Are you affected by the Windows Vista Update Error problem? This happens when you are trying to update Vista and instead of working like it should, you receive an error 8000FFFF. So, whats the deal with the Vista update error and what exactly does 8000FFFF mean? Read on to find out more about the cause of this annoying little error and how you can fix it.
The Vista update error problem has been widely reported by Vista users. Its most often found on computers with 4GB or more of ram, but can occur on other configurations as well. There are two main causes of this problem, corrupted Software Distribution folder and corrupted Registry Entries
In order to solve the problem, here are some troubleshooting tips and suggestions that have worked for others:
Solution #1) Rename the "SoftwareDistribution" Folder
First step here is to turn off your Automatic Updates. You can do this by navigating here:
Start -> Control Panel -> Performance and Maintenance -> Administrator Tools -> Services -> Automatic Updates Service, then select the "General" tab. Click to stop Automatic Updates.
Next, you will need to navigate to your "C:" drive and look for a folder called SoftwareDistribution. Rename this folder to something else.
Last, you can navigate back to the screen from the first step and turn Automatic Updates back on. This can sometimes clear this error and allow updates to continue.
If that fails, the problem is probably in your Windows registry...
Solution #2) Clean The Registry and Repair Corrupt Elements
For this solution, you will need to download and install a Vista compatible registry cleaner. for your convenience, there's a link at the bottom of this article for a free download of RegCure (my favorite).
After you install your registry cleaner, you will need to let it scan for errors. There can be hundreds or even thousands of these errors on your PC, so don't be shocked when it reports a healthy number.
Next, give the software permission to repair those errors automatically. There is an easy step by step wizard for you to follow. After you set it to run, take a short break and give it a few minutes to work at cleaning and repairing your registry.
When it's finished, you can reboot your computer and find out if this cleared the 8000FFFF Vista update error. If it's still not working, theres one last thing that you can try.
Solution #3) Re-Run Failed Updates
In a few cases, locating and re-running failed updates may clear up the problem. You can do this by opening:
Control Panel -> Windows Update -> View Update History
If you see failed updates, you can try to download the files and install them manually.
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