cant update windows update

adbp1 · 16 May 2009 at 23:50

hi all, so i got my friends laptop with me, after an hour of messing around getting rid of viruses and malware galore, i cant seem to update windows update.
security centre says updates are turned off and i cant turn them on or do any updates.
when i click on updates the window is blank.

any ideas how i can solve this?

thanks ali

on vista premium btw

J.B · 17 May 2009 at 01:48

Id say you still have a virus/malware on there. Might be better off just formatting and reinstalling.

What antivirus program did you use?

adbp1 · 17 May 2009 at 16:11

he had norton on there but was trial period and had ran out !!!!
ive now installed avira and removed a lot of trojans and backdoors highjacks etc all done in safe mode and regular account.
no matter wat i do tho it wont update windows.
cant do reinstall as he dont have disk or recovery partition!
end of day im abit fed up of keep sorting it for him as he dont listen to what i say and downloads crap and installs things he dont know nothing about !!! this is 3rd time in a few months he done this.

Pho · 17 May 2009 at 16:19

Scan/fix with Malwarebytes and then post a log from Hijackthis.

Malwarebytes should be run in normal mode, not safemode.

Matteysan · 17 May 2009 at 16:20

Get Malwarebytes on there as well & do a scan with that.

adbp1 · 17 May 2009 at 16:48

ahh sorry forgot to say ive already done malwarebytes.
will do hijackthis and post.

Mattus · 17 May 2009 at 17:07

There's either a virus lingering on there or the registry has really been mucked up. In either case, a reinstall would almost certainly be quicker than trying to fix that, and you'd be sure the malware was gone. Can't you get a Windows disc from somewhere and install it with his product key?

Once it's sorted, get Avira on there and make sure he's running a standard user account, not administrator. Tell him that you won't fix it again if he cocks it up by downloading crap. Does he use Limewire or similarly shady P2P applications?

philjohn · 17 May 2009 at 17:21

Never trust a compromised system after cleaning, always do a complete wipe and reinstall.

adbp1 · 17 May 2009 at 19:01

Tell him that you won't fix it again if he cocks it up by downloading crap. Does he use Limewire or similarly shady P2P applications

well has it happens he came bout an hour ago and collected said he needed it do to college project!
yes he uses bearshare and limewire.
i told him off proper and said it needs reinstall and im not gonna fix it again take it to purple tshirt wearing company next time !!!
he said hes got disk at home he thinks so will bring back to me in a few days.

thanks for ur help guys and lets see what he does in few days!!!

Mattus · 17 May 2009 at 23:16

adbp1 said:
yes he uses bearshare and limewire.

Say no more... those things are virus-infested. If you don't have your wits about you you'll be infected in about five minutes on Limewire. Tell him to get his dodgy content from a safer place.