot connect to the Microsoft server's but my internet connection is working 100% for everything else...games,instant messaging,internet,etc.

If anyone could help that would be greatly appreciated!

 

In Vista you have to use the built-in Windows Update utility, you cannot use the web site.

Are you getting some kind of error message? Error code?

Are you trying to connect from a corporate environment? If so, some of the corporate policies might be preventing you from using Windows Update (and forcing automatic update distribution by other means, like for example Windows Server Update Service - WSUS).

 

There are lots of reasons why Windows Update doesn't work, generally speaking you should get an error message on your windows update app (start > control panel > windows update)

One error I have run into repeatedly with certain ISPs lately (comcast, cough cough) is a DNS problem, where Microsoft changes their servers and the information doesn't replicate across the ISPs DNS servers.

In each case, I simply switched from the Comcast DNS servers to OPENDNS servers and it worked without flaw.

But again, there are hundreds of reasons update may not work. Need the error code

 

i guess that according to the description, it could be the 404 error..?

then i'd focus on internet connection settings (fake DNS can cause this) or hosts file (may be changed by malware as well).

 

Yeah it could be malware. Or it could be your ISP.

 

i had same prob before few weeks,try to scan your pc with malwarebytes (offline)
it works for me

 

The error code is...80244019

I am trying to download .net framework 3.5 and Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1

 

That error code can popup if you have custom update servers enabled.

Are you familiar with using the registry editor? If so, open up registry editor, navigate here:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Policies \ Microsoft \ Windows \ WindowsUpdate \ AU

And check for a value named UseWUServer

If the value for UseWUServer is 1, it means your PC will communicate with internal WU servers configured and not with the "standard" Windows Update servers.

You can change it to 0, but it might just update itself later from company/corporate policies automatically. After you adjust it, you should restart the Windows Update service and open Windows Update window again. Note also, your sysadmins might frown upon such action

 

He's using Vista HOME premium (see OP) so he shouldn't have a system administrator setting a group policy to us a WUServer.

That doesn't mean he doesn't have that key--I've see more than enough home computers with group policy keys--just that he's not likely to be frowned on by a system administrator

 

I did a virus scan with eset and f-secure and removed all threats, same result...