Checking for updates fails on Windows 8.1 with error 80072EFE. Connectivity is normal, Antivirus apart from Defender is not installed. DNS Caches were flushed. The following is in the windowsupdate.log:
Please advice.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:140 1092 19a4 AU Triggering AU detection through DetectNow API
2014-03-18 07:40:04:140 1092 19a4 AU Additional Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782} with Approval type {Scheduled} added to AU services list
2014-03-18 07:40:04:140 1092 19a4 AU Triggering Online detection (interactive)
2014-03-18 07:40:04:142 1092 b30 AU #############
2014-03-18 07:40:04:142 1092 b30 AU ## START ## AU: Search for updates
2014-03-18 07:40:04:142 1092 b30 AU #########
2014-03-18 07:40:04:142 1092 b30 AU Additional Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782} with Approval type {Scheduled} added to AU services list
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 b30 IdleTmr WU operation (CSearchCall::Init ID 10) started; operation # 37518; does use network; is not at background priority
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 b30 IdleTmr Incremented PDC RefCount for Network to 1
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 b30 IdleTmr Incremented idle timer priority operation counter to 2
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 b30 Agent *** START *** Queueing Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp Id = 10]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 b30 AU <<## SUBMITTED ## AU: Search for updates [CallId = {C4CCE4EC-152F-4071-98D7-DA84CC111121} ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:143 1092 1448 Agent *** END *** Queueing Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp Id = 10]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent *************
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent ** START ** Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp Id = 10]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent *********
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent * Online = Yes; Ignore download priority = No
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent * Criteria = "IsInstalled=0 and DeploymentAction='Installation' or IsPresent=1 and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' or IsInstalled=1 and DeploymentAction='Installation' and RebootRequired=1 or IsInstalled=0 and DeploymentAction='Uninstallation' and RebootRequired=1"
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent * ServiceID = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D} Third party service
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent * Search Scope = {Machine & All Users}
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 Agent * Caller SID for Applicability: S-1-5-21-3319790093-2107223747-1777061849-1003
2014-03-18 07:40:04:144 1092 1448 EP Got 9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77 redir SecondaryServiceAuth URL: "7971f918-a847-4430-9279-4a52d1efe18d"
2014-03-18 07:40:04:147 1092 1448 EP Got 7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D redir Client/Server URL: "https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v6/ClientWebService/client.asmx"
2014-03-18 07:40:04:149 1092 1448 Setup Checking for agent SelfUpdate
2014-03-18 07:40:04:149 1092 1448 Setup Client version: Core: 7.9.9600.16422 Aux: 7.9.9600.16384
2014-03-18 07:40:04:150 1092 1448 EP Got 9482F4B4-E343-43B6-B170-9A65BC822C77 redir SelfUpdate URL: "https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate"
2014-03-18 07:40:04:342 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072efe.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Proxy List used: <(null)> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <None>
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send request failed, hr:0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for <https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab>. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:343 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072efe.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Proxy List used: <(null)> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <None>
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send request failed, hr:0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for <https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab>. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:521 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:692 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072efe.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:692 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Proxy List used: <(null)> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <None>
2014-03-18 07:40:04:693 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send request failed, hr:0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:693 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for <https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab>. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:693 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:693 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:693 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:864 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send failed with hr = 80072efe.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:864 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Proxy List used: <(null)> Bypass List used : <(null)> Auth Schemes used : <None>
2014-03-18 07:40:04:864 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: Send request failed, hr:0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:864 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestUsingProxy failed for <https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab>. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:864 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation MakeRequest failed. error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: SendRequestToServerForFileInformation failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: WinHttp: ShouldFileBeDownloaded failed with 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Misc WARNING: DownloadFileInternal failed for https://fe2.update.microsoft.com/v10/3/windowsupdate/selfupdate/wuident.cab: error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Setup WARNING: SelfUpdate check failed to download package information, error = 0x80072EFE
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Setup FATAL: SelfUpdate check failed, err = 0x80072EFE
2014-03-18 07:40:04:865 1092 1448 Agent * WARNING: Skipping scan, self-update check returned 0x80072EFE
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 Agent * WARNING: Exit code = 0x80072EFE
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 Agent *********
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 Agent ** END ** Agent: Finding updates [CallerId = AutomaticUpdatesWuApp Id = 10]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 Agent *************
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 Agent WARNING: WU client failed Searching for update with error 0x80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 IdleTmr WU operation (CSearchCall::Init ID 10, operation # 37518) stopped; does use network; is not at background priority
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 IdleTmr Decremented PDC RefCount for Network to 0
2014-03-18 07:40:04:866 1092 1448 IdleTmr Decremented idle timer priority operation counter to 1
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU >>## RESUMED ## AU: Search for updates [CallId = {C4CCE4EC-152F-4071-98D7-DA84CC111121} ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU # WARNING: Search callback failed, result = 0x80072EFE
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU #########
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU ## END ## AU: Search for updates [CallId = {C4CCE4EC-152F-4071-98D7-DA84CC111121} ServiceId = {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}]
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU #############
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU All AU searches complete.
2014-03-18 07:40:04:867 1092 c54 AU # WARNING: Failed to find updates with error code 80072efe
2014-03-18 07:40:04:868 1092 c54 AU AU setting next detection timeout to 2014-03-18 11:40:04
2014-03-18 07:40:04:869 1092 c54 AU # Publishing WNF Per user update count event Count: 5 SID {S-1-5-21-3319790093-2107223747-1777061849-1003} Service {7971F918-A847-4430-9279-4A52D1EFE18D}
2014-03-18 07:40:04:869 1092 c54 AU # Publishing WNF Per user update count event Count: 0 SID {S-1-5-21-3319790093-2107223747-1777061849-1003} Service {117CAB2D-82B1-4B5A-A08C-4D62DBEE7782}