I am having the same issues with windows update. I have Vista ultimate x64 bit/SP1 downloaded as ISO from MSDN. I have reloaded this laptop from scratch a number of times early on trying to get Nvidia drivers working. Laptop is a Gateway FX. Here is what I am observing:
1) Windows update and Windows Ultimate Extras both say no new updates. In the Info box below it says:
Most Recent Check for updates: Today at 12:15 PM
Updates were installed: Never
When I check the View Update History is says you have never installed any updates.
2) I did the procedure of stopping Windows Update, wiping the registry key and renaming the log. Rebooted PC just to make sure. Notification about Windows Update not configured popped up. Set it Notify and download. Same result.
3) I downloaded Windows6.0-KB952709-x64 , a hotfix released a few days ago. It refuses to install saying "The update does not apply to your system".
4) I have VS2008 installed and it installed SQL Express. I downloaded the Studio manager for x64 and installed it. None of the toolbars are there and I get on error on connect (unhandled expection in .net framework). I messed around with installing/uninstalling SQL express. Finally decided to remove it and install SQL 2005 Developer Edition. I pulled that off of MSDN yesterday and went through the whole setup of SQL 2005 and SP2. The studio manager there is doing the same thing. The error message from SQL Studio is
Description:
Stopped working
Problem signature:
Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: SqlWb.exe
Application Version: 2005.90.3042.0
Application Timestamp: 45cd69e0
Fault Module Name: ntdll.dll
Fault Module Version: 6.0.6001.18000
Fault Module Timestamp: 4791941d
Exception Code: c0150015
Exception Offset: 0003c618
OS Version: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Locale ID: 1033
SQL Server is now generating this error:
2008-08-15 12:00:54.86 Server SQL Server is now ready for client connections. This is an informational message; no user action is required.
2008-08-15 12:00:54.92 spid5s Error: 17311, Severity: 16, State: 1.
2008-08-15 12:00:54.92 spid5s SQL Server is terminating because of fatal exception 80000003. This error may be caused by an unhandled Win32 or C++ exception, or by an access violation encountered during exception handling. Check the SQL error log for any related stack dumps or messages. This exception forces SQL Server to shutdown. To recover from this error, restart the server (unless SQLAgent is configured to auto restart).
5) This one may or may not be related. A download of anything from Firefox, results in a dialog of Microsoft C++ Runtime "Assertion Failed" . I can't read the exact location but it starts with d:/rtm/securityproducts... Line 979.
6) Starting Windows Sidebar always ends a unhandled exception. JIT using VS2008 says it triggered a breakpoint.
7) I figured I should probably check Windows Update after installing SQL and VS2008. That is when I noticed that nothing has been updated, ever. And that led me here to this forum.
Windows Defender - Error 0x80070057
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