Windows Update cannot currently check for updates, because the service is not running. You may need to restart your computer. I am receiving the above message every time I click the ' check for updates' icon. Restarting does not resolve the problem. I have trawled the internet and found a solution that worked for several people- going to services.msc, closing windows update, deleting files in c:\windows\software distribution, reopening windows update through services.msc- however this has not resolved the issue for me. Under systems.msc it is listed as started, automatic (delayed) The Background Intelligence Transfer service is the same. I have checked the profiles of both programs and there are no discrepancies. I have used the microsoft fix it program. No effect Please help!

Try setting Windows Update not to look for updates. Then go back and set it to look automatically and see if that changes anything. Another thing is are you running Windows Security Essential or Windows Defender? If so update them through their programs and then check Windows Update. Let us know the outcome.

Hi, First of all, let us run a Windows Update troubleshooter. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Troubleshoot-problems-with-installing-updates Then, please follow the steps from the link above to fix the issue. If the issue persists, let us check the following services and make sure they were turned on. Background Intelligent Transfer Service Cryptographic Services Windows Modules Installer Windows Installer Windows UpdateKim Zhou TechNet Community Support

Ran the troubleshooter, no effect. The above services are all turned on.

Now that is interesting- I have windows defender, went to check it out, it is logged as having been turned off due to an error, when I try to restart it I receive the following message: Could not start the windows defender service on local computer Error 0x8e5e0247: 0x8e5e0247 Have tried updating with the latest patch, no effect. cannot find a full version to download and re-install without using windows update (obvious problem there)

Yeh how do we check those services are turned on. we are not all it people

Click on the start bar and in the search panel type 'services.msc'. click enter. When the services program opens run through the list till you find the above names, look at the status column. If it has started in it, the service is working, if it does not, click on the service and the option to start/restart will come up. Right click to go to the service preferences which will tell you more about it.

Found solution: download and install 'intel rapid storage technology' from the following site. http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c02219204&cc=nl&lc=en&dlc=en&product Not entirely sure why it worked, but reading other peoples problems it seems to work if you have/ have had a problem with your hard drive, or have installed a new one. This is also possibly where my problem originated from as I did have my hard drive repaired a few months back- it is likely I was unaware of the problem with windows update and defender for a while after. Certainly give it a try, nothing else came close to solving the problem, whereas this worked straight away.