Restore Access to Windows Update v6
Summary
Windows Update v6 as many people thought supposedly got "shutdown" in
2020 when Microsoft made the switch over to SHA-2 signing support instead
of dual SHA-1 and SHA-2.
You can restore access to the Windows Update v6 website by getting it to work on
your system by following the instructions below.
Notes
The following
instructions apply only to the versions of Windows that the Windows Update v6
website supports. Check out our Compatibility
page for more information.
This method will overwrite your existing proxy settings, so make sure you make
note of and backup those settings.
Disclaimer
We are not responsible for anything that goes wrong to your system if an event
like that were to occur. Please proceed at your own risk.
Instructions
Follow the instructions below help you restore access to the Windows Update
v6 website.
Windows 2000 video tutorial is
available here.
Windows XP video tutorial is
available here.
Windows 2000 Users:
You need to be running Service Pack 3 or above for this method to work. You can download those Service Packs from our Service Pack Center.
This method will overwrite your existing proxy settings, so make sure you make note of and backup those settings by going to Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings... > Advanced... and make a backup of the information that's there.
You need to download the Restore Windows Update v6 patcher here.
Run the installer.
Make sure that all the boxes are checked, and then click on the Install button.
The MSXML 4.0 SP2 (KB954430) installer will open. Click on the Next button.
Then click on I accept the terms in the License Agreement, then click on the Next button.
You can fill out the information on the Customer Information page if you want, but otherwise just click on the Next button.
Then click Install Now.
Click the Finish button.
Your system will reboot.
Click OK on the 2 prompts for registering the 2 DLL files.
Open the Windows Update shortcut that has been added to the desktop or enter the following URL in the address bar: http://fe2.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?g_sconsumersite
There we go! You can now check for updates, download updates, and install updates on your system using Windows Update v6!
If you get a screen that says that you need to upgrade some of the Windows Update components, then click on the Download and Install button to proceed with the installation.
Once the updates finish installing, click on the Restart Now button if that button appears, or click on the Close button if that appears.
Then you can go back to the Windows Update v6 website and check for updates again!
Windows XP Users:
This method will overwrite your existing proxy settings, so make sure you make note of and backup those settings by going to Internet Options > Connections > LAN Settings... > Advanced... and make note of and a backup of the information that's there.
You need to download the Restore Windows Update v6 patcher here.
Run the installer.
Make sure that all the boxes are checked, and then click on the Install button.
Click OK on the 2 prompts for registering the 2 DLL files.
Open the Windows Update shortcut that has been added to the desktop or enter the following URL in the address bar: http://fe2.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?g_sconsumersite
There we go! You can now check for updates, download updates, and install updates on your system using Windows Update v6!
If you get a screen that says that you need to upgrade some of the Windows Update components, then click on the Download and Install button to proceed with the installation.
Once the updates finish installing, click on the Restart Now button if that button appears, or click on the Close button if that appears.
Then you can go back to the Windows Update v6 website and check for updates again!
If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to join our Discord server to get help from our members.