Microsoft Update Catalogue Error number: 8DDD0020

[Angilion]

The problem:

When I go to Microsoft Update Catalog to download a clump of patches, I briefly get a table of links to files appear and it's replaced in a second or two by an error message ("The website has encountered a problem and cannot display the page you are trying to view.") and an error code ([Error number: 8DDD0020]). Trying to look at the FAQ or Help and Support or even just the homepage throws up the same error message.

I'm using Windows 7 Home Premium with all security fixes up to the current month's batch.

I'm using Firefox 50, which is the current release version. It also failed in the same way with the previous version (I updated to 50 just a few minutes ago).


Some more details:

I'd like to install only security patches.

Although MS no longer allows this through Windows Update it should still be possible through the Windows Update Catalogue.

I did that with last month's patches. 3192391 was the October security only patch clump and I downloaded and installed it without problems.

I've just tried to do the same with this month's patches. It should be quite straightforward. There are two monthly patch clumps - Security Monthly Quality Rollup 3197868 is the one that has the security patches plus unspecified other stuff in it (presumably spyware) and Security Only Quality Update 3197867 is the one with only the security patches. So I simply want to install 3197867.

I've tried searching and that error code gets a lot of hits but they're all from a few years ago and all solely for Internet Explorer. Windows Update Catalogue used to require IE but no longer does.

 

[Purgatory]

Try with internet explorer not Firefox or any other browser. I have seen it fail with many different issues on any other browser but internet explorer.

 

[Angilion]

I notice that there have been >100 views of this, so I'll add some answers I've found from searching online:

1) Windows Update Catalgue does currently work with Firefox, but it require DOM storage to be enabled. Some people prefer to have DOM storage disabled. Whether that's security, privacy or paranoia is up to each person to decide for themself

2) If you encounter the endless "searching for updates" bug when you try to apply the update you've downloaded from the update catalogue, here's a workaround I found that worked for me - simply stop the windows update process before applying the update. Easiest way is probably to open a command prompt window with elevated privileges (right-click on cmd.exe and choose "Run as Administator") and enter this command: net stop wuauserv