Vista - Windows Vista Update error: code80072EFD

Hi all,
I am running windows Vista Home Premium on HP Pavilion dv6700 Laptop. Windows update give following error:

Windows could not search for new updates.
Error(s) found:
Code 80072EFD Windows encountered an unknown error

Windows Defender also gives error on updates, like:

The program cannot check for the definition updates
Error found: Code 0x80072efd

Please help me.

There are a variety of solutions offered on the net. Unfortunately most are in German and may not help you. Here is one in English that seems to work: RE: Windows Update failed Error Code: 80072EFD - Microsoft Windows Vista Community Forums - Vistaheads

Solutions in this link adressed to older systems:XP and any older.In Vista don't exist proxycfg command.Instead you have to use command:

netsh winhttp reset proxy

MS about this error:

Windows Update error 80072efd - Windows Vista Help

You may encounter temporary connection-related errors when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates

If still no help uninstall any protected software:non-system firewal,antivirus antispyware

You can also try reset WU components How do I reset Windows Update components?

HASTA LA VISTA - VISTA NIGHTMARES!!!!!
UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 7 NOW & SAVE YOURSELF MONTHS OF ENDLESS HELL!
I just wanted to post a quick note on here to try to help some of the many people that, like me, have been living in the hellish underworld of Windows Updates. I suffered immense problems over the whole of the last year due to ******* ******* Vista Updates which would not install, ultimately resulting in my operating system becoming completely screwed up and me being unable to work. I tried everything on these boards and many others, I tried everything.... in the end, a friend of mine, who has less technical knowledge than me, suggested I upgrade to Windows 7. Now while I was reluctant to admit defeat - and that I had to PAY my way out the problems caused by Microsoft, by giving more money to THEM, my time is worth more than the hell I was experiencing..... so I'm here to tell you that upgrading Vista to Windows 7 was the best thing I ever did. All my problems are resolved. Computer (AND WINDOWS UPDATES) now all working perfectly and UP TO DATE. I paid about £80 (UK POUNDS) - which i think is about 40-50 US Dollars - and it was worth every penny (or cent for you).
Just go to Microsoft site and navigate to the Windows 7 upgrade link (they've got it plastered everywhere of course). One word of warning - after downloading the 3 large files, when you start to install them there are several preliminary steps you have to go through - do them all very carefully - including compatibility checks and system status etc etc.... You have to plug in all your regular USB devices to make sure everything compatible - DO NOT UNPLUG THEM DURING ANY PART OF THE PROCESS OR YOU WILL HAVE TO START OVER. Oh and do a backup of your files and settings first to an external hard-drive. Then it checks your system to make sure all software and hardware is compatible. Now these processes were painfully slow for me (perhaps not helped by the fact that I appeared to be downloading from US servers to the UK), and it took the whole evening, I had to uninstall certain software too on the advice of the Windows 7 software installer (including Dell Support Centre and Dell Modem something or other - which took a LONG time itself).... BUT, once I'd got the actual programme - Windows 7 - installing, it ran like a dream. It took a long time and in the end I just left it doing its thing and went to bed (having nightmares of another day of hell and lost earnings). In the morning - I could not believe it - it was all perfectly installed and ready to go. Just had to install the latest updates (which terrified the hell out of me of course!!!!! - but thankfully all went ok!) and then restarted and it is beautiful. Not only that, but Windows 7 absolutely ****** all over Vista, which is littered with bugs and errors and problems and will never work perfectly for long. And Windows 7 is about 2-3 times faster than Vista, apparently because it cuts out a lot of the unecessary running procedures (or something like that!). I'd recommend doing this if you're having problems - If i'd done it a few months back i could have saved days and days of hell and $$$$$$$$ of earnings! Good luck and if you need any pointers for this process drop me a line - simac73@yahoo.co.uk
Cheers
Simon