Long story short, I’ve never had the time to really go back through and clean this post up. Although if you’re having problems with updating windows vista this collection of links and resources/tools can really be helpful I think, so I’ve decided to post as is and then let comments and time shape the post.
Helpful Links for Troubleshooting
Microsoft Update Solution Center – http://support.microsoft.com/gp/wupd
Free support for home users with windows update issues
Windows Genuine Advantage Diagnostics – http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/diag/
Make sure that WGA is not preventing you from updating
Tips to Try
If you utilize a forum for help, it always helps to give your exact operating system version
Start->Run
Winver
Check %windir%\WindowsUpdate.log for errors
Disable firewall/antivirus
File Integrity Check – SFC /scannow
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931712
Reinstall Windows Update Agent (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=91237)
WindowsUpdateAgent-Version#.exe /wuforce from command line
regsvr32 %windir%\system32\wups2.dll
Check Windows Update Related Services
Start->Run
Services.msc
Cryptographic
Windows Module Installer
Windows Update
Secure Sockets Tunnel
Actual Error Message I Received
“Error #: 0×80070026″ in Windows Update GUI
“FATAL: EvaluateApplicability failed in CCbs::EvaluateApplicability” in WindowsUpdate.log
Steps to Correct Issue
CheckSUR Utility – http://thebackroomtech.com/2008/04/07/using-checksur-to-repair-windows-vista-update-problems/
Check the log files it generates for Unavailable repair files
%systemroot%\logs\cbs\checksur.log
%systemroot%\logs\cbs\checksur.persist.log
For our issue
Unavailable repair files:
servicing\packages\WUClient-SelfUpdate-Core-CoreComp~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~7.4.7600.226.mum
servicing\packages\WUClient-SelfUpdate-Core-UIComp~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~7.4.7600.226.mum
servicing\packages\WUClient-SelfUpdate-Core-CoreComp~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~7.4.7600.226.cat
servicing\packages\WUClient-SelfUpdate-Core-UIComp~31bf3856ad364e35~x86~~7.4.7600.226.cat
takeown /F packages /R /A
icacls pacakages /grant Administrators:F
Copy missing .mum/.cat files from a working machine to the C:\Windows\Servicing\Packages folder on the damaged machine or request online
IF THAT DOESNT WORK – Last Resort
Flush software distribution history
Stop BITS and Automatic Updates services from services.msc
delete all files in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution
