Errow message: windows modules installer stopped working and was closed

Hi Tanzzzz,

•    Did you check the Windows Update History to see if any updates have failed?
•    At what particular update are you getting this error message?

Windows Update Service and Windows Module Installer Service are the two basic services responsible for all your updates to install correctly.
 
If Windows Updates are failing, then my first step would be to check if these two services are running.
Windows Update Service enables the detection, download, and installation of updates for Windows and other programs. If this service is disabled, users of this computer will not be able to use Windows Update or its automatic updating feature, and programs will not be able to use the Windows Update Agent (WUA) API.
Windows Module Installer Service enables installation, modification, and removal of Windows updates and optional components.If Windows Module Installer service is disabled, install or uninstall of Windows updates might fail.
 
To check it, click on Start; in the start search type Service.msc and hit Enter. A list of Microsoft Services will be populated. Search for these services and check the status. Make sure the "Windows modules installer" service is not disabled.

a.    Click on Start; in the start search type services.msc and hit Enter.
b.    Make sure the Windows Module Installer Service is running and the startup type should be manual.

Now open Windows update and try installing the updates.

If you’re still getting the error message, then put the computer into a clean boot and check if you’re able to install the updates.

How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135
Note: Do not forget to put the computer back to normal startup once you’re able to get rid of this problem.

If you still get the error message after trying the above steps, then disable/ uninstall your Anti-virus software and then try the steps below.
Note: Make sure you turn on/re-install your Anti-virus software after following the steps below.

1.    Open the command prompt in an elevated mode [ Run as administrator ]. To open it, press Windows Button + R; type in cmd and click on OK.

2.    Try executing these commands in the command prompt.

       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\services.msc

3.    You'll get the services window. Stop the following services by right clicking on the service and clicking on stop.

       i. Background Intelligent Transfer Service.

       ii. Cryptographic Service.

       iii. Windows Update Service.

4.    Once you have stopped these services, please go back to the command prompt and rename the folders catroot2 and software distribution.

       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ren catroot2 catroot2.old

       C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\cd..

       C:\WINDOWS\ren softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.old

5.    Once you've renamed the folders, please restart the services that you stopped.

      i. Background Intelligent Transfer Service.

      ii. Cryptographic Service.

      iii. Windows Update Service.

6.    Now close both the windows; Services and Command Prompt.

Now try performing Windows updates and check if you’re still facing this problem.

Let me know if this worked.
Mouneshwar R – Microsoft Support
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