Error message when you scan for updates on a Windows XP Service Pack 2-based computer: "Error number: 0x8DDD0004"

When you scan for updates in the Microsoft Windows Update Web site on a Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2)-based computer, you receive an error message that resembles the following:

This problem occurs if one of the following conditions is true:

• The WUWebControl Class Active X control is turned off.
• You do not have the correct user rights in the registry.

Warning This workaround may make your computer or your network more vulnerable to attack by malicious users or by malicious software such as viruses. We do not recommend this workaround but are providing this information so that you can implement this workaround at your own discretion. Use this workaround at your own risk.

Important This section, method, or task contains steps that tell you how to modify the registry. However, serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

To resolve this problem, follow these steps:

1. Turn on the WUWebControl Class ActiveX control. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.
   2. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
   3. On the Programs tab, click Manage Add-ons.
   4. In the list of add-ons, click WUWebControl Class, click Enable in the Settings area, and then click OK three times.
      
      Note If the problem is not resolved, continue to step 2.
2. Grant "Full Control" permission to all the registry hives for the user account that you use. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Restart the computer. When the basic input/output system (BIOS) information appears, press F8.
      
      Note On a computer that is configured to run multiple operating systems, press F8 when the Boot menu appears.
   2. When the Windows Advanced Options menu appears, select the Safe Mode option, and then press ENTER.
   3. When the Boot menu appears and "Safe Mode" appears in blue at the bottom of the screen, select the operating system that you want to start, and then press ENTER.
   4. Log on as an Administrator. Or, log on to a user account that has Administrator rights.
   5. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
   6. In the left pane, click a registry hive. For example, click the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE registry hive.
   7. On the Edit menu, click Permissions.
   8. In the Group or user names box, click the user account that you use.
   9. Click to select the Allow check box for the Full Control permission, click Apply, and then click OK.
   10. Repeat steps f through i for all registry hives.
   11. Exit Registry Editor.
   12. Restart the computer.
       
       Note If the problem is not resolved, continue to step 3.
3. Reset the security settings back to the default settings. For more information about how to do this, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
   313222  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222/ ) How to reset security settings back to the defaults