When running Windows Update in Windows Vista to check for updates, Windows Update fails to check and search for any new updates or hotfixes available with the following error message:

Windows could not search for new updates

Error(s) found:
Code 80004002

Windows Update 80004002 Error

Clicking on Try again button does not help, and the error page keeps coming back. Get help link meanwhile does not have much information regarding code 80004002 even from online help. Sometimes, error code 80004002 may also appear when Windows Update or Automatic Update detects new updates been released, and prompt to user notification about the new updates. However, user can or cannot download the updates, and updates will not install, with system generates error code 80004002.

Error 0x80040002 is a standard COM error that related to E_NOINTERFACE, which means some COM DLL components on the system is not correctly registered, or has become corrupted. It’s probably due to this reason that Windows Update process cannot find the interfaces that its dependencies DLL exports.

To solve and fix the 80040002 stop error on Windows Update, try the following resolution to re-register the Windows Update related DLLs.

Open an administrator Command Prompt, and type the following commands. Press ‘ENTER’ key after each command:

regsvr32 wuapi.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32 wucltui.dll
regsvr32 wups.dll
regsvr32 wups2.dll
regsvr32 wuweb.dll

There may be some errors on registering on the DLL, which can be ignored. Once re-registered, check for updates again. In most case, Automatic Update will work almost immediately. If trick does not work, try to disable UAC. You can always re-enable the UAC once the Windows Update gets working again.

If the WU 80004002 problem still persists, try to download and install the latest service pack or major version update for the version of Windows. For example, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows Vista, Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows 7 and so. Updating to latest version will probably solve all problems.

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