Microsoft Deactivating Windows Update for Win XP/Vista on August 3, 2020

According to the 24-Jun-2020 Microsoft support article Windows Update SHA-1 Based Endpoints Discontinued for Older Windows Devices, computers with unsupported Windows operating systems that do not support SHA-2 code signing will see one of the following error codes as of 03-Aug-2020 when Windows Update is run:

  • Error code 80072ee2: The device cannot connect to Windows Update.
  • Error code 8024402c: The device is unable to locate Windows Update.


I'm still trying to determine if manual installation of Windows Server 2008 SP2 updates KB4474419 and KB4493730 will add support for SHA-2 code signing to Vista SP2 (most Win Server 2008 SP2 patches released after Vista's EOS on 11-Apr-2017 are compatible with Vista SP2 since both OSs are Build 6.0.600x.xxxxx) - see my MSFN thread Adding SHA-2 Support to Vista SP2 After August 3, 2020 - but there seems to be a difference of opinion if this will actually solve the problem.

Regardless, any Win XP or Vista who tries to perform a clean reinstall of their OS is going to find it much more difficult, if not impossible, to patch their OS back to end of extended support using Windows Update as of 03-Aug-2020.

Kudos to erpster4 for reminding me <here> in the VistaForums about this upcoming deadline.
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox ESR v52.9.0 * Malwarebytes Premium v3.5.1-1.0.365
HP Pavilion dv6835ca, Intel Core2Duo T5550 @ 1.83 GHz, 3 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS

Hi imacri.
Checked out all of the technical stuff in your post. I am compliant : up to date.
This morning, all is good. I did my usual domestics. Rebooted a couple of times.
Hit 'Check for Updates' a few times. All good.Still don't get any updates. 'Update Tuesday' awaits.

Don't forget to 'Create a Restore Point'; when manually updating.

ITMA:

...The info is as follows.Hope this helps you out ?

Hi ITMA:

Your images confirm your Windows Server 2008 updates have changed your OS to Build 6.0.6003, so I wouldn't know what's "normal" behaviour for Windows Update on your hybrid Vista SP2 / Win Server 2008 machine or if there's a simple fix for your error 80072EFD error: "Windows could not search for new updates".  If you require further assistance you should post in Jody Thornton's MSFN thread Server 2008 Updates on Windows Vista since there's an active discussion in that thread about this new Microsoft policy (Windows Update SHA-1 Based Endpoints Discontinued for Older Windows Devices).  There's also a thread new called Windows Update Error Code 80072EFD I'm monitoring in that MSFN forum that you might be interested in.

Before posting in the MSFN forum you might want to check your installed updates at Control Panel | Programs and Features | View Installed Updates and see if you've already installed the Win Server 2008 updates  KB4493730 (Servicing stack update rel. 09-Apr-2019 and KB4474419 (SHA-2 code signing support, rel. 14-May-2019).  When searching your installed updates, enter the full KB number in the search box (e.g., "KB4474419" and not a partial string like "4474419").  As Vistapocalypse noted <here> on 04-Jun-2019, if you did not install KB4474419 then Windows Updates likely hasn't been able to detect newer updates for Microsoft products like MS Office 2010 and Windows Defender virus definitions for over a year now if those updates were only signed with SHA-2 hashes.  Windows Update stopped delivering new Windows Defender virus definitions on my own Vista SP2 machine (which does not support SHA-2 code signing) around July 2019, even though Windows Update would still run to completion and report no updates were available - see my 10-Jul-2019 post <here> in Jody Thorton's MSFN thread.  The BleepingComputer article Windows Server 2008 Requires KB4493730 to Get Future Updates has more information about SHA-1 vs SHA-2 code signing of updates released since July 2019.

The recent deactivation of Windows Update for Win XP / Vista being discussed in this Norton Tech Outpost thread might not even be a concern for you.  I only started this thread to warn users with these older, unsupported operating systems who plan to perform a clean reinstall (or still haven't patched their OS to the official end of extended support) that Windows Update might not be able to connect to Microsoft's update servers as of 03-Aug-2020.

Hi imacri.
The info is as follows.Hope this helps you out ?

ITMA:

....without fail, updated my machine with Windows Server 2008 updates, monthly....

.... 'Windows Update' has, until today, returned a Green Flag 'No Updates Available'. I haven't changed the O/S build at all; since I purchased the thing in 2008. ...

Hi ITMA:

Did you check your current OS build number (i.e., by typing msinfo32 in the Run dialog box to open System Information or running winver from a command prompt)? With the possible exception of IE9 updates, I believe any Win Server 2008 SP2 update released after February 2019 (including the monthly security rollups) will change the build of Vista SP2 from 6.0.6002.xxxxx to 6.0.6003.xxxxx.

Hi imacri
Didn't make a note of the Red Flag code. I only fire the thing up twice a month. It's back in it's case, until 'Update Tuesday'.
'Windows Update' has, until today, returned a Green Flag 'No Updates Available'. I haven't changed the O/S build at all; since I purchased the thing in 2008.

ITMA:
3. This morning; Windows Updates sports the RED FLAGS of DOOM.

Hi ITMA:

Did the Windows Update error you're seeing just start today, and if so what error number are you seeing?

According to Vistaar's post <here> in the VistaForums, any Vista SP2 user who applied a Windows Server 2008 SP2 update released after February 2019 (KB4489887 or later) and changed their OS from Build 6.0.6002.xxxxx to 6.0.6003.xxxxx per the March 2019 MS support article Build Number Changing to 6003 in Windows Server 2008 would have broken Windows Update.  The particular problem you're describing might be an old issue you just noticed today that has nothing to do with the topic of this thread.

Hi !
Since the EOL of Vista 32Bit SP2; I've, without fail, updated my machine with Windows Server 2008 updates, monthly.
Sort out what's required: manual download & install from the MS Update Catalogue.

  • 1. All the updates haven't installed. I've not investigated the failure pop-ups. Life's too short ?
  • 2. All the correct updates above are installed, and latest.
  • 3. This morning; Windows Updates sports the RED FLAGS of DOOM.
  • 4. The page eventually reverts to, 'Check for Updates'. There ain't gonna be any updates !
  • 5. I keep the machine going, it has legacy software, not supported elsewhere.

The machine is 'brain food', makes me use the grey stuff. I've 3x W10 machines; so, I don't spend too much time massaging Vista, an unsupported O/S . MS probably want to turf out the Vista Hardware, and use the space to commission new kit.