Hi NYCNY:
Did you try launching the 64-bit version of IE9 from your Windows Start button as I suggested in
post # 22 to see if you have at least one IE9 browser that's updating correctly? I don't have a 64-bit Vista SP2 computer but manyt
64-bit Windows OSs come with
both a 32-bit and 64-bit IE browser. The 32-bit version launches by default since it is compatible with most add-ons.
Re-installing IE9 might be faster than trying to track down the cause of your
9C48 error. I did a bit of searching and the solution can be ridiculously easy (one user found this error disappeared when they logged in to Windows with a user account that had Administrator rights) to something more complex (e.g., a corrupted C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder). If you're going that route I'd suggest you create a new topic in the
Browsers & Mail board or post over in bleepingcomputer's
Web Browsing/Email and Other Internet Applications board and get some proper guidance for the best way to perform a clean reinstall of IE9 on a 64-bit Vista SP2 machine.
A few things to consider first, though, before you waste too much time on this. With extended support for Vista SP2 ending on
11-Apr-2017, have you considered
upgrading to Win 7 SP1 or purchasing a refurbished Win 7 SP1 or new Win 10 machine? I went through my notes and found another user 64-bit Vista SP2 user, chrisupi007, who encountered this 9C48 error with the IE9 Update Version 9.0.34 / KB3008923 (64-bit IE9 only, 32-bit IE9 worked fine) - see my post # 159 in the bleepingcomputer thread
Windows Vista Update Hangs at "Checking For Updates". He got so fed up trying to fix his Vista SP2 problems he eventually purchased a legal copy of 64-bit Win 7 online and upgraded his OS to squeeze out three additional years of security updates for his machine.
My other concern is that
IE9 is not a safe choice for a default browser. Microsoft will be releasing monthly security updates for IE9 until April 2017 but this browser has not supported newer (and safer)
Transport Layer Security protocols like TLS 1.1 and 1.2 for connecting to secure
https sites for several years. When I browse to the Qualys SSL Labs test page at
https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html with IE9 I am warned that my browser will connect to https sites using older, insecure protocols and that it does not support the latest TLS protocols. I only use IE9 for testing purposes (e.g., when a download or some other functionality doesn't work in my Firefox browser) and only when necessary - my bank won't even allow me log into their website with IE9.
View attachment 29474
Google stopped releasing security updates for Chrome on the XP and Vista in April 2016 (see their blog entry
Updates to Chrome Platform Support) but
Mozilla Firefox is still fully supported for both these OS and supports TLS 1.2. In March 2017 Mozilla plans to automatically move Win XP SP3 and Vista SP2 users to their
Extended Support Release (ESR) version of Firefox 52 (i.e., no new features but continued security patches), so if you switch now to Firefox you should be secure until September 2017 and possibly into early 2018. From the Mozilla support article
Important - Firefox is Ending Support for Windows XP and Vista:
"
Firefox security updates for XP and Vista users will continue until September 2017, although new features will not be offered. In mid-2017, a final support end date will be announced based on the number of users still on Windows XP and Vista."
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32-bit Vista Home Premium SP2 * Firefox v51.0.1 * NIS v22.9.0.68 * MBAM Premium v2.2.1
Hardware is working perfectly and the entire unit seems to be running better now than when I got it (even though previous owner had done a restore too.)