If you Cant Update ur Windows Defender ... !

[anandk]

if u ever encounter an "error code 0x80240029 - cannot update" which btw is the most common one, when updating defender, here is a solution which will help u.

this usually happens if the distribution database is broken and needs to be re-created.

my vista homprem had all the default settings. my microsoft update was set to automatic; and yet i had this problem yesterday.

here r the solutions i found :

1) as far as vista goes (dont know if this applies to xp) u can do this by clicking start>all programs > windows updates> change settings > uncheck automatic updates, uncheck recommended updates and uncheck use microsoft update service. this will switch from Microsoft Update back to using Windows Update.
reboot.

this was sgstd on a msdn site. i tried this and it WORKED ! u can now reset the update settings to as they were earlier, if u feel.

2) I also came across this download from Microsoft (vista/xp)
this actually FORCES defender to update !
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...es/mpas-fe.exe
this too definately WoRKS !


3) lastly if both above dont work, there is another way sgstd too :

Boot into safe mode
Open Windows explorer
Open the Windows folder
Find the folder named SoftwareDistribution (or else FLUSH it !)
Rename SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old
reboot
Run update (at this point a new SoftwareDistribution folder will be created)
it will help ! but I've not done this fix personally.

the first two have been tried by me and worked.

[abhijangda]

Hey good one friend but i think this doesn't applies to xp. As when i reinstall windows and then install windows defender. Then update it's definiton it doesn't and i get some error code I don't know which one but it should be same as yours. I have to update my windows then update it and it will be updated.

[anandk]

let me know the error code, maybe we can try to find the soln...
and btw option-2 mentioned above doz work on xp too !

[anandk]

To manually update Windows Defender visit Microsofts Malware Protection Center for instructions, in case updating problem persists. http://www.microsoft.com/security/portal/ADL.aspx#top