Windows Defender defintions can't be downloaded

I have Windows XP on my Acer laptop.

Windows Defender (which was fine until today) reports it can't check for
definition updates. Error found, it says, Code 0x80244019.

I tried turning off my Zone Alarm firewall. No difference.

Went to the Windows Defender troubleshooting page for definition update
issues. It recommended manual download. Clicked on 'Download
definitions' (32 bit) but got an 'Invalid domain name message'.

Stymied!

Help please?

Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:

1. Exit all open programs.
2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits


--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience

---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ken" <muffin@labyrinth.net.au> wrote in message news:4917B358.6010307@labyrinth.net.au...
I have Windows XP on my Acer laptop.

Windows Defender (which was fine until today) reports it can't check for
definition updates. Error found, it says, Code 0x80244019.

I tried turning off my Zone Alarm firewall. No difference.

Went to the Windows Defender troubleshooting page for definition update
issues. It recommended manual download. Clicked on 'Download
definitions' (32 bit) but got an 'Invalid domain name message'.

Stymied!

Help please?

Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>
> 1. Exit all open programs.
> 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
> 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>
> net stop wuauserv
> net stop bits
> ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
> net start wuauserv
> net start bits
>

Thanks for the above, Carey. Unfortunately, after entering the third
line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file specified'.

In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found Code
0x80244019'.

Where to now, please?

Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

On Nov 10, 6:30*pm, Ken <muf...@labyrinth.net.au> wrote:
> Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> > Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>
> > 1. Exit all open programs.
> > 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
> > 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>
> > net stop wuauserv
> > net stop bits
> > ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
> > net start wuauserv
> > net start bits
>
> Thanks for the above, Carey. *Unfortunately, after entering the third
> line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file specified'.
>
> In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found *Code
> 0x80244019'.
>
> Where to now, please?
>
> Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

Undo the steps above and then uninstall Defender. Then, you can try
to re-install the Defender from a fresher downloaded version.

smlunatick wrote:
> On Nov 10, 6:30 pm, Ken <muf...@labyrinth.net.au> wrote:
>> Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
>>> Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>>> 1. Exit all open programs.
>>> 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
>>> 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
>>> net stop wuauserv
>>> net stop bits
>>> ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
>>> net start wuauserv
>>> net start bits
>> Thanks for the above, Carey. Unfortunately, after entering the third
>> line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file specified'.
>>
>> In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found Code
>> 0x80244019'.
>>
>> Where to now, please?
>>
>> Thanks - Ken (in Oz)
>
> Undo the steps above and then uninstall Defender. Then, you can try
> to re-install the Defender from a fresher downloaded version.

Hmm. You say, 'Undo the steps above ...'. Please, how do I do that?!!!

Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

"Ken" <muffin@labyrinth.net.au> wrote in message news:O10wrJ2QJHA.576@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
| Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
| > Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
| >
| > 1. Exit all open programs.
| > 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
| > 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
| >
| > net stop wuauserv
| > net stop bits
| > ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
| > net start wuauserv
| > net start bits
| >
|
| Thanks for the above, Carey. Unfortunately, after entering the third
| line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file specified'.
|
| In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found Code
| 0x80244019'.
|
| Where to now, please?
|
| Thanks - Ken (in Oz)

I think the 3rd line should read %system% and not %systemroot%
the folder "softwaredistribution is in the Windows directory and not in the root directory.

Richard in AZ wrote:
> "Ken" <muffin@labyrinth.net.au> wrote in message news:O10wrJ2QJHA.576@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> | > Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
> | >
> | > 1. Exit all open programs.
> | > 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
> | > 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
> | >
> | > net stop wuauserv
> | > net stop bits
> | > ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
> | > net start wuauserv
> | > net start bits
> | >
> |
> | Thanks for the above, Carey. Unfortunately, after entering the third
> | line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file specified'.
> |
> | In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found Code
> | 0x80244019'.
> |
> | Where to now, please?
> |
> | Thanks - Ken (in Oz)
>
> I think the 3rd line should read %system% and not %systemroot%
> the folder "softwaredistribution is in the Windows directory and not in the root directory.
>

I repeated the above steps both ways (%system% and then next time
%systemroot%). May have worked, I'm not sure (too complicated to
explain!). BUT IN ANY CASE THE PROBLEM ITSELF STILL EXISTS AS I THEN
TRIED TO GET THE NEW DEFINITIONS BUT RECEIVED THE SAME ERROR MESSAGE AS
BEFORE.

