Fixing Windows Update Error 0x80072ee2
A friend's computer running Windows 7 had been recently infected with the rootkit TDSS which resulted in redirects in all web browsers to affiliate sites. The problem is commonly known as Google redirects and the issue had been fixed back then.
My friend contacted me again after the cleanup asking for help because Windows Update was not working anymore. Whenever Windows Update was used it would run for a long time and display the error 0x80072ee2 in the end without downloading and installing any available updates.
A quick research on the Internet revealed that this error message was related to connection problems to the Windows Update servers.
Suggested fixes included:
- Checking the firewall to make sure that the Windows Update servers were not blocked.
- Checking the hosts file to make sure the Windows Update servers were not redirected
- Testing the connection to the Windows Update servers by downloading a file from it.
- Running the ipconfig /flushdns command in the command line.
- Adding Windows Update servers to the trusted zone in Internet Explorer
- Adding Windows Update servers to the proxy server exception list in Internet Explorer
- Changing the router's mtu settings
None of these suggestions helped solve the connection problem. Error 0x80072ee2 was displayed after all attempts.
The first thing that one should do when encountering Windows Update errors is to look at the Windowsupdate.log file in the Windows folder. This contains a log that lists all connection attempts, status reports and error messages that are encountered when trying to connect to Windows Update.
My friend's Windowsupdate.log contained a reference to a proxy server. This was strange because no proxy server was used to connect to the Internet and no proxy server was configured in Internet Explorer.
Turns out that Windows Update uses its own proxy server that is set in the Windows Registry. Here are the steps on how to change the proxy server used to connect to Windows Update (solution for Windows Vista, Windows 7 and newer versions of the Windows operating system including Windows 10).
Open an elevated command line from the start menu. You do that with a tap on the Windows-key, typing cmd.exe, right-clicking on cmd.exe and selecting the run as administrator options. If you like to use the keyboard, hold down Shift and Ctrl before left-clicking on cmd.exe instead.
Enter [netsh], then [winhttp] in the command line so that the screen looks like this afterwards.
Now enter the command [import proxy source=ie]. This will import the proxy settings of Internet Explorer which means either direct access to the Internet without proxy if no server is configured or the proxy server that is used to connect to the Internet.
This should have resolved the connection problems to Windows Update if a proxy server was the problem. Winhttp can also be used to set a specific proxy server by using the [set proxy address] command. A restart of the computer might be needed before the changes are taken into account (or killing the explorer.exe process and reloading it).
If you are interested in all netsh commands available, check out this Technet help document that lists and explains them all.
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help