If you have "Automatic Updates" turned on, turn it off.

Right click My Computer/Properties/Automatic Updates

Turn Off.

Reboot

 

Then go to the Updates site.  Download and install any Updates which you are offered.

Select the "Express" option

 

http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us

 

If the error is gone you could try turning "Automatic Updates" on again and see what happens

 

 

 

 

Thanks, the advice is greatly appreciated.   Will try this tonight and post the results. 

After turning off the automatic updates, I attempted to download the updates but kept receiving the message that the updates were unsuccessfully downloaded.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Please post the whole error message.

 

Is there an error Code #

1. Verify Windows Update and BITS Service settings:

 

a. Click Start->Run, type "services.msc" (without quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.

 

b. Double click the service "Automatic Updates".

Make sure the "Startup Type" is "Automatic". Then please click the button "Start" under "Service Status" to start the service.

 

c. Repeat the above steps with the other service: Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

 

If that does not help

Re-Register the Windows Update DLLs

Click on Start and then click Run, type: cmd and click OK.

 

In the command window type "REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLL" (without quotation marks) and press Enter.

When you receive the "DllRegisterServer in WUAPI.DLL succeeded" message, click OK.

 

Please repeat these steps for each of the following commands

REGSVR32 WUAUENG.DLL
REGSVR32 WUAUENG1.DLL
REGSVR32 ATL.DLL
REGSVR32 WUCLTUI.DLL
REGSVR32 WUPS.DLL
REGSVR32 WUPS2.DLL
REGSVR32 WUWEB.DLL

No error code.  After the first window that states "Generic Host Process for Win32 Services has encountered a problem and needs to close", there is a link that to the following message: "

I think we are making headway.  I attempted all of your suggestions with the following results:

 

Under services.msc:

Automatic Updates:  all suggestions inputted and went well.

Background Intelligent Transfer Service:  changed "Startup Type" to Automatic and clicked "Start" button.  Midway through loading, I received:  Generic Host Process for Win32 Services has encountered a problem and needs to close.  Sorry for the inconvenience.  Then separately, another error message box opened and stated:  could not start the Background Intelligent Transfer Service on Local Computer. 

Error 1053: the Service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.

 

Then, I restarted the computer and Re-Registered the Windows Update DLLs as suggested.  Restarted the computer again and tried again to change the "BIT" Service to Automatic.  When I clicked "Start" all of the same dialog boxes opened.

 

Thanks for sticking with this.  Any suggestions going forward?

 

 

1.  Services/double click BITS
Click on the Log On tab, please ensure the option "Local System account" is selected and the option "Allow service to interact with desktop" is unchecked.

 

Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile. If not, please click the Enable button to enable it.

 

2.  qmgr.dll  was mentioned in the error message.  Try re-registering it in the same way as before
REGSVR32 QMGR.DLL

 

If it registers successfully see if you can start BITS Service now

 

If you get an error message that it can`t be registered we will know that the .dll is missing/corrupted.
I think there are trojans/virus which remove qmgr.dll

 

Have you run malware scans?

Housecall      http://housecall.trendmicro.com/

 

ewido scan   http://www.ewido.net/en/

 

Another thought just occurred to me.

IF this started just after installing a Windows Update, do a System Restore to before that Update

Wanted to thank you for taking your time to help me out.  The OS has improved greatly.  Still cannot get the "BIT" to start on automatic, but not getting the error message.  I am thinking of uninstalling SP2 and reinstalling it.  I'll post how that goes.  Thanks again.

I am glad to have helped a bit. :smileyhappy:

 

If you don`t have any problems which you can`t live with, I`d leave well enough alone.

 

SP2 is very fussy.  It likes to be installed in a problem-free system with NO malware at all.

 

 

I am taking your advice and  leaving things the way they are.  Additionally, I was able to download all microsoft updates through the Microsoft "Technet" site.  Thanks again.  :smileyvery-happy:

You are very welcome :smileyhappy: