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- Windows Update page says "Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site."
Windows Update page says "Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site."
- Copyright © 2008 Ramesh Srinivasan
- Error messages
Symptom
When you visit Windows Update to download updates to your system, the following message may appear:
Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.
This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating systems only. To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/.
Cause
This means that your system is sending an incorrect data (about the Operating System) to the Microsoft Windows Update server. Windows Update uses the operating system information that the navigator.userAgent property returns to determine if you are running a supported operating system.
To test the User Agent string, open Internet Explorer and type the following:
javascript:navigator.userAgent
You'll see the Version, Platform information reported. The same data is reported to a Web server when you visit a website.
This problem may also occur if you access the Internet through a firewall or proxy that does not allow the Windows Update Web site to receive the correct HTTP user-agent request header ("HTTP_USER_AGENT") for Internet Explorer. Some firewalls or proxy servers may send user-agent information that is incorrect or difficult to nterpret.
Resolution
Open Regedit.exe and navigate to the following locations:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent
and
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Internet Settings \ 5.0 \ User Agent
Backup the keys to separate REG files. See this page for more information.
Delete the User Agent key in the above two locations (if present)
By doing this, any overridden User Agent strings and tokens are removed, and the correct data is reported to a Web server.
Close Regedit.exe and restart Windows.
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41 Responses to "Windows Update page says "Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site."" 
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said this on 28 Jun 2006 9:57:35 AM PDT
I knew the solution but how nice to find it here! Right on the spot
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said this on 23 Nov 2006 12:52:48 AM PDT
Thanks i almost gave up until i found this..
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said this on 22 Feb 2007 6:07:22 AM PDT
Your suggestion worked once! Now Windows Update page says: "Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site." the javascript:navigator.userAgent reports: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 98; Win 9x 4.90) Any other suggestions?
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said this on 24 Feb 2007 9:45:12 PM PDT
The two keys mentioned do not exist in my registry. Definitly some malware involvement.
Thank you for your interest in obtaining updates from our site.
This website is designed to work with Microsoft Windows operating systems only.
To find updates for Microsoft products that are designed for Macintosh operating systems, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/mac/.
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said this on 15 Mar 2007 8:18:03 PM PDT
I deleted the user agent in HKEY_CURRENT USER, but didn't have the other one. Now, I don't have either one. Rebooted. Yet, javascript:navigator.userAgent still reports the Mozilla/4.0 entry, and I still can't update my fresh Windows Me. ????????
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said this on 19 Mar 2007 3:13:30 PM PDT
The keys mentioned are not in my registry. The solution in KB817144 didn't work either, and neither did the Dial-a-fix utility. Strangely the following procedure usually allows me to run an update: 1) reboot Windows. 2) start Internet Explorer 3) pause the Task Scheduler 4) Go straight to http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp
javascript:navigator.userAgent still reports the wrong value though.
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said this on 20 Mar 2007 5:41:54 PM PDT
I ran into another case of this error today and unfortunately deleting the User Agent strings did not resolve. Any other ideas?
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said this on 20 Dec 2007 6:23:38 PM PDT
Are you still have this problem...This is what worked for me...download the user agent string utility below:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=9517db9c-3c0d-47fe-bd04-fad82a9aac9f&displaylang=en
Run this and change your string (via the utility) to internet explorer 6 or 7. Then go into internet options and reset web settings.
Once I did this I was able to run windows update site.
Hopefully this is clear...if not email me at klondon101@yahoo.com.
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said this on 07 Jan 2008 2:40:11 PM PDT
Worked Perfectly......Thanks, Thanks, Thanks!!!!!
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said this on 19 Jan 2008 4:25:11 PM PDT
What specific steps do you mea by 'Then go into internet options and reset web settings."
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said this on 25 Mar 2007 3:32:19 PM PDT
I have just come across this problem after installing an old Win98SE.
All I did was install MS Virtual machine and it fixed it.
The hard part may be finding the file as I saved it from when they had the court case and use it on all my OS including XP.
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said this on 30 Mar 2007 9:28:47 AM PDT
This didn't work for me, but I found another solution - delete all temporary files AND cookies, then go to https://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp which is the secure website. It asked if it should display non-secure content and I clicked NO. Then it would show the updates available. Good luck because even this was not always working but it worked at first.
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said this on 16 Apr 2007 6:03:57 PM PDT
Comment #12 did the trick for me. Be sure to click NO the first time it asks about non secure files but click YES the second time. If you don't it won't work.
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said this on 19 Apr 2007 3:59:48 PM PDT
Re comment 11:
Same here, everything else had failed but tried Koe's method and it worked. Thx
Rut
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said this on 04 Aug 2007 3:49:36 AM PDT
Having problems using Win XP SP2, tried all fixes, no change.
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said this on 14 Aug 2007 7:11:53 PM PDT
Tried all you suggested. Still not able to get to the Update site.
Java script says "mozilla/4.0 (compatible; msie 6.0)"
Any other suggestions?
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said this on 06 Sep 2007 12:30:23 AM PDT
This article has actually fixed the issue with the updates.
Nice troubleshooting step. I Appreciate it very much. Thanks for the article support.
