Restore Windows Update for Vista

But if the user's native language for example is Ukrainian, and the user does not want to switch to English or another language, supported by Server 2008?

 

That is, when I install Windows Server 2008 updates on Windows Vista Ukrainian, it gives an error?

 

The whole idea is to trick your system into thinking that it is Windows Server 2008. Since your language is not supported by Windows Server 2008 you are out of luck. You might try ofc but one god knows what will happen. Your only solution if you are willing to sacrifice the updates after 2017 in favor of the language is to install vista in English run abbodi1406's patch then get the list of the updates and write them down. Manually download everything from the Update Catalog and then reinstall and apply everything offline without installing the patch. Then apply your language pack. You still have to find out what specific updates you will need for your particular language ofc. .Net and IE will be one of those for sure.
Botttom line is that if you want a language not supported by Windows Server 2008 you need to stay on Vista and update it manually without the patch. Nothing that abbodi can do about it.. It is just that those are the languages supported by Windows Server 2008.

 

Hey Everyone,

I hope you are all well. After using the WUC with no issues for many builds with no issues I now have one. While in the past I was unable to using Option 3 consistently, I was able you use Option 1 and then Option 2 with out error.

So what the problem now you might be asking? Now if I use Option 1 WU will run to completion and show me all the Vista updates. That's great!! However, if I use Option 2 WU runs for a while but stops with an error 0xc8000266. The log gives the message "AutomaticUpdates Failure Software Synchronization Windows Update Client failed to detect with error 0xc8000266". Ironically, this is the error I use to get when using Option 3.

Some extra info. I've been running this for the last week muliple times morning, afternoon and night. If I look at Task Manager SVCHost is using high memory (sometimes as high as 3 gigs) but low CPU oddly enough.

So is anyone else experiencing this issue or is it just me? I really can't figure this one out as I haven't changed my way of do this. Any help is appreciated.

M2GD

 

Do you get the error exactly the moment the svchost peaked on RAM usage? Are you trying this on 32bit windows by any chance? Option 3 always worked for me on 64bit versions and the svchost peaked at 4.5GB. Make sure that you have at least 6GB allocated if it is a VM. If not make sure that you have the page file enabled with something like 4GB of size. Also you might want to skip option 1 and go for option 2 if option 3 is not available for you or if it bugs after you have installed the vista updates. I managed to identify some updates that come for both Vista and Server 2008 by on version 1 and version 2 respectively. That might cause some mess if you try to install both. I am referring to the updates kb2705219 and kb2712808 (one of the two should needed but both are offered the first in different versions as well. Also kb3170455-v1 and kb3170455-v2 is being offered for vista and 2008 respectively. I turn to think that the best option is to do the Server 2008 updates and leave pretty much intact the rest.

 

Thank you xrononautis for your sugguestions. I will give them a shot and report back.

 

I'm also having problems with the C8000266 error, no matter what I try, I just can't seem to get it to work.. I have tried many different iso's on VM's with plenty of ram and + on real hardware on multiple laptops, old and new ones with HDD's and SSD's. Also over different networks, LAN / Wi-FI to my home router + even thetered 4G/5G from my phone, and still no luck. The options 1 works (sometimes), but 2 and 3 always just ends up with that 266 error, deleting SoftwareDistribution folder etc. doesn't do anything, it just keeps searching again for a while for that error to come up again.

This method used to work just fine with both options 2 and 3 earlier back this year, so not sure what's going on? . All pre-required updates are installed ok.

 

en kerro / My2GirlsDad:

These are comments that were added to my guide on June 14, 2021.

Depending on your computer knowledge and the speed of your computer and its internet connection, most of this guide should take only a few hours and should go smoothly.
However, when you get to steps #23 and #25 where Windows Update checks for important updates, you may be greeted with an error code (80072EFE, C8000266, etc.).
If your computer has a weak and slow internet connection, you may be unable to proceed any further.
However, if your computer has a strong and fast internet connection, retrying the check for updates process multiple times and retrying at different times of the day should eventually work.
To my knowledge, there is no known reliable fix for this issue.

