[WinPartners] Re: Windows Update Error (0x800C0008) started overnight...

Kerem B Limon kerem.limon at MIT.EDU
Wed May 5 10:37:55 EDT 2004


OK, some more comments:

I might be right. It appears to be an SSL-related issue of some sort; there 
is an interesting theory at

http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=microsoft.public.windowsupdate&selm=3D32B925-9E94-437A-A0EF-4860E62122C1%40microsoft.com

>For me this problem only began after installing the Update to IE6 SP1, 
>KB831167. Since the error message 0x800C0008 is related to SSL and the 
>update KB831167 also targeted SSL problems I belive the update 831167 is 
>the culprit. I am betting that it affects anyone who installs this 
>"Critical" update that does not infact need the update. i.e. they are not 
>experiencing the problems outlined in the "Critical" update. But since it 
>is "Critical" it gets installed... even, eventually, by reluctant 
>professionals. The offending update changes the way IE handles SSL. This 
>update is not uninstallable. Bummer. It should never have been placed as a 
>"Critical" update, period.
>In the debugger: The problem seems to occur when the browser attempts to 
>evaluate some code attached to the Update page that initializes a survey. 
>Or at least, the survey code is responsible for calling the DateTime 
>function as part of the code. Of course I do not have acess to the 
>anonomous code that is executed so it could be only related to SSL's time 
>function needs or whatever...
>So if anyone who can do anything solid about this, Take that update off 
>the "Critical" list and release an update for your update. TYIA
>Post a follow-up to this message

And trying to directly make an https:// connection to the Windows Update 
server URL

https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp

seems to get through as a workaround, so it seems like a code 
redirect/handover issue. I can't imagine how many inexperienced users 
must've been confused.

Grrr....

Kerem


At 04/05/05 10:25  Wednesday, Kerem B Limon wrote:
>About since late yesterday, I am unable to get Windows Update to 
>scan/compare for available updates on *any* of my machines.
>
>Symptoms:
>
>o I am getting the following error:
>
>>Windows Update Error
>>
>>
>>Windows Update has encountered an error. This may be due to a discrepancy 
>>in your computer's time setting.
>>
>>To check your date and time setting:
>>
>>On the taskbar, double-click the time.
>>Verify that the date and time is correct.
>>
>>
>>You can also get online support if you are having problems with Windows 
>>Update.
>>
>>
>>Send error number to Microsoft (0x800C0008)
>>Note This sends error information but does not create a support incident; 
>>you may or may not receive a response.
>
>o The time and date (and time zone) are (apparently) correct according to 
>time.mit.edu, my watch, CNN, etc. on all the machines.
>
>o This happens on *every* Windows (2000 & XP, haven't tested other flavors 
>yet) machine I have.
>
>o  This started virtually overnight or a bit earlier.
>
>o Microsoft newsgroups, particularly microsoft.public.windowsupdate ( 
>news://microsoft.public.windowsupdate or 
>http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&group=microsoft.public.windowsupdate 
>) are riddled with identical error reports, though the standard 
>troubleshooting response from lurking Microsofties do not seem to address 
>the problem.
>
>o *Nothing* changed on the machines before and after this started happening.
>
>In fact, one particular machine is a Windows 2000 Professional workstation 
>on which I had to do a clean install; I completed it early yesterday, long 
>*before* the problem started showing up and things were fine. I then had 
>to blow it away and reinstall, and started late last evening, followed the 
>*exact* same steps, and successfully performed on-line updates early in 
>the evening. Then, late last night, before I deployed the machine, I 
>wanted to check for any last minute updates as a last check, and ran 
>across this problem. Since about then, this problem shows up consistently 
>whenever I try to check for updates.
>
>All of these symptoms tell me something *on the Microsoft* side changed or 
>is messed up, as everything on this side has been static and copacetic :) 
>until now, and this happens across all of my machines.
>
>Any suggestions, others who encountered this? And yes, BTW, these machines 
>are behind a connection-sharing device (NAT router on Comcast).
>
>Kerem
>




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