Error Code 646

[mtav]

For the past three weeks, whenever I have tried to put Vista to sleep, it has attempted to install four important security updates and then switched off (instead of going to sleep). The updates fail each time with the error code 646 for each of them.

 

The updates are:

MS Office Visio Viewer 2007 (KB973709)

2007 MS Office System (KB972581)

MS Works 8 (KB973636)

2007 MS Office System (KB974234)

 

During this run of failed updates various other Windows updates have run withoiut problem.

 

Can anyone suggest how I can get the problem four to run properly?

[Jelly Bean]

Hello there.

 

This could be your antivirus or firewall.

 

Try this and see if you can install them.

 

* Open the Control Panel and select Security.

 

* Select Turn Windows Firewall on or off.

 

* Select Off (not recommended), click Apply and then OK.

 

* Back at the Windows Update screen, click the Try again button.

 

* The download(s) and installation should start…

 

* and this time successfully install. If a restart is required, make sure to re-enable your Firewall once your PC restarts.

 

* Though this solution will work for most Vista Update errors

 

 

 

Method 1: Register the Windows Update files

1. Click Start and then type notepad in the Start Search box.

2. Click Notepad in the Programs list.

3. Copy the following commands, and then paste them into the opened Notepad window:

REGSVR32 WUPS2.DLL /S

REGSVR32 WUPS.DLL /S

REGSVR32 WUAUENG.DLL /S

REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLL /S

REGSVR32 WUCLTUX.DLL /S

REGSVR32 WUWEBV.DLL /S

REGSVR32 JSCRIPT.DLL /S

REGSVR32 MSXML3.DLL /S

1. In Notepad, on the File menu, click Save As.

2. In the Save as type list, click All Files.

3. In the File name box, type register.bat.

4. Save the Register.bat file to your desktop.

5. Right-click the Register.bat file, and then click Run as administrator.Collapse this imageExpand this imageIf you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password or click Continue.

6. Try to install updates again.

Method 2: Download and install the Windows Update agent

For more information about how to download and install the latest Windows Update agent, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

949104

Please reply and let us know if your issue is resolved or if you will need further assistance

[mtav]

Many thanks for your suggestions, JellyBean. Unfortunately, disabling firewall and antivirus made no difference - stiill four updates failed to install. Ditto for 'Method 1'. And same again for Method 2 except that number of failing updates due to Error Code 646 increased first to five (KB937593) then to six (KB973704) and finally to seven (KB974561). I now have seven updates failing to install every time I switch the computer off or put Vista to sleep. It takes a long time to get going again!

 

Other Windows updates were installed satisfactorily earlier today. Any other suggestion what is wrong with these four (now seven)?

[RandyL]

Hi mtav. Try these things.

 

Download and install the latest Windows Installer. Afterwards reboot.

 

Types services.msc in the run box then disable the Automatic Update service to stop it from running.

 

Go to Folder Options and enable Show hidden files and folders.

 

Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\EventCache and delete all the files in both of those.

 

Go back to services.msc and start the Automatic update service and set the Automatic update service to automatic.

[mtav]

RandyL, clicking on the Windows Installer link in your post brings up a list of supported operating systems which doesn't include Windows Vista. Please advise.

[mtav]

RandyL, clicking on the Windows Installer link in your post brings up a list of supported operating systems which doesn't include Windows Vista. Please advise.

RandyL, I see Installer v4.5 is for Vista with SP1 so will try that.

[mtav]

RandyL, I see Installer v4.5 is for Vista with SP1 so will try that.

RandyL, I tried to install Windows Updater v4.5 but both during and after the installation windows came up headed "Windows Update Standard Installer" which said the update didn't apply to my sysrem. I ignored them and carried on and then rebooted, but Services.msc doesn't contain an Automatic Update Service. The nearest is Windows Update (with automatic - delayed start), otherwise Google Software Updater and Google Update Service (both with manual startup) and Yahoo! Updater (with automatic startup). Please advise.

[RandyL]

Sorry mtav. You're right. 4.5 is the latest version. Does not apply messages like that means you probably already have it installed.

 

Also the Windows Update service is the correct one. Temporarily stop the service.

 

Next delete the files. Those are from previous downloads. Sometimes doing that will force a fresh download of failed updates.

[mtav]

Done that successfully, RandyL, with a large number of files deleted from Download and a lesser number from EventCache. But have now run Windows Update three times since then and regret that all seven updates still fail with Error Code 646. What next?

[mtav]

Many thanks for your help, RandyL. Have any other suggestion?

[RandyL]

Those are the usual fixes for update problems so I'm fast running out of ideas.

 

Since most of those are for Office have you tried reinstalling Office?

 

Also try the stand alone installers. For instance:

KB972581

KB973636