Win XP Service "Automatic Updates" Missing

[Alan]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Running Win XP Home SP1:

I had to restore my brother-in-laws computer that had been
hijacked and infested with a variety of trojans, malware and
spyware. The PC is now back to normal other than one problem.
When I ran Windows Updates I got an error regarding certain
services not being available: BITS and Automatic Updates.
When I opened the services menu I was able to turn on BITS but
Automatic Updates produces an error:

Unable to open service automatic updates for read only on local
computer. Error 183: can not create a file when the file already
exists.

The service is listed but there is no description, no status, no
startup type, etc.

Any ideas?

 

[Alan]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Alan wrote:
>
> Running Win XP Home SP1:
>
> I had to restore my brother-in-laws computer that had been hijacked and
> infested with a variety of trojans, malware and spyware. The PC is now
> back to normal other than one problem. When I ran Windows Updates I got
> an error regarding certain services not being available: BITS and
> Automatic Updates.
> When I opened the services menu I was able to turn on BITS but Automatic
> Updates produces an error:
>
> Unable to open service automatic updates for read only on local
> computer. Error 183: can not create a file when the file already exists.
>
> The service is listed but there is no description, no status, no startup
> type, etc.
>
> Any ideas?
I should have added that I did run sfc /scannow. The computer
does have the recovery console installed. It is a Compaq with an
OEM XP install (recovery disk).

 

[Mark_42]

Allen,

I recently had a "koobface" infection along with about 3 other trojans and worms.

The worst was an AntiVirus2009 infection. Anyhow, I noticed in my services that the path for both BITS and AutoUpdates is now shown as "%fystemroot%...etc" which I think is wrong. I think it should have been %systemroot%...etc". I also noticed the automatics update started to shoiw up with an ad for Antivirus2009 planted on the Updates page (also on the MS Security Center page).

I'm not sure what your issue is, but that was mine. I found the following website which helps somewhat. I'm still into the process of recovering my system.

http://www.amset.info/windows/auto-updates.asp#Reset-Automatic-Updates