Windows Update Error

Windows Update Error

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Send error number to Microsoft (0x800A138F)
(Note This sends error information but does not create a support incident;
you may or may not receive a response.)

I am very frustrated!

Can you help?
What Is The 0x800A138F Problem?

The aim of this article is to help you solve this 0x800A138F problem and have you updating your Windows XP Professional or Home Edition computer as soon as possible!

(This is also a known issue with some installations of Windows 2000 Professional AFTER applying Service Pack 3)

As usual all advice is offered as-is without warranty of any kind....

I do NOT want to get too technical in this support article. Simply because most of you reading this, want a solution and not a technical briefing! Also, many of you are new(ish) to Windows XP and I am not here to confuse you either...

Essentially when your computer communicates with the Windows Update website. It uses TWO technologies called:

Active X - to interact with the Microsoft site. The first time you visit the Update website, using your profile, you are asked if you will accept the Windows Update Control Package (the Active X control) onto your machine.

SSL (Secure Socket Layer) - A method of data encryption used by Internet Explorer.

Now this general error message 0x800A138F, that some folks get when they visit Windows Update, has been around for a while. BUT, when the MSBlast virus was unleashed Microsoft changed a few things at the main update website. One of them was to use Akamai for additional bandwidth and this connectivity is exclusively using HTTPS (SSL) for the downloading of the update catalogue. It is since then that we have seen an escalation in the number of 0x800A138F error messages!

TIP:

The following steps will help many of you... BUT

What would be REALLY helpful to anyone trying to support you, is if you go to the "Windows Update Log" and look for any "Errors". This gives a clearer indication as to the exact nature of the problem. (The 0x800A138F error message is a "General" error THE real error number is in the log. A list of possible error messages is in a table at the bottom of this page.)

The windows update log is in the following places:

C:\Windows\Windows Update.log (Win XP & Win98/Me)
C:\WINNT\Windows Update.log (Windows 2000)

Just copy and paste the above in Windows Explorer to open the log file...

NB -

If YOU GET ERROR 0x8007007E click here for a separate article...

If YOU GET ERROR 0x800B0004 click here for a separate article...

If YOU GET ERROR 0x800C0008 Try Step 4 and 5...

If YOU GET ERROR 0x80190190 Go To Table at the end of this page...

If YOU GET ERROR 0xC00CE55F Go To Table at the end of this page...

If YOU GET "Error 0x80070057: The parameter is incorrect" PLEASE go to the end of this article and read the email sent in by Hans Lenzen!


Here's how to try and fix the 0x800A138F problem:

Some of the steps here may seem a little odd. But hang in there with me! One of them should work for YOU! (Please read the Personal Comments at the end of the article. Here I share with you my own experiences of fixing error 0x800A138F...)

Let's start with the basics and then move forward one step at a time.... I have also included some emails I have received from site visitors, at the end of this article!!!

NB - If you are using or have been using any form of Anti Spy/Advert software try STEP 11 first!

Also MANY folks have resolved this issue using STEP 5...

Step 1)

Delete Temporary Internet Files

There is a possibility of some corrupted files in your Temporary Internet Files (TIF) storage... So we need to clear out this folder.

To do so:

Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the General tab.
Under Temporary Internet files, click Delete Cookies.
Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
Click Delete Files.
Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
Under History, click Clear History.
Click Yes when you are prompted to delete your history of visited Web sites.
Click OK.
Close Internet Explorer
Start Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update Site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 2

-----------------------------------------------

Step 2):

Check Security And Content Settings In Internet Explorer

a) Check the security settings for the Trusted sites zone in Internet Explorer.

To do so:

Open Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Security tab.

Click Trusted sites, and then click Default Level. (This should be Low, these are sites you trust!) Now click the Sites button.
Clear the check box "Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone."
Type the following URL's EXACTLY as follows:

http://Windowsupdate.microsoft.com
http://V4.Windowsupdate.microsoft.com
https://v4.Windowsupdate.microsoft.com (Note: The https is correct)
http://Download.Windowsupdate.com


Type each one then, click Add, and repeat until they all show in the bottom box. Now click OK, and then click Apply.

TIP: It is also worth checking to make sure NONE of these URL's appear in the "Restricted Sites" section.... Some of the popular spy blocker type software can automatically place any URL in this section..


b) Clear the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) state and AutoComplete history.

To do so:

(Windows XP Only...)
Open Internet Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Content tab.
Under Certificates, click Clear SSL State.
Click OK when you receive the message that the SSL cache was successfully cleared.
Under Personal information, click AutoComplete.
Under Clear AutoComplete history, click Clear Forms. Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the operation.
Click Clear Passwords. Click OK when you are prompted to clear all previously saved passwords, and then click OK two more times.

Close Internet Explorer. Start Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update Site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 3.
-----------------------------------------------

Step 3):

Verify that Internet Explorer is configured to use SSL 2.0 and SSL 3.0.

