Windows Update Always Returns Error 0x800A138F

[Nil]

Running IE6 under Win2k Pro with SP4 and all other patches for both
installed.

Until about three weeks ago, all was fine. Since then, when I run Windows
Update, it starts to scan, jumps immediately from 0% to 100%, and always
returns a
0x800A138F error.

I have tried everything, including making the site a trusted site, setting
security to low, removing all spyblocking software and firewalls, allowing
all cookies, etc.

I am totally at a loss.

Any help will be very greatly appreciated.

TIA.

 

[LeAnne]

I'm having the exact same problem. Have you gotten any
feedback yet?

LeAnne

 

[Bob]

EXACT same problem here as well. I tried the language fix
and it had no effect. This is a company wide problem for
us.

Bob

 

[Nil]

I discovered the solution to my problem by examining the C:\WINNT\Windows
Update.log.

I noticed that the errors began sometime in August. I also noticed that,
although the WU website reported Error 0x800A138F, the log file in fact
reported
Error 0x800C0005.

It appeared that right about the time the problem began, Windows Update (WU)
was using a different URL to query its update catalog than previously.
The new URL is
https://a248.e.akamai.net/v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/getmanifest.asp.

I use a HOSTS file in C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc to block ads and
spyware. The e.akaimi.net site is one of the sites blocked by the HOSTS
file.
So, I renamed HOSTS to NOHOSTS, ran WU again, and it worked like a charm. I
downloaded and installed the updates I needed w/o a problem. When I was
done, I renamed NOHOSTS back to HOSTS. This is easier than canceling out the
akamai URL, and it gives me full protection when I'm not running WU.

BTW, FYI, there are several programs that can take care of the HOSTS file
for you automatically. Here are just two that work very well:

1) Hosts Toggle ( http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/HostsToggle/);
2) RenHosts.bat (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm).

Of course, you can always easily write your own batch file to do it.

So, if you have a HOSTS file that blocks the WU URL noted above, just rename
it to something else, run WU, then rename it back to HOSTS.

This worked for me. It might not work for you, since your system might be
configured differently from mine. So, if it doesn't work, your problem is
probably caused by something else.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Gemini]

Also if you use proxy server it must accept host "a248.e.akamai.net" or
whole "akamai.net" domain.