Windows Can't check for updates...

[Fletchguy]

Hello everyone and thanks for any help in advance.

I am having an issue that just started last week. My windows updates pops up a red sheild when I boot my computer and displays the message " Windows can't check for Updates"... This has never happened before until about a week ago. I have read online and see some had similar issues but not exactly the same. i tried a few things that were suggested out online so i'll give what i did and quick system info....

I run windows vista home premium with sp2 on a sony viao latop 500 gb harddrive.

I have run Microsoft Mr Fixit and it finds issues with my stand alone updater such as :
Windows Update components must be repaired..

Default Windows Update Data Locations have changed.

I let auto fix do its thing and it says fixes made so i reboot. Updates still same issue and if I rerun Mr Fixit finds same issues and again says it fixed them but obviously not.

I do have an error coded from the Updater which is 80096001...

I tried to run the kb947821 patch file but after I download and windows stand alone installer starts I get an error message that says :
Installer encountered an error: 0x80096001 . A system level error while verifying trust....

I also tried this idea...

1. Click the "Start" Button, click "All programs", and click "Accessories".

2. Right-click “Command Prompt” Run as administrator". If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

3. Type "netsh winhttp reset proxy" (without quotes) at the command prompt, and press Enter.

4. Try the update again.

That didnt help....

I then also ran chkdsk and sfc ....sfc made a log said it found some corrupt files it couldn't fix I have the log but have no idea what to make of it can post if needed..

I downloaded Kaspersky Tddskiller to check for rootkits i did find one which was a zeroday variant called Win32.ZAcess.k and removed that and restarted but didn't fix it.

I saw someplace to turn off the updater service then go to C:\windows\SoftwareDistribution\dowload and told to clean that of all files and folders but it was completely empty so i restarted the service as automatic....

Just in case also ran malwarebytes then S&D Bot nothing found...

Thats were I am right now so any help would be appreciated. I don't have a disk i bought the laptop refurbished and they sent no disk and no repair partition. Looks to me that the updater might be corrrupted???