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Windows Update error 80245003

Written by

Mark Wilson

in

One of my Windows Vista PCs has been refusing to download updates from Windows Update, reporting that:

Windows could not search for new updates
Error(s) found:
Code 80245003

A bit of googling turned up various forum threads/blog posts about this article but most of them recommend stopping the Windows Update service, renaming/removing the %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution folder, restarting the Windows Update service and attempting an update. That seems to work but Jeroen Jansen’s post on the subject included a very useful comment with this little gem:

“Actually you don’t have to delete the entire SoftwareDistribution folder, just the folders inside it with update cache. This way you can keep the update history.”

I renamed each folder one at a time and it seems that it was WuRedir that was causing the error on my system (that is to say that after that folder was renamed, Windows Update ran successfully, even after restoring all of the other folders, therefore maintaining my history and other configuration).

I’m not sure if it was as a direct result, but I’m pretty sure Vista switched from using Windows Update to Microsoft Update at the same time.

Comments

12 responses to “Windows Update error 80245003”

  1. Someguy avatar
    Someguy

    I had the same issue, renamed just the WuRedir folder as mentioned above and touched nothing else. Ran Windows update again and it worked. Thank you!!!

  2. Rock avatar
    Rock

    Did the same thing. Renamed WUREDIR and it works

  3. stephanie avatar
    stephanie

    install wasnt working on my vista laptop either untill i tried renaming that file………..

    thank you for this!! (and the fact u stopped me from throwing my laptop out the window!!)

  4. lo little avatar
    lo little

    haha lol

    i gotta bigg problem i cnt even find this WuRedir folder anywere????

  5. bikeman avatar
    bikeman

    Me too – and I am getting mighty pissed that my new klaptop was preloaded with this vista crap.

  6. Mark Wilson avatar
    Mark Wilson

    Lo Little,
    Look for %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir

    (%systemroot% is an environment variable that resolves to your Windows installation folder – generally, but not always, C:\Windows – so try C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\WuRedir).

    Mark

  7. Mark Wilson avatar
    Mark Wilson

    Bikeman,
    I’m not sure why you think Vista is crap as you don’t give any specifics – but if you don’t like it, install XP, or Linux, or MS-DOS, or whatever your chosen OS is!

    Mark

  8. leslie avatar
    leslie

    The remaning of the WUREDIR worked great this is a great site for help!

  9. Azzer avatar
    Azzer

    yes this worked for me too, thanks, just have a similar problem with my avg ainti virus now

  10. hortence_freep avatar
    hortence_freep

    Sorry. I forgot that have have the exceptional ability to not note the obvious.
    I just RENAMED WuRedir.

  11. hortence_freep avatar
    hortence_freep

    Dag it worked. Thank all.

  12. Frank avatar
    Frank

    You made my day!

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