The suggestion that I uninstall Windows Defender and then download a new
version met with a problem: 'Validation' was required but when I tried
to do that I got an 'Invalid domain name' message.

Maybe I'll ring Microsoft in Australia.

Thanks guys - Ken (in Oz)

"Richard in AZ" <me@mailinator.com> wrote in message
news:e607Sd2QJHA.2228@TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl...
>
> "Ken" <muffin@labyrinth.net.au> wrote in message
> news:O10wrJ2QJHA.576@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> | Carey Frisch [MVP] wrote:
> | > Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder:
> | >
> | > 1. Exit all open programs.
> | > 2. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
> | > 3. At the command prompt, type the following command to rename the
> SoftwareDistribution folder:
> | >
> | > net stop wuauserv
> | > net stop bits
> | > ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
> | > net start wuauserv
> | > net start bits
> | >
> |
> | Thanks for the above, Carey. Unfortunately, after entering the third
> | line of the above, I got this: 'The System cannot find the file
> specified'.
> |
> | In Windows Defender I am still getting the message: 'Error found Code
> | 0x80244019'.
> |
> | Where to now, please?
> |
> | Thanks - Ken (in Oz)
>
> I think the 3rd line should read %system% and not %systemroot%
> the folder "softwaredistribution is in the Windows directory and not in
> the root directory.
>
>

%systemroot% *is* the Windows directory, I believe.

%system% has no meaning on my system...

[Jimgopi]

Hi there ,

Well this is know issues , well cau performe windows up-date ?
If u not able to windows up-date ,for suer u canot install windows defender definitions as well.

If u not able go to microsoft windows up-date site > that means ur computre been HIJAK > Ur DNS been hijak .

Pls check ur DNS server address? make sure point to automatic DNS address.

Run windows up-date first then run up-date definitions for windows defender

Give a try and see ,should resolved ur issues

Regards
Jim

2 much Txting mks u 1 bad splr.

"Jimgopi" <Jimgopi.3iqhvc@DoNotSpam.com> wrote in message news:Jimgopi.3iqhvc@DoNotSpam.com...
|
| Hi there ,
|
| Well this is know issues , well cau performe windows up-date ?
| If u not able to windows up-date ,for suer u canot install windows
| defender definitions as well.
|
| If u not able go to microsoft windows up-date site > that means ur
| computre been HIJAK > Ur DNS been hijak .
|
| Pls check ur DNS server address? make sure point to automatic DNS
| address.
|
| Run windows up-date first then run up-date definitions for windows
| defender
|
| Give a try and see ,should resolved ur issues
|
| Regards
| Jim
|
|
| --
| Jimgopi
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------
| Jimgopi's Profile: http://forums.techarena.in/members/jimgopi.htm
| View this thread: Windows Defender defintions can't be downloaded
|
| http://forums.techarena.in
|

Basically, what you say below is correct, Jim. I rang Microsoft
Australia and (without charge) they zeroed in on just this matter and
how there had indeed been a possible 'hijack' of the DNS server
addresses of my computer (Preferred and Alternate), which required
changing back. That fixed the problem.

For what it's worth, here are part of my notes:

> Control Panel/Network Connections/Local Area Connection. In box that
appears, click on Properties. In box that appears, double-click (from
list) Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). In box that appears, the Preferred
DNS server should be 4.2.2.2 and the Alternate DNS server should be 4.2.2.3.

Thanks - Ken (in Oz)
-----
Jimgopi wrote:
> Hi there ,
>
> Well this is know issues , well cau performe windows up-date ?
> If u not able to windows up-date ,for suer u canot install windows
> defender definitions as well.
>
> If u not able go to microsoft windows up-date site > that means ur
> computre been HIJAK > Ur DNS been hijak .
>
> Pls check ur DNS server address? make sure point to automatic DNS
> address.
>
> Run windows up-date first then run up-date definitions for windows
> defender
>
> Give a try and see ,should resolved ur issues
>
> Regards
> Jim
>
>