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Error that you see in the upper-right corner when you visit the Windows Update Web site on a Windows XP-based computer: "[Error number: 0x8DDD0004]"

Article ID: 914224 - View products that this article applies to.

SYMPTOMS

When you visit the Microsoft Windows Update Web site on a Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, you receive an error message that is similar to the following:

Windows Update has encountered an error and cannot display the requested page.

You receive this error message when the scan for the latest version of the Windows Update software runs on the computer.

Additionally, you see "[Error number: 0x8DDD0004]" in the upper-right corner of the Web page.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

Register the following .dll files:
- Jscript.dll
- Msxml3.dll
- Atl.dll
- Wuapi.dll
- Wuaueng.dll
- Wuaueng1.dll
- Wucltui.dll
- Wups.dll
- Wuweb.dll
To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type cd %windir%\system32, and then press ENTER.
3. Type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each command:
  - Regsvr32 Jscript.dll
  - Regsvr32 Msxml3.dll
  - Regsvr32 Atl.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wuapi.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wuaueng.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wuaueng1.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wucltui.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wups.dll
  - Regsvr32 Wuweb.dll
4. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.
Note If the previous steps do not resolve this issue, continue with steps 2 through 4.
Stop the Automatic Updates service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS). To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
2. In the list of services, right-click Automatic Updates, and then click Properties.
3. In the Automatic Updates Properties dialog box, click the General tab, click Stop, and then click OK.
4. In the list of services, right-click Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and then click Properties.
5. In the Background Intelligent Transfer Service Properties dialog box, click the General tab, click Stop, and then click OK.
Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type %windir%, and then click OK.
  
  Note The %windir% folder is the folder where you installed Microsoft Windows.
2. Locate the SoftwareDistribution folder.
3. Right-click the SoftwareDistribution folder, and then click Rename.
4. Type OldSD, and then press ENTER.
Start the Automatic Updates service and the BITS service. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type services.msc, and then click OK.
2. In the list of services, right-click Automatic Updates, and then click Properties.
3. In the Automatic Updates Properties dialog box, click the General tab, click Start, and then click OK.
4. In the list of services, right-click Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and then click Properties.
5. In the Background Intelligent Transfer Service Properties dialog box, click the General tab, click Start, and then click OK.