 

Thank you en kerro and CaptainSpeleo for your input.

CaptainSpeleo, this begs the question, "Are you able to complete this for x64 and x86 for Option 2 and/or Option 3 today?"

I await your answer and thank you in advance.

M2GD

 

My2GirlsDad:

The last time that I did a clean install of Windows Vista SP2 64-bit was on May 03, 2021 - 4 months ago.
After completing the 20+ steps in the guide, I deployed Vista_SHA2_WUC and used option #1 to install the Vista important updates and then used option #2 to install the Server 2008 important updates.
Since that time, Windows Update has automatically detected and installed whatever important updates appear every "patch Tuesday".

If you're expecting me to spend several hours doing another clean install of Windows Vista SP2 64-bit and then complete the 20+ steps and then deploy Vista_SHA2_WUC to see if option #2 or option #3 is still successful in detecting and installing Server 2008 updates, you have a very long wait.
I'm sure I'll be doing it again in the future, but I can't say when.

 

I was not expecting you to do that but I do find it very interesting that you are able to check to completion on each patch Tuesday. So what has changed from May 2021 till today. Just wondering.

By the way Captain I'm not expecting you to have the answer.

Thanks for your input I do appreciate it.

M2GD

 

In May 2021, when I performed the 20+ steps in the guide and then deployed the Vista_SHA2_WUC tool, it installed the Windows Vista and Server 2008 important updates and brought Windows Vista Business SP2 64-bit up to date to May 2021.
Because the Windows Update app has remained functional, it detects and installs the important updates that appear every month on "patch Tuesday".

This is what's been detected and installed every "patch Tuesday" since May 2021:
June 2021 - KB5003661 security monthly quality rollup
July 2021 - KB5004305 security monthly quality rollup
August 2021 - KB5005090 security monthly quality rollup

The next "patch Tuesday" is on September 14th.

 

Odd thing though was that this method used to work very well, and even quite fast sometime back in january I think, when I tried this first on a VM and after that one of my old laptops with no problems at all. I used the CaptainSpeleo's guide on the other thread for it (thanks btw!). But since a few months ago it has been quite a bit of a hit or miss, and as of now I can't past the C8000266 no matter what, I spend all last weekend just trying to get it to work on on of my machines I want to use Vista on. I also have a stable internet connetion in use, 100+Mbps down. But not sure if the speed matters, since back when in ~january I installed this on the old laptop, I used a slow 3G from my phone since there was no better available and it detected the updates in a few minutes on a fresh install.

I still have one other laptop I installed x64 Vista Business back sometime in May/June of this year, which didn't first detect the updates at first and had the same 266 error. But then I just left it untouched for a month or so on the shelf, then one day powered it it on for a test, and for a suprise after a few minutes just on the desktop it informed that new updates were available! (didn't install them though since had no time then.. but detected them just fine, option 2 btw.). And that has been the last machine this method has ever worked for me, I have since tried to left some laptops run for days just on the desktop and then rebooting etc. but nothing.. Maybe the one and the only option for this to get to work on my other machine is to just clone the SSD from that working laptop to my other machines too, even though I would always prefer a clean installation..

 

That is basically my experience also en kerro. Thanks for your input. It's mind boggling for sure.

 

en kerro / My2DadsGirl:

After deploying the Vista_SHA2_WUC tool, getting the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 updates to be detected and installed by Windows Update is the most frustrating and the most time-consuming part of the entire process.
That's the main reason why I don't do a test clean install more often.
There's no known fix for this issue.

 

Please look at post #15 of this topic. It's a known issue with vista and windows 7 and it's fixable by installing a specific set of updates manually.

 

Thanks for the advice TigTex but I have installed all those updates and have been all along.

 

WSUS_Proxy does not work for me. It installs only Windows Ultimate Extras, if I choose install updates from Internet, it throws error 0x80072EFE (the same is for WUMT), so please, add support for Vista Ukrainian and etc to Vista_SHA2_WUC