Windows Update and error 0×80072EFD
A friend asked me to help “fix” her laptop, complaining it was “slow” and “has lots of spyware or something”. Not the best description, but hey, it was all I had to work with 
After booting up the laptop, it was clear something was really wrong. This was a Toshiba Sattelite M45 with a 1.8ghz Pentium M and 1GB of RAM but was running as if it was a decade old machine. Firing up IE resulted in 17 popups and prompts to install various spyware programs and supposed “antivirus” programs. I downloaded Windows Defender in hopes of cleaning up the spyware, but after installation, I was given an error that updated spyware definitions could not be downloaded and error code “0×80072EFD”.
I tried going to Microsoft Update but was given the same unhelpful error code. My web searches resulted in a bunch of useless information with suggested solutions that were completely unhelpful such as changing URL to “https” instead of “http” or “reboot your computer”. Seriously people, rebooting doesn’t solve everything.
I then found a message board post over at eggheadcafe.com, where a user copy and pasted an email response from a Microsoft customer support rep named “Sarfaraz”.
One of the recommendations that Sarfaraz made was to check that the “Background Intelligent Transfer Service” (BITS) was running. I went into the Windows Services menu and saw that the BITS service wasn’t running and was set to “manual” instead of “automatic”. I changed the setting and started the service up and fired up IE again to go to Windows Update.
Hallelujah! It worked! Turns out my friend needed to apply 58 critical security patches.. ouch. I installed all the security updates, got the the updated Windows Defender signature file and cleaned out 28 spyware infections. Things in laptop land are good again. Phew.
Sarfaraz, if you’re reading this, thanks for helping me out
This is exactly what i needed! Looking all day for a solution. Can you please contact me.
Jono
YES. This solved it a problem on an old laptop we had lying around our office. Thank you thank you thank you.
I’ve tried everything and I think that this is it.
BUT I can’t start MITS,It says “error 1068 The dependency service or gropu failed to start”
Hi..since receiving the notice that I couldn’t use msn messenger unless I changed to windows live messenger, I have not been able to use it. I was able to install windows live, but for two weeks now all I see is the error report 80072efd!! I am able to use windows live hotmail…go figure that! I can also get on web messenger, but am told pop-ups are blocked. Have done the microsoft thing…emailed and chat online…done all that has been suggested and still receiving the error #. Don’t know what to try next. Any suggestions here? I have become very frustrated and really not sure what to do. Thanks for any help you might be able to provide…Mary
Vik, someone’s been messing around with your services (probably trying to “optimize” vista, ouch). Make sure the following services (which BITS is dependent on) are enabled:
DCOM Server Process Launcher
Remote Procedure Call (RPC)
COM+ Event System
BITS should now function properly.
Wow…very useful tips. Thanks
Gareth…
Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I have been looking for EVER on how to get BITS to start and it turned out to be that COM+ Even System was disabled. Thank you SOOOO MUCH!