System Restore fails: AppxStaging %ProgramFiles%\WindowsApp 0x80070091

glivo said:

I disagree.
I first deleted it and, with System Restore "fixed", the directory was returned during the first successful use of it.
I have now, also renamed it, during testing, and after using the attrib -h command first. Similarly, it was returned after successfully using System Restore the first time.

I have now affected this procedure several times, on my actual system, and on a test setup.

• To actually get System Restore working again.

• To test simplified variation to the code.

• During the testing that showed me the update caused the problem.

Each time I've done it the WindowsApps directory is replaced when you run System Restore successfully after the fix.
@kitpzyxmsir If at one time you successfully renamed it, then it should still be there. Just rename it back again.

I was never able to successfully run System Restore after doing the rename so that's probably why my WindowsApps was never recreated.

If I uninstall the Get Office app and then remove it permanently through a command in PowerShell (Get-AppxPackage|? name -like MicrosoftOfficeHub|remove-appxpackage) then system restore will work again or is this a bad idea?

bumboola said:

If I uninstall the Get Office app and then remove it permanently through a command in PowerShell (Get-AppxPackage|? name -like MicrosoftOfficeHub|remove-appxpackage) then system restore will work again or is this a bad idea?

bumboola, you should be able to do that without any issues, I did. However, what i've found is that even if you uninstall the Get Office app using the Remove-AppxPackage or the Remove-AppXProvisionedPackage, it does NOT remove the 'Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_17.7909.7600.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe' folder from 'WindowsApps'.

So if you remove the Get Office app, check your 'WindowsApps' for that folder. If it's still there, then you have to delete it, in the hopes that system restore will work.

Note: When removing the Get Office app and the 'Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub_17.7909.7600.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwethis' folder not being deleted could be normal because it's a Provisioned Package. Then again, it not being deleted could be the same issue that keeps system restore from deleting it. I just don't know.

Fyi ...
The Get Office app is one of the Provisioned Packages, meaning that when a new user is added to the system it gets installed.

To see a list of the Provisioned Packages.
Open PowerShell as Admin
Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online | Select PackageName

To remove a Provisioned Packages.
Open PowerShell as Admin
Remove-AppXProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName <The PackageName>

Eagle51 said:

Fyi ...
The Get Office app is one of the Provisioned Packages, meaning that when a new user is added to the system it gets installed.

This is an interesting point. I now wonder if after fixing the System Restore issue by manipulating WindowsApps, it would be disabled again by adding a new user, and hence activating the Provisioned Package.

I now have 2 tests to perform today.
The first one is to just see if System Restore is still operational on my actual system after a couple of days. I have a system alteration to perform so I'll use the opportunity to test this.

Now a second item to investigate will be on my test system (unused other than for testing this problem). I'll test to see if a new user breaks System Restore again.

SoFine 409 and Eagle51, thanks for the detailed info.

I did end up using that PowerShell command last night and I believe it's gone for good. I will probably just reinstall it later. I'll just wait for Microsoft to (hopefully) fix this as I only ran system restore as a test and it failed, found this thread afterwards. I will definitely post a comment on the FeedBack Hub app, it can't hurt.

glivo said:

@kitpzyxmsir If at one time you successfully renamed it, then it should still be there. Just rename it back again.

I tried over and over, both deleting and renaming, but after booting back up, the WindowsApps folder not recreated, Thus, System Restore was still broken, and so were the apps that were in the WindowsApps folder

SoFine409 said:

the problem is the Get Office app and not the KB. No mater what you do the app will eventually reinstall and trash restore. Just leave everything alone and MS will eventually fix it with a cumulative update or a corrected app. Make backup images with a Macrium (free or paid version) or another similar program. And to answer you question about renaming WindowsApps it will not be recreated so avoid doing that.

Eagle51 said:

3. You have a restore point prior to 2-15-2107
a. Disconnect from Internet - Make sure Get Office App doesn't get updated after restore
b. Do the WindowsApps folder rename or delete
c. Do a system restore to a point prior to 2-15-2017
d. Uninstall / Remove Get Office App - It shouldn't update if not installed.
4. You don't have a restore point prior 2-15-2017
a. Uninstall / Remove Get Office App

Thanks to you guys, who led me on the right path. I came up with a pretty simple answer, that works. My System Restore has been Restored.

Eagle51, I'm not sure what a 2/15 system restore point has to do with it, but the clue about the Get Office App was (I believe) crucial.

I say I believe because my method included uninstalling all the junk apps that are included with the fresh Windows 10 install.

As I mentioned earlier, I have a Macrium backup of a media creation tool fresh install, which has a working System Restore.

