Member Avatar for alrissa

Hi, I'm seeking help inquiring the updates of my PC. For some reason, I cannot download anything from the Microsoft website. All I get is options of redirects. Can anyone help?

  • 4 Contributors
  • 5 Replies
  • 130 Views
  • 4 Days Discussion Span
  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

Dani AI

Generated

Several replies — notably , , and — pointed toward an infection as one possible cause. The situation can also be caused by DNS/router tampering, a misconfigured proxy/hosts file, or a broken Windows Update client. The checklist below helps isolate which layer is failing (browser, PC, router/ISP, or the Windows Update subsystem) and gives practical remediation steps.

Quick isolation tests and diagnostics (run an elevated Command Prompt for the commands shown):

ipconfig /all
ipconfig /flushdns
nslookup www.microsoft.com 8.8.8.8
nslookup www.microsoft.com
tracert www.microsoft.com
netsh winsock reset
netsh int ip reset
sc query wuauserv

Also check the hosts file at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts for any lines redirecting Microsoft domains, verify browser proxy settings (Internet Options -> Connections -> LAN settings), and try a different browser or another device on the same network. If another device on the same LAN can reach Microsoft while the Vista box cannot, focus on the PC; if all devices fail, inspect the router/ISP DNS.

Remediation and Windows Update fixes: boot into Safe Mode with Networking and run a full antimalware scan (if the PC cannot download AV tools, use a known-clean computer to fetch rescue media and perform an offline scan). Reset Windows Update components by stopping BITS and wuauserv, renaming SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2, then restarting the services:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start bits
net start wuauserv
sfc /scannow

Router and long-term notes: log into the router, verify DNS entries, update firmware, and change the admin password; a factory reset may be required if DNS has been hijacked. Windows Vista reached end of support on April 11, 2017, so security updates and official support are limited; upgrading to a supported OS is the safest long-term remedy. Relevant artifacts for deeper analysis include nslookup/tracert output and C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log.

Recommended Answers

All 5 Replies

Member Avatar for caperjack

Hi, I'm seeking help inquiring the updates of my PC. For some reason, I cannot download anything from the Microsoft website. All I get is options of redirects. Can anyone help?

do you have automatic updates turned on, also a redirect is usually caused by trojan/virus .
check out the viruses and other nastes section of this forum .

http://www.daniweb.com/forums/forum64.html

Member Avatar for A1 data nz

If anyone else has this problem, It is more than likely caused by CONFICKER. If you cannot access trusted antivirus sites then this would certainly be the case.

Member Avatar for caperjack

Before using removal tool, perhaps it's best to find out whether there is something to remove? :)

nice link !

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.