Windows 8 update error code: 0x80072efd

[IreneL]

I have installed windows 8 consumer preview and since yesterday whenever I am clicking on windows update I am getting error code: 0x80072efd. I did not had any issue earlier since installing windows 8, this error code has started coming up since yesterday. Is there anything I can try to fix this error???

[Baako]

This is a common windows 8 error and there are several things that can cause it to come up. It comes up when below conditions are true.
Firewall might be interfering with your connection to the Windows Update site.
Windows Update Web site might be mapped to a specific IP address in the HOSTS file on your system. The MTU setting on your router might be too high/low. Proxy server might be interfering with your connection to the Windows Update site Antivirus might be blocking access. So check out these things first and make sure none of the conditions are true in your case.

[IreneL]

I have checked out all the things that you have mentioned above but I did not understood what you meant by this “Windows Update Web site might be mapped to a specific IP address in the HOSTS file on your system” Can you just let me know what that means and what will I have to do to deal with it????

[Baako]

Sometimes Windows Update Web site gets mapped specific IP address in HOSTS file without your knowledge and in that case you will have to Remove Windows Update entries from the HOSTS file. In order to do that you can follow below steps:
Open notepad, open File menu, click on all files in “Files of type box,” and locate C:\Winnt\system32\drivers\etc\
Once you get it, open hosts file and remove all lines that you see for Windows Update
Now save the changes you have made, close notepad and cross check if windows update is working or not.

[IreneL]

I have tried performing what you have mentioned but that dint made any difference, I am still getting that error message. I have checked out my firewall and have made sure that it’s not interfering with Windows Update site. I have added Windows Update site to exception list of firewall, proxy settings and in trusted sites list of IE but no avail. Is there anything that I can try out further???

[DakshaMira]

Since you have mentioned that you were not getting that error message earlier and it has started coming up suddenly, I guess your last windows update might have messed up something. If it is so that I will suggest you to perform systems restore. You can restore your system to a point when windows update was working properly. Give it a try and let me know if that helps.

[Clarice]

Add below sites in trusted list of Internet explorer
Windowsupdate.microsoft.com
V4. ” “
v4.” “
Download. ” “
V5.” “
v5. ” “
V6.” “
v6. ” “
Note – Put Windowsupdate.microsoft.com instead of “ “

[IreneL]

I have tried adding all of the above mentioned sites in trusted list of Internet explorer but no luck yet. I will try out system restore later and will let you all know if that works. Until then if there is any other thing that I can try out than please let me know.