Windows 7 Windows update error 80072EFE

I have a HP PC. Recently, I have reset it, and it downgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 7. After the reset, I am trying to install windows updates. But when I try to search for new updates, I get the following error:

I did some research, and attempted all the solutions below with no success:

1. Enable and disable Background Intelligent Transfer Service, Windows update, and Cryptographic Service in services.msc at windows run
2. Clean the folder C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and deleted the folder C:\Windows\System32\catroot2
3. Tried to install windows update KB3138612. In fact, I tried all the variant updates listed in the link. All of them result into The update doesn't apply to your system

I am really running out of ideas. What should I do in order to be able to install windows updates to my PC?

Here is a list of the updates installed on my PC so far. Sorry that it is in French

I think the version you installed is too old to contact the Microsoft servers.

I suggest:

1. Follow the article Windows 7: How to Check if Service Pack 1 is Installed to see if SP1 is installed

2. If SP1 is not installed, download it and install

3. Two updates are required for the next step. The first one below is sometimes sufficient, but installing both is safer:

   • KB3138612 update
   • KB3020369 update (direct link to Microsoft Update Cataloq)

4. Download and install KB3125574 the so-called convenience rollup for Windows 7 SP1, which is a misnomer for the never-arriving SP2 service-pack.
   Even if Windows Update is working after the previous step, installing this roll-up is equivalent to a service-pack in that it clears up all the previously installed updates, just the same as a service pack, with a net gain in disk space. It will also be faster than installing separately all the updates that it contains.

Might I suggest that you use a program called WSUS offline to download all the Win7 updates and install them offline. I have used this program for a number of years, just to solve the sort of problem you're having. On first run, tell it which version of Win you use and it will access MS and download all the appropriate updates. When it is finished, run the update installer and it will do its thing, rebooting as necessary. YMMV, but it has always worked like a champ for me, even when I was having to update dozens of machines.

Servicing update KB3020369 does not solve the issue. Perhaps is needed as a prerequisite, I'm not sure.
It should not harm to install; it did not require restart.

For me, KB3138612 did solve the issue.
Prior to KB3138612 installation, runas cmd.exe displayed the executable as unsigned.
After installing, cmd.exe runas appears again as signed.

Note. KB3138612 does require restart.

You say

I have reset it, and it downgraded from Windows 10 to Windows 7

If windows 10 was activated on that machine previously you can just re-install Windows 10 and it will activate online as Microsoft will have recorded that motherboard in their database of valid Windows 10 machines. Since Windows 7 support has ended, MS may cut off their update servers for Windows 7 at any time. There are certainly not regular updates being supplied for Windows 7, and have not been for some time.

If you need installation media you can download it from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 You may even be able to just directly update your Windows 7 to Windows 10 with an in place upgrade, keeping any of your existing files, and even most of your programs.