Apple Software Update - "Server could not be found"

Hi, hope someone can help please?


Apple Software Update suggested that I update it (Apple Software Update) to a newer version (which turns out to be Vers 2.2)


I did this and install seemed to go OK, then when Apple Software Update ran again (and every time since) it comes up with an error message: "The Apple Software Update Server could not be found. Check your internet settings and try again."


So my network / internet and everything else on my machine works fine, but for some reason the new version of the apple update app is spitting it's dummy and can't access the internet!


I've re-booted my machine, repaired the application via control panel, checked firewall settings and turned it off all together, but to no avail. Couldn't find anywhere on the apple software download site as to where I can re-download / install it either, or I would have given that a go.

Anyone have any suggestions how I can solve this? It's really annoying!


If not, anyone know how to roll it back to the previous version?


My PCs running Win 7 Professional 64 bit


Thanks in advance all


Psyman

Windows 7

Posted on Mar 15, 2016 3:19 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 10, 2017 2:38 AM

I just encountered the same problem but c0ret3x's solution of enabling encrypted pages to be written onto the disk didn't work for me (like in other reported cases, it was allowed to begin with). BUT, the very same settings window also contains an option to enable SSL 3.0 (located in the "Security" category as well)!


In my case, the problem was that I disabled SSL 3.0, due to security reasons. Apple obviously doesn't care about how insecure SSL 3.0 is nowadays (it's even been officially deprecated for the last two years)...


My setup:

- Latest Windows 10.

- Bootcamp 6.0.

51 replies

Mar 25, 2016 9:33 AM in response to Scottyboy99

Sorry, didn't realise it was working after the iTunes update. This is a strange problem. For some people, like me, it has never worked since the ASU update, you have dropped from working to not working and presumably most people don't have a problem (or maybe they have ignored it). My main point is that there is a method for getting back to a working ASU.

Mar 25, 2016 9:43 AM in response to br1@n

YYes thank you, understood on the fix. I will certainly try that if ASU never returns to a working state - or at least isn't working when I am aware of a new iTunes version that needs downloading. But yes my issue is slightly different, it was fine and then stopped working on all three of our machines (2 Windows 10 and 1 Windows 7) today. Well today was the first time I noticed it but it was definitely working on Monday evening (uk time) and had been ever since its initial release. I'd wager it's pretty widespread for Windows users but many people don't realise or check like I have, they probably will only notice if the weekly update or whatever schedule they have fails. Or many just don't care that much. I manually check it quite a bit in case a new iTunes drops (it drives my wife mad how much I check things - lol)


Just very dissapointed with Apple, they do seem to be ignorant to issues they create and let glitches fester. That's why I think it's good if as many of us target apple support on Twitter to report it. Just maybe they will acknowledge they have screwed up

Mar 28, 2016 4:16 PM in response to MasterofApple

How galling that Apple should recommend you should update or change your operating system because its own update system is broken. My Windows Pro 7x64 computer is very up to date and no other software has any kind of internet access problem. I'm tech-pro-savvy and run a clean ship.


This is particularly upsetting because the latest iOS 9.3 upgrade bricked my iPhone 5 (and my old iPad 2 which is not so urgent to fix), and to get the phone back, the latest iTunes is required on the computer for recovery. And of course the Apple bug for updating desktop iTunes software prevented trying to unbrick the iPhone. ASU still not working on my desktop as of 10am Australian Eastern Daylight Time 29th March 2016.


I took a shortcut and it seems to work, folks. I downloaded the full iTunes package from the Apple download site and installed it (without uninstalling the existing version). That's updated iTunes to the latest version, and running ASU doesn't give an error, but that MIGHT only be because everything is up to date. At least ASU doesn't crash now and iTunes is the latest.


Now to see if I can un-brick my iPhone and iPad 2. No thanks to Apple. Please lift your game and test your systems properly before inflicting them on millions. If I can't unbrick my iPhone today I'm off to get a Samsung and it will be Goodbye Apple.

Apr 5, 2016 3:49 AM in response to c0ret3x

Thank you. This 'fixes' the problem.


Some time ago you could not download a pdf statement from one of the banks (I forget which one) if this flag was set. They eventually fixed it.


As the Apple update relates to encryption I should have remembered to check that setting. However, unsetting this flag is a potential security risk and should not be required by Apple's implementation of the feature. It is ironic that a security enhancement should require you to reduce the security of your machine for it to work.

Dec 2, 2016 5:16 PM in response to psyman2016

Hello psyman2016

go to control panel

tap on network and internet

select internet options

select the advanced tab

scroll down till you find security (it has a golden lock as an icon)

THEN UNCHECK '' DO NOT SAVE ENCRYPTED PAGES TO DISK ''

then click apply

then ok

check then for update using '' apple software update ''


hope that this helps

cheers

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Apple Software Update - "Server could not be found"

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