wuauclt.exe has encountered an error and needs to be closed

[axilleas]

Hello

I have the above message keep coming up every 30 secs on my PC.
I have disabled Automatic updates,removed AV , still the same though

OS: WIN XP SP2

Thank you



Axilleas

 

[linney]

Some general things to try.

See if System Restore will get you back to a restore point before your problem with Explorer.

Try Safe Mode (Do you have this problem in Safe Mode?). See if you get the error if you logon as another user in Normal Mode.

Try running ChkDsk to check your drive for errors. Right-click your Drive icon/ Properties/ Tools/ Error Checking. Select both boxes.

Run the System File Checker program from the Run Box by typing.....Sfc /Scannow in it and have your XP CD handy.



Check for malware.

SuperAntispyware

http://superantispyware.com/

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

 

[BadBigBen]

to back up Linney's suggestion, though unlikely, as it is a trojan from around 2003... but still worth a check...

When Backdoor.Clt is executed, it performs the following actions:

1. Copies itself as %System%\WUAUCLT.EXE.

2. Adds the value:

"Microsoft auto update"="%System%\wuauclt.exe"

to the registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

so that the Trojan runs when you start Windows.

3. Connects to an IRC server to receive commands. By default, the Trojan will connect to irc.icq.com on port 6667 and join a specific channel.

source: symantec.com


[qoute]OS: WIN XP SP2[/quote]You are out of date, should upgrade to SP3 and hotfixes thereafter...

you could have updated a part of the OS newer than prior to SP3, and it is in conflict which will cause that error...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah - I'm thinking malware too. Wuauclt.exe doesn't normally do that type of thing, unless is was a substituted file.

Definitely recommend Malwarebytes - run in REGULAR mode (not safe mode) unless you can't get it to run in Regular mode. In that case, run in regular mode after having run it in safe mode.