To do so:

Open Internet Explorer
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Advanced tab.
In the Settings box, under Security, click to select the Use SSL 2.0 and Use SSL 3.0 check boxes (if they are not already selected), and then click OK.
Now Close Internet Explorer
Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 4
Step 4):

Please uncheck "Check for server certificate revocation":

Open Internet Explorer
Click on Tools
Click on Internet Options
Click on the Advanced tab
Scroll down to the Security Section
Unselect "Check for server certificate revocation"
Reboot the machine

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 5

-----------------------------------------------

Step 5):

Verify that the Date and Time Settings on Your Computer Are Correct

You are most likely seeing the error code 0x800C0008 in the update log. This usually indicates a date error. Another symptom will be not being able to visit checkouts online, login to secure banking etc...

Because SSL certificates have an expiry date, if the date on your computer isn't correct, it may prevent you from connecting to secure sites. To verify that your computer is configured with the correct date and time settings:

Click Start
Click Control Panel
Click Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options,
Click Date and Time
Select the Date & Time tab
Check to make sure that the date and time settings are configured to use the current date and time, and then click OK
(NB - You could also check your date/time in the CMOS - on start up.....)

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again. You may be surprised to hear that this is the NUMBER ONE reason folks tell me was stopping them accessing the site!!!

NB - If you have error 0x800C0008 and the date is NOT your problem, then copy and paste the following into your browser, hit enter, let the page load then close and reboot, then try the Update website again:

https://a248.e.akamai.net/v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/getmanifest.asp

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 6

-----------------------------------------------

Step 6):

Now I said earlier that some of the suggestions were a little odd... Well...

The error may occur because the language-setting in Internet Explorer is missing.

To add a language, in Internet Explorer:

Open Internet Explorer
Click on Tools
Click on Internet Options
Click on the General tab and click the "Languages" button.
Add a language to the list if empty.
Now click OK and then OK and close Internet Explorer

Or.....

In some reported cases you have to add a second language, English-United States, and move it to the top of the list!

REBOOT Then open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again!

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 7

-----------------------------------------------

Step 7):


Temporarily disabling antivirus and firewall programs while you use Windows Update may solve this problem. Be sure to enable them again when you complete the update process...

It is also worth noting that the new Active X control, used by V4 of Windows Update, collects patch information and sends/receives that information over port 443, instead of port 80 as in the past...

If you have port 443 blocked at your router/firewall then try unblocking it.

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 8

-----------------------------------------------

Step 8):

You might also be able to resolve this issue by deleting all of the content in:

Program Files\Windowsupdate

and

Program Files\Windowsupdate\V4 (except for the iuhist.xml file located in Program Files\Windowsupdate\V4)!!!

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 9

-----------------------------------------------

Step 9):

Verify that Internet Explorer Is Using 128-Bit Encryption

Internet Explorer High Encryption comes with Internet Explorer 5.5 and above. It provides you with 128-bit encryption, the highest level of protection Microsoft can offer for your Internet communications, including credit card use and financial transactions.

There have been some occasions when the Cipher Strength appears as 0 in Internet Explorer. This can occur if the Schannel.dll, Rsabase.dll, or Rsaenh.dll files are missing, damaged, or of the incorrect version.

To check you have 128-Bit:

In Internet Explorer, on the Help menu, click About Internet Explorer
The level of encryption on your computer appears next to the words Cipher Strength. Verify that the Cipher Strength value appears as 128-bit

If it does then close the window. If it shows 0-Bit then you are going to have to repair the damaged files...

Please read:

How to Reinstall or Repair Internet Explorer and Outlook Express in Windows XP Click Here

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 10

-----------------------------------------------

Step 10):

Verify that Internet Explorer Proxy Settings

If YOU are using a Proxy Server to access your Internet content, or even if you are not sure.

Do this:

Open Internet Explorer
Click on Tools menu
Click on Internet Options
Click on the Connections tab and click the LAN settings button
Click Advanced and make sure there is a tick in the box next to:
"Use proxy server for all protocols."
Click OK and close Internet Explorer

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 11

-----------------------------------------------

Step 11):

Check The Hosts File...

There is a small file on your machine that MAY be causing you a problem...

Lets check it out:

Go To The Hosts File::

C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\etc (Windows XP)
C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\etc (Windows 2000)
C:\Windows\Hosts (Windows 98)

Use Notepad to view contents of the Hosts file.
(The Hosts file is a editable using notepad)
The lines at the beginning with # in the first column - IGNORE
If there are ANY entries in there that refer to Microsoft or to Akamai DELETE them!
Now close notepad accepting the changes.

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 12

-----------------------------------------------

Step 12):

??? An Un-related Internet Explorer 6 Issue...

Internet Explorer 6 (and 6 SP1) has been known to suffer from an issue where a new windows will not open.

I have now seen TWO reports where this has fixed the Windows Update issue, (sadly I do not know the error message in the windows update log), and so offer it here:

Click Start menu, and then click the Run icon.
In the small box that Opens, type the three letters: cmd then click the OK button.
In the command prompt window that just opened (a black background and white text), type the following commands, pressing the ENTER key on your keyboard after each line:

regsvr32 urlmon.dll
regsvr32 shdocvw.dll
regsvr32 msjava.dll (Some of you may not have this one... That's OK)
regsvr32 mshtml.dll
regsvr32 browseui.dll

Now type the word: exit and the window will close.
Now Reboot and try and Microsoft Windows Update again....

