How to restore an important Windows 7 update lost after a reboot to an earlier system restore point?

[Mark_Bell]

I am running Windows 7 64-bit Service Pack 1 on an HP Pavilion Elite HPE-350t desktop. Recently, a Windows malfunction at start-up caused my father to reboot the system to an earlier system restore point. (He said that was one of several options given at the start-up.) Everything seems to be working properly now except for the fact that I seem to have lost a critical Windows update downloaded after the restore point, Windows Update Agent 7.6.7600.256. It still exists in my Windows Update History and is listed as "successfully installed", but when I view my Installed Updates it is absent. Also, when I try to search for updates to install, I get a message that Windows is up to date. I cannot uninstall the update and re-install it because it is absent from my Installed Updates list. So I'm assuming the re-boot to an earlier system restore point has put this important WIndows update in limbo. How do I make sure this update is installed correctly and running properly?

[banhien]

Hi,

Have you checked this under Programs & Features ?

Regards.

[Mark_Bell]

Yes, I have clicked on "View Installed Updates" and it is absent from the list of installed updates. However, it exists in my "Update History" which is perplexing.

[HardBeatZ]

Hello Mark_Bell,

Are you able to install the missing windows update from the Microsoft Update Catalog?

Microsoft Update Catalog

[Mark_Bell]

Did a search of the Update Catalog and couldn't find Windows update agent 7.6.7600.256. Also, that catalog is for corporate clients sharing across a network only. I went to the Microsoft Download Center, which I previously did not know existed, and could not find the update agent listed there either.

Any other suggestions?

[HardBeatZ]

Hello Mark_Bell,

Ok let's try this. Navigate to the Windows System 32 folder and look for a file called wuaueng.dll. When you right click on the file go to properties and then select the details tab. It will tell you what version of the windows update agent you are running. Let's see what version you are on.

It should look like this

 

[Mark_Bell]

Sorry for the delayed response. When I searched for the System 32 folder, I found nothing. But when I did a direct search for the wuaueng.dll file, I found it and followed your instructions. I right clicked on the latest version of the file and found out I am indeed running version 7.6.7600.256 of the Windows Update Agent. Even the date modifed - 6/2/2012 - was the same. (I'm not sure why I expected it to be different.)

Does this mean I can stop worrying? 

[HardBeatZ · Accepted solution]

Hello Mark_Bell,

Absolutely, because based on that you are running the latest version of the Windows Update Agent and have the latest updated to it.