Vista Windows Update Error 0x80072EFE 80072EFE

I encountered the error code of: 0x80072EFE on windows update on a Dell laptop after "upgrading" it (repair install) .

In the end, it ended up being that since the "Automatically detect proxy" was enabled in Internet Options in Internet Explorer, it was trying to detect my ISP's proxies, and in the C:\Windows\windowsupdate.log file, it showed it as failing via a proxy (when I didn't have a specific proxy set).

Anyways, long story short, I simply disabled the Automatically Detect Proxy option in Internet Options in Internet Explorer, windows update now stopped trying to use a proxy that vista was trying to detect (maybe my isp's proxy was down.. or broken or ?). Windows update worked flawlessly after disabling the detect proxy option.

Articles (rather, posts) I found on the problem were often unanswered (successfully) or pointed towards an internet related issue with your system. I had gone through most of a microsoft howto (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/836941/en-us) (found via this post: http://www.vistaheads.com/forums/microsoft-public-windowsupdate/185095-windows-update-fails-error-80072efe.html)on troubleshooting the issue (after manually trying some things myself beforehand), and the howto pointed/reminded me to read the windowsupdate.log file, so I went and checked, and saw the proxy trying to be used (unsuccessfully). In this instance, it was definitely an internet related issue... (a broken proxy or some other issue with it).

fi.