Windows XP Update fails because it is missing Automatic updates service / Automatic update service will not start.
I came accross this when working on a customers machine.
The first thing you will want to do is download the latest version of Dail-a-fix. Run the windows update and MSI fixer. Next you should open a command prompt by hitting: START – run – "cmd". In the command box window type:
regsvr32 wuaeng.dll
This will re-register this service.
EXTRA NOTE – An inplace repair install of XP will not correct this issue.
Grr says
Very useful tip..thanks
Michael Kean says
You missed an a – it’s regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
Worked for me 🙂 Thanks.
Jared Heinrichs says
Thanks! Sorry about the Typo.
Alan in Fleetwood, uk says
many thanks worked a treat ~~ with the ‘a’ lol
Bill says
This worked Great. Many thanks!!!
Dave R says
Thanks fixed the problem for me too
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
DStones says
Lifesaver! I’ve tried about 10 proposed solutions with no results before i came across yours.
Don’t know if correcting the typo on the post is possible or not, almost got discouraged until i read comments! haha.
Thanks man!
Dstones
tom says
http://winplat.net/post/2011/12/11/Windows-update-service-missing.aspx
Eugene says
Worked great! Thanks for sharing!!
Djr says
Excellent. This had been bugging me for months. Id never heard of the dial a fix tool before but worked like a charm!
Not sure why it happened in the first place but glad its fixed.
Thanks again.
Djr
Sariel Leung says
Works, thank you very much
TheLazyComic says
Thanks for this. I was about ready to toss a hand grenade into my PC… and run from it. After days and days of no luck, I found this great fix tool. Thank you.
Miss Kim says
Thank you so much. Somehow Automatic Update service was lost on my Windows XP laptop, which I hadn’t used for several months. I had tried several fixes, and had lost touch on XP as my PC is Windows 7. I just ran regsvr32 wuaueng.dll, without Dial-A-Fix and it still worked. Thank you, thank you, thank you!