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said this on 02 Nov 2007 2:40:04 PM PDT
This might happen becuase of some browser hijack. if the user agent or the post platform keys doesnt help you, create a new user account and transfer all your files to that user account. Possibly a user profile corruption.
If you want you can try this step first.
Delete the PostPlatform key from the following registry location.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE Microsoft Windows CurrentVersion Internet Settings PostPlatform.
Best of luck...
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said this on 28 Dec 2007 8:20:10 AM PDT
I did what Engel said but with no result
Maybe I don
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said this on 29 Dec 2007 8:31:43 PM PDT
Thanks, this worked perfectly for me!
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said this on 29 Dec 2007 9:31:48 PM PDT
Thanks Joe. your solution worked for me. It did not ask me about a secure or non secure content, went direct to the sight.
Thanks LDF
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said this on 04 Jan 2008 5:03:28 AM PDT
It worked for my WinXP SP2 , Thankl you very much..
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said this on 07 Jan 2008 2:47:36 PM PDT
Kevins Fix Works Great!!! Try it, It fixed it the first time!!
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said this on 10 Jan 2008 12:24:01 PM PDT
The article solution doesn't work for me after I deleted User Agent keys.
Kevin's solution doesn't work for me neither because I have IE6 not v7.
Any other suggestions?
---
Win 64, sp2
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said this on 12 Jan 2008 10:22:33 PM PDT
Worked for us! Thanks to the link, MVP!
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said this on 14 Jan 2008 6:45:50 PM PDT
Thank you PA Bear and Elmo, I'm not sure why it happened yet, but your answer was perfect.
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said this on 19 Jan 2008 5:11:23 AM PDT
I had this same problem and I deleted the two specified "user agent" entries and still had the same problem. I then removed every occurrence of the word "Mozilla" from "C" Drive - including registry, rebooted again and I went to Microsoft update website normally.
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said this on 04 Feb 2008 3:44:15 AM PDT
Awesome Post. It works for me. XP SP2. Thanks a ton
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said this on 09 Feb 2008 9:09:40 PM PDT
Here's a quicker way to fix it (in IE7, maybe also works in IE6):
In Internet Explorer go to Tools -> Internet options, go to the Advanced tab and click the Reset... button. This will display a warning window telling you that this will reset the Internet Explorer to its default settings (clearing ALL the history, temporary, passwords, cookies, toolbars (MU toolbar???), except the favorites. If you agree, click Reset. Restart IE and Windows Update will work again.
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said this on 18 Feb 2008 10:35:40 AM PDT
An effective resolution! Thanks.
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said this on 28 Feb 2008 7:11:32 PM PDT
FWIW, the recommended fix did not correct the issue on my XP Media Center SP2 machine.
Solution on my machine was removing Silverlight. Fixed the problem immediately. :shrug:
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said this on 02 Mar 2008 10:41:12 PM PDT
ok WHAT I DID WORKS AND HAS FIXED A FEW OF MY FRIENDS COMPUTERS TOO....
1. Open Internet Explorer
2. Go to Tool -> Internet Options
3. Advanced Tab
4. Click the "Reset" button
5. It will ask if you are sure, click "Reset" again
Then try the windows update page again when this is finished.
Note: You will lose all your IE settings and plugins. So be sure to write down or back up what you have before you do this.
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said this on 13 Mar 2008 5:01:42 AM PDT
Worked like a dream - thank you.
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said this on 11 Apr 2008 8:16:11 PM PDT
I was experiencing this problem for a few day as far as I could be aware, and none of the solutions hacking the user agent entry in the registry worked for me. Finally I got a hint from a search in Google that it could be related to a Network Threat Protection Setting in Symantec Endpoint Protection software. Absolutely right, the setting is “Enable stealth mode Web browsing” under “Stealth Settings”.
Once you uncheck this setting, you don’t even need to restart the pc to get to Windows Updates web page. So If you have any Symantec or Norton antivirus software, or any other brand with this setting, try it before any more advanced solution like getting in the registry or installing / uninstalling the brower or the operating system.
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said this on 13 Jun 2008 3:16:48 PM PDT
Just a reply to Edwin that he was spot on. Disabling SEP11 allowed the update to work flawlessly! Thanks for posting!
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said this on 20 Jun 2008 12:45:21 AM PDT
Awesome Post. It works for me. for XP SP2. Thanks a lot......
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said this on 10 Jul 2008 8:06:05 AM PDT
Unistalling "Digital Locker" software obtained at Windows Market Place solved my problem. Tested, reinstalled and the problem returned. Unistalled and update works fine.
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said this on 15 Jul 2008 10:09:14 PM PDT
Was getting this same problem and none of the reg hacks worked. turned out it was SEP11 as Edwin suggested. Turned off stealth mode browsing on "firewall" tab in "network threat protection" and this was fine.
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said this on 15 Aug 2008 5:03:38 PM PDT
I was very, very hesitant to edit the registry but IT WORKED. The only problem is that now it showing my browser as Mozilla and not I.E. but I was planning on switching to Mozilla anyway.
Prior to this, I talked to 3 techs from ATT and NOBODY knew how to fix this problem. I also asked our engineers as work but was told "Just get a new computor". I can't repeat what my response was. Because of this, I was determined to fix the problem on my own.
You will see plenty of me in the future.
Thank You
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