Alternate way to check and install Windows Update.

[RealCat]

Hello.
I guess there is some problem with the network settings here in my
work place. I cannot get Windows Updates neither other colleagues. The
network administrators seem not to know how to fix this problem. On
Windows XP, Windows updates are delivered through Windows Update web
site, so at least I could check what updates are available, even
though I cannot download it (yes, download always fails). However on
Windows Vista, Windows Updates in done by a built-in module and it
seems that Windows Vista cannot even connect to the update service.
There must be some problem with the network, something like firewall
blocking the port of the update service. Is there any way to check and
install Windows Updates for Windows Vista?

 

[Richard Urban]

Have you not heard about the conficker.c worm? It has been taken on by every
major news network so the information IS available to anyone.

One of the side effects of being infected is that it disables Windows
updates.

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

 

[MBUnit]

Hello.
I guess there is some problem with the network settings here in my
work place. I cannot get Windows Updates neither other colleagues. The
network administrators seem not to know how to fix this problem. On
Windows XP, Windows updates are delivered through Windows Update web
site, so at least I could check what updates are available, even
though I cannot download it (yes, download always fails). However on
Windows Vista, Windows Updates in done by a built-in module and it
seems that Windows Vista cannot even connect to the update service.
There must be some problem with the network, something like firewall
blocking the port of the update service. Is there any way to check and
install Windows Updates for Windows Vista?

You can also do manual updates on Vista too, just like you can on XP, by
disabling automatic updates on Vista, going to the Update site
yourself and selecting the updates manually. You can also just go to the
Update site even with auto-updates is enabled on Vista and do them
manually yourself.

It could be a possibility that malware is loose on the machines, and it
is blocking or terminating the download, if more than one machine is
having this problem.

You should check the Symptoms section, because it sounds suspicious that
other machines on your network are having problems.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conficker

But on the other hand, if your company is using a home consumer grade
router, it could have been wormed too.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/24/psyb0t_home_networking_worm/