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 13

-----------------------------------------------

Step 13):

Delete The Akamai Certificate...

There is a possibility of the Akamai security certificate causing problems.

Follow this:

Start Internet Explorer.
On the Tools menu, click Internet Options, and then click the Contents tab.
Click Certificates, click the Other People tab.
Click on the certificate called a248.e.akamai.net, click the remove button. (If not there then this is not your problem - close all windows.)
Click OK when you are prompted to confirm the deletion.
Now Close the open windows and Internet Explorer.
Start Internet Explorer and paste the following into the address:

https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/getmanifest.asp


When the Security Warning window appears click View Certificate.
On the the General tab, click Install Certificate
Click Next when the wizard window appears, keep the default setting ticked "Automatically...."
Click Next, Click Finish.
Close the open windows, accept the Security Alert that is still displayed by clicking Yes
Close Internet Explorer
Start Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update Site again.

If it fails with the 0x800A138F error again try Step 14

-----------------------------------------------

# Another Suggestion:

I has so many emails about the error message that I decided to see if I could "Break" windows Update on one of my machines and then "Fix" it....

On a brand new build of Windows XP Professional SP1 I visited the Windows Update site for the first time - via Internet Explorer > Tools > Windows Update.

I got the message about the Windows Update control and ALL was fine! No problems with Windows Update at all... I was upset! I wanted it not to work, so how to break it.

Well many posts in the various newsgroups mention that their Windows Update log files have been containing error messages referencing "akamai.net"

So i decided to point my browser at the secure site:

https://V4.Windowsupdate.microsoft.com

and not the default:

http://V4.Windowsupdate.microsoft.com

that I was always being taken too....

THAT DID IT!

Error 0x800A138F on the first try..

My Windows Update log showed the entry:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Error IUENGINE Querying software update catalog from https://a248.e.akamai.net/v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/getmanifest.asp (Error 0x800C0008)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now ALL I had to do was fix it :-)

Well I tried ALL the step above and NOTHING worked!!! Not a single step!

So I then thought about the cryptographic service error issue that I have previously written about in another article. So I ran the batch file I had made for that and I was FIXED...!!!

So, you could try:

Click Start menu, and then click the Run icon.
In the small box that Opens, type the three letters: cmd then click the OK button.
In the command prompt window that just opened (a black background and white text), type the following commands, pressing the ENTER key on your keyboard after each line:

net start cryptsvc
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll


Now type the word: exit and the window will close.
Now Reboot and try and Microsoft Windows Update again....

---------------------------------------------

You may also find these error codes useful - for future reference, especially when trying to figure out error messages in the Windows Update log! (They are only given here as a guide to general problems and will require further research on your part to resolve the particular problem you may be having.)

0x800C0002, 0x800401E4 and 0x80072EE5

The address of this site is not valid. Check the address and try again.

0x800C0003

Cannot start an Internet session.

0x800C0004 and 0x80072EFD

Cannot connect to the Internet server.

0x800C0005

Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server.

0x800C0006 and 0x80072EFC

The site reports that the item you requested could not be found. (HTTP/1.0 404)

0x800C0007

The Internet site reports that a connection was established but the data is not available.

0x800C0008

Cannot download the information you requested. (This is an incorrect date on your PC or a server certificate revocation!)

0x800C0009

The item you requested requires proper authentication. (HTTP/1.0 401)

0x800C000A

The Internet site cannot return the object you requested. (HTTP/1.0 403)

0x800C000B and 0x80072EE2

The connection to this Internet site took longer than the allotted time.

0x800C000C

The site reports that the request is not valid.

0x800C000D and 0x80072EE8

The required Internet protocol is not installed on your computer, or the Internet address you requested may not be valid.

0x800C000E

A security problem has occurred.

0x800C000F and 0x800401EA

Cannot open the specified file.

0x800C0010

Cannot start the program needed to open this file.

0x800401E6 and 0x80040154

No program is registered to open this file.

0x80004004

The hyperlink cannot be followed to the destination.

0x801901F8

The transfer request timed out while waiting for a gateway. Resume the job at a later time. (HTTP Error 504)

0x801901F7

The service is temporarily overloaded and cannot process the request. Resume the job at a later time. (HTTP Error 503)

0x80190190

Proxy Error: Host name not recognized or host not found (HTTP Error 400) Download this patch, install, reboot and try again. Q823718

If that fails: Open regedit and go to the following key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion

Now look in the right pane and see if there is a sub-key there named
"VersionNumber" If the "VersionNumber" sub-key exists, delete it.


0x80190194 The requested URL does not exist on the server. (HTTP Error 404)
0xC00CE55F "System cryptography: Use FIPS compliant algorithms for encryption" service is enabled! DISABLE IT NOW!
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa]
"fipsalgorithmpolicy"=dword:00000001

switch it off with:

"fipsalgorithmpolicy"=dword:00000000

(For Windows 2003 and XP only... Windows 2000 does not fully support FIPS and so does not have this key.)