error code 0x80072efd continually on Windows/Microsoft Update

I've got WinXP Pro SP2 on a uni halls LAN connection with Windows Firewall
and no anti-virus or anti-spyware, at the moment. After fresh install on a
clean hard drive I've not been able to access Windows Update or Microsoft
Update. I've tried everything that I've seen suggested so far such as at:
http://www.updatexp.com/0x80072efd.html with no luck. I've spoken to other
people on the same halls network and they have no problems accessing Windows
Update, so it has to be something to do with this machine!

I also cannot access Windows Live Messenger as it lets me sign in but
doesn't connect (is this related?)

--------------------
Windows Update Log
2007-05-12 18:13:39 816 508 Agent ** START ** Agent: Finding updates
[CallerId = WindowsUpdate]
2007-05-12 18:13:39 816 508 Agent *********
2007-05-12 18:13:49 2888 b4c Misc =========== Logging initialized (build:
5.8.0.2469, tz: +0100) ===========
2007-05-12 18:13:49 2888 b4c Misc = Process: C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe
2007-05-12 18:13:49 2888 b4c AUClnt Launched Client UI process with command
line = /ShowSettingsDialog
2007-05-12 18:13:49 816 3b4 AU ########### AU: Initializing Automatic
Updates ###########
2007-05-12 18:13:49 816 3b4 AU # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)
2007-05-12 18:13:49 816 3b4 AU # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at
3:00
2007-05-12 18:13:49 816 3b4 AU # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User
preference)
2007-05-12 18:13:55 816 8a8 AU ########### AU: Setting new AU options
###########
2007-05-12 18:13:55 816 8a8 AU # Policy changed, AU restart required = No
2007-05-12 18:13:55 816 8a8 AU # Approval type: Scheduled (User preference)
2007-05-12 18:13:55 816 8a8 AU # Scheduled install day/time: Every day at
19:00
2007-05-12 18:13:55 816 8a8 AU # Auto-install minor updates: Yes (User
preference)
2007-05-12 18:14:53 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:14:53 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.windowsupdate.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:14:53 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:14:53 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:14:53 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:15:56 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:15:56 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.windowsupdate.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:15:56 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:15:56 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:15:56 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:16:59 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:16:59 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.windowsupdate.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:16:59 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:16:59 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:16:59 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.windowsupdate.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:18:02 816 508 Misc WARNING: DownloadFileInternal failed for
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v6...r/wuredir.cab: error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:19:05 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:19:05 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:19:05 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:19:05 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:19:05 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:20:09 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:20:09 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:20:09 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:20:09 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:20:09 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:21:12 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:21:12 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:21:12 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:21:12 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:21:12 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for
<http://download.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>. error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:22:15 816 508 Misc WARNING: DownloadFileInternal failed for
http://download.microsoft.com/v6/win...r/wuredir.cab: error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:23:18 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:23:18 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for <http://update.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>.
error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:23:18 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:23:18 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:23:18 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:24:21 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:24:21 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for <http://update.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>.
error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:24:21 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:24:21 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:24:21 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:25:24 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:25:24 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for <http://update.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>.
error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:25:24 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:25:24 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:25:24 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: SendRequest failed with hr =
80072efd. Proxy List used:
<webcache0.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache1.salford.ac.uk:3128;webcache2.salford.ac.uk:3128> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <>
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy
failed for <http://update.microsoft.com/v6/windowsupdate/redir/wuredir.cab>.
error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp:
SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded
failed with 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Misc WARNING: DownloadFileInternal failed for
http://update.microsoft.com/v6/windo...r/wuredir.cab: error
0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent * WARNING: Failed to synchronize, error
= 0x80072EFD
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report *********** Report: Initializing static
reporting data ***********
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * OS Version = 5.1.2600.2.0.65792
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Computer Brand = MAXDATA
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Computer Model = *
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Bios Revision =
MQ96510J.54T.0013.2006.1009.1701
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Bios Name = Default System BIOS
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Bios Release Date =
2006-10-09T00:00:00
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Report * Locale ID = 2057
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent * WARNING: Exit code = 0x80072EFD
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent *********
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent ** END ** Agent: Finding updates
[CallerId = WindowsUpdate]
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent *************
2007-05-12 18:26:27 816 508 Agent WARNING: WU client failed Searching for
update with error 0x80072efd
2007-05-12 18:26:27 2636 a68 COMAPI >>-- RESUMED -- COMAPI: Search
[ClientId = WindowsUpdate]
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a68 COMAPI - Updates found = 0
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a68 COMAPI - WARNING: Exit code = 0x00000000,
Result code = 0x80072EFD
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a68 COMAPI ---------
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a68 COMAPI -- END -- COMAPI: Search [ClientId =
WindowsUpdate]
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a68 COMAPI -------------
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a50 COMAPI WARNING: Operation failed due to earlier
error, hr=80072EFD
2007-05-12 18:26:28 2636 a50 COMAPI FATAL: Unable to complete asynchronous
search. (hr=80072EFD)
2007-05-12 18:26:32 816 508 Report REPORT EVENT:
{5948BD0B-1C4F-4F6F-9D4A-3389F06992AE} 2007-05-12
18:26:27+0100 1 148 101 {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} 0 80072efd WindowsUpdate Failure Software
Synchronization Error: Agent failed detecting with reason: 0x80072efd

More info from before I now also get the error code: 0x80072f78 - which is
bizarre as because as far as i'm aware there is no proxy ability on my
connection.

I also noticed the following in event viewer:
"Failed auto update retrieval of third-party root list sequence number from:
<http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/authrootseq.txt> with error: This network connection does not exist."

any suggestions would be great :-)

24butdazed <24butdazed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> More info from before I now also get the error code: 0x80072f78 -
> which is bizarre as because as far as i'm aware there is no
> proxy ability on my connection.

On the contrary, your earlier post shows that your PC is configured with web
proxies at salford.ac.uk. Are you in fact still at Salford?

> I also noticed the following in event viewer:
> "Failed auto update retrieval of third-party root list sequence
> number from:
> <http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/authrootseq.txt>
> with error: This network connection does not exist."

This is just another symptom that your internet connection is not working
correctly.

This does not seem to be specifically a Windows Update problem - I suggest
you take your network problems up with your local IT support staff.

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
rdhw@cam.ac.uk

Thanks for the response Robin. It's appreciated.

I had started to suspect that it might be something to do with the network
even though local staff had said that it was a problem with my PC (that they
have been unable to work out). I shall now have another go and see what
happens.

"Robin Walker [MVP]" wrote:

> 24butdazed <24butdazed@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > More info from before I now also get the error code: 0x80072f78 -
> > which is bizarre as because as far as i'm aware there is no
> > proxy ability on my connection.
>
> On the contrary, your earlier post shows that your PC is configured with web
> proxies at salford.ac.uk. Are you in fact still at Salford?
>
> > I also noticed the following in event viewer:
> > "Failed auto update retrieval of third-party root list sequence
> > number from:
> > <http://www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/authrootseq.txt>
> > with error: This network connection does not exist."
>
> This is just another symptom that your internet connection is not working
> correctly.
>
> This does not seem to be specifically a Windows Update problem - I suggest
> you take your network problems up with your local IT support staff.
>
> --
> Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
> rdhw@cam.ac.uk
>
>
>

I was having a problem with this error as well. With my windowslive hotmail...I couldn't send or receive emails...then my son decided to unplug then replug our router~everything works great now. Hope this helps someone.