"Virus & Spyware Definitions Update Failed" Error In Security Essentials

If you are using Microsoft Security essentials, you might have got an error while updating the definitions.

Virus & spyware definitions update failed

Microsoft Security essentials wasn't able to check the virus & spyware definitions updates.

Make sure you are connected to internet and try again.

Click for more information about this problem.

Support information

Error code: 0x80248014
Description: The update server cannot process your request at the moment. please try again later.

This is usually a Windows update error since Security Essentials uses Windows update.

This problem is not hard to troubleshoot if it is caused due to a corrupted windows update file.

1. Open command prompt and then run the following command,

net stop WuAuServ

2. Open Run dialog and enter "%windir%" (or navigate to C:\Windows directory in Windows 7).
3. Find a folder named SoftwareDistribution. Rename it to something else e.g.- SoftwareDistribution.old.
4. Open command prompt again and then run the following command,

net start WuAuServ

Now this should fix the problem. Try updating now and see if everything goes ok