1. Coincidentally, you and I came up with the same next step. As soon as the media creation tool installation is completed (or the Macrium image has been restored), pull the plug

Eagle51 said:

Disconnect from Internet - Make sure Get Office App doesn't get updated after restore

2. I then uninstalled all the junk apps that come with the installation, including Get Office. Due to the next step, this may have not been necessary, but I didn't want to take any chances.

3. This is the key. Use the Winaero registry trick: A tweak to turn off automatically installing suggested apps in Windows 10

Description: "Windows 10 Anniversary Update and all builds later include a feature that automatically installs apps from the Windows Store , without the user even opening the Store, or asking for his or her permission...To prevent this behavior, you can apply a simple Registry tweak. This will not remove existing apps which Windows 10 has already downloaded for you, but it will prevent it from doing the same in the future."

You can either download and run the registry files, or implement the tweak with the Winaero program itself.

In other words. its not the initial Get Office app (or any other app) that causes the problem, its the update. This registry tweak blocks all future app updates and thus eliminates the problem.

That's it. For me, so far, so good.

One other general piece of advice I'd like to offer to those that aren't familiar with system imaging programs. They are life savers for so many reasons.

In general, backing up, whether its a system image or data, is essential. If you don't do it, it will eventually cost you. Without a doubt, and perhaps dearly..

One of the previous posters mentioned that it essentially took 2 days to reinstall his operating system.

There seemed to be some confusion about that.

I believe the poster meant to convey that it took 2 days to "restore" the fresh install back to the state it was in before the reinstall, with all the settings, windows updates, software installations, tweaks, customizations, etc.., etc. in place

I can relate.

The trick is to "build" the operating system to your liking, and then create the Macrium backup image (or an image from one of the other imaging programs if you like...I like Macrium). Thereafter, If you subsequently run into an operating system problem, simply restore the backup image. Two days of a tedious manual restore process is reduced to the ten minutes it takes to restore an image backup.

Furthermore, you can create as many image backups as you want, each at a certain level of development in the recreation of the completed restored state you desire.

In my case, my first backup is of the fresh install and only the windows updates that were include. My next backup has all of my Windows 10 personal settings customizations, my customized start menu, taskbars, my task scheduler elevated shortcut to bypass UAC, etc..

I have about six backup images in all leading up to the completed product, so if I want I can go back to any stage of development (before a problem occurred, for example), at any time, if I need to, for whatever reason. Kind of like system restore actually, but far more control, and no risk of a corrupted restore point, for one thing.

thanks again.

kitpzyxmsir ... glad you got it fixed :)

I tried over and over, both deleting and renaming, but after booting back up, the WindowsApps folder not recreated, Thus, System Restore was still broken, and so were the apps that were in the WindowsApps folder

Yep, if you just rename/delete 'WindowsApps' folder and reboot it doesn't get recreated. You have to rename/delete 'WindowsApps' folder and do a System Restore, that's what puts the 'WindowsApps' folder back and you have to do a System Restore on a restore point before the Get Office app was updated.

Eagle51, I'm not sure what a 2/15 system restore point has to do with it, but the clue about the Get Office App was (I believe) crucial.

The Get Office app is what's breaking system restore and it got updated around 2-16 (that's when mine got updated). So if you were renaming/deleting the 'WindowsApps' folder and NOT going back far enough on your system restore, you'd just end up with same system restore issue (an updated Get Office app).

Note: It is possible the Get Office app update date is not the same for everyone. You can check using the following.

Open PowerShell as Admin
Get-ChildItem -Recurse –File -Path "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" | Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'MicrosoftOfficeHub' }

Eagle51 said:

kitpzyxmsir ... glad you got it fixed :)



Yep, if you just rename/delete 'WindowsApps' folder and reboot it doesn't get recreated. You have to rename/delete 'WindowsApps' folder and do a System Restore, that's what puts the 'WindowsApps' folder back and you have to do a System Restore on a restore point before the Get Office app was updated.



The Get Office app is what's breaking system restore and it got updated around 2-16 (that's when mine got updated). So if you were renaming/deleting the 'WindowsApps' folder and NOT going back far enough on your system restore, you'd just end up with same system restore issue (an updated Get Office app).

Note: It is possible the Get Office app update date is not the same for everyone. You can check using the following.

Open PowerShell as Admin
Get-ChildItem -Recurse –File -Path "C:\Program Files\WindowsApps" | Where-Object { $_.Name -match 'MicrosoftOfficeHub' }

I'm wondering could you fix system restore by delete WindowsApps and then replacing it with a copy from a backup image you made before 2/16? Think that would work?