Windows 10 1909 to 20h2 update fail - error 0x800703EE

Hello,

I have been trying to update my windows 10 1909 to 20h2 but I keep getting the following error :

2022-03-10 10:08:12, Error IBSLIB BCD: File is not system store. File: \Device\HarddiskVolume2\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\BCD Status: 0
2022-03-10 10:08:12, Error SP CSetupPlatform::CreateNewSystem: New system's initialization failed. Error: 0x800703EE


Here's the sequence fo events that lead me to that.
- I converted my windows partition from MBR to GPT using the MBR2GPT microsoft tool
- My computer wouldn't boot anymore afterward, in my BIOS I could see my hard disk thrice in the boot manager, only one of the three would boot to windows so I adjusted my boot sequence. I had to follow this to repair it : How to Restore Deleted EFI System Partition in Windows 10? | Windows OS Hub

Since then I can't do the windows upgrade, I also noticed that in MSCONFIG in the BOOT tap there's absolutely nothing.

I have attached a screenshot of Diskpart and disk manageemnt from compmgmt.

I am not sure how to procede from here, I would like to fix this without having to reinstall windows.

Welcome to the forum

You can try to rebuild the EFI partition
PAY ATTENTION on what you do.
Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
select disk 0
list part (take note of the EFI partition number n - It should be 3)
select part n (replace with the EFI partition number n - It should be 3)
format fs=fat32 quick label=EFI
set id=c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b
assign letter=w
exit
bcdboot C:\Windows /s W: /f UEFI
diskpart
select vol W
remove letter=W
exit
exit

Thanks for the reply!

I've attached a new screenshot where it shows the partitions of the disk 0. I just want to make sure that the EFI partition you mention is the Partition 3 (Reserved)

Thanks

Windows 18362 = 1903

0x800703EE = Error file invalid

The volume for a file has been externally altered so that the opened file is no longer valid.


List any of these installed or recently uninstall non-Microsoft software:

a) antivirus
b) firewall
c) drive encryption


After the steps in the prior post you can attempt a Windows upgrade.
If it works then you're set.
If it fails then please run:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/win...rade/setupdiag

BSOD - Posting Instructions

https://www.tenforums.com/attachment...p_plus_log.bat

https://www.tenforums.com/attachment...iskparinfo.bat

https://www.tenforums.com/attachment...021-10-20-.bat

The MS Reserved partition is after the System partition. A 128M MS Reserved is normally used on Win 7. ?????? Did you use a Win 7 drive upgraded to Win 10 on the new computer?
You also don't have the Recovery partition. Why?
The System partition is number 2 not 3. So the commands should be:
Open a CMD window as administrator and type:

diskpart
select disk 0
list part (take note of the EFI partition number n - It should be 2)
select part 2
format fs=fat32 quick label=EFI
set id=c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b
assign letter=w
exit
bcdboot C:\Windows /s W: /f UEFI
diskpart
select vol W
remove letter=W
exit
exit

If possible please post results for the log collector / scripts in post #4 before any additional troubleshooting steps.

Clongetty, any progress?

@zbook

A) I don't have any antivirus software beside Windows Defender
B) Windows firewall is disabled and I also disabled my VPN and pi-hole to make sure nothing is blocking any files from downloading.
c) drive encryption is not enabled.

I also have the same update issue when trying to do so with the latest windows ISO downloaded from here : https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/soft...load/windows10

here is the link to the logs logs.zip - Google Drive

@Megahertz

I got an error when doing the following command, I attached a screenshot. I looked into the System event log and it has nothing in it regarding the error.

I noticed the following information, my BootDevice and SystemDevice are not on the same HarddiskVolume.

Name : Microsoft Windows 10 Pro|C:\Windows|\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
Version : 10.0.18363
BuildNumber : 18363
OSArchitecture : 64-bit
LocalDateTime : 3/11/2022 4:22:18 PM
LastBootUpTime : 3/7/2022 12:35:35 PM
InstallDate : 6/9/2019 5:50:40 PM
BootDevice : \Device\HarddiskVolume2
SystemDevice : \Device\HarddiskVolume1

Safe Mode : Normal boot
FastStartup : Disabled
FirmwareType : UEFI
SecureBoot : Not Enabled

The logs displayed piracy / crack.

See rule #4:
https://www.tenforums.com/misc.php?do=showrules

I will do a clean install of windows then, thank you for your time.

- - - Updated - - -

I managed to fix it and update to 21h2.

I booted on a windows 10 USB media and went into the command prompt and followed the instruction from the following post : BCD Corrupted? Cannot boot Windows 10