Windows Update failure

Renown · 20 Aug 2018

Hi all,

Since a while I have been experiencing a string of problems with my Asus Zenbook running Windows 10 Home 64 bit

At first i noticed windows update would just give errors instead of installing new updates, for example:

2018-05 Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems (KB4134661) Error 0x8000ffff
2018-08 Security Update for Adobe Flash Player for Windows 10 Version 1709 for x64-based Systems (KB4343902) Error 0x80248007
Feature update to Windows 10, version 1803 Error 0x8007007E

Of course I tried searching online for solutions and I have a feeling I tried it all, but keep going deeper and deeper; to solve one error I have to do something, but that results in an error which I first have to fix, but when I try to fix that I get another error etc etc. I know this sounds vague but to be honest after spending nearly two weeks I just lost track of all the stuff I have tried and failed.

The feature update takes hours and hours; it downloads it completely, it prepares installation completely, but just before finishing the installation I get error 0x8007007E

When I run the Windows Update Troubleshooter which I found here it tells me there is a restart pending, but when i restart the computer nothing really happens, resulting in the same message in the Troubleshooter

I also tried installing the updates above manually through the Windows Update Catalog but it also fails every time.

Some other things which are not working correctly:
- Upon restart my laptop cannot find any Wifi networks. I have to completely shutdown the laptop to make it connect to my Wifi again
- When using command sfc /scannow in command prompt I get error message "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service". I get the same error in the offline mode through the advanced start up (via control panel - settings - recovery)

Some info regarding my system:
Asus Zenbook UX303L

Windows 10 Home - 64bit operating system, x64-based processor
Version 1709
Build 16299.371

Intel Core i7-4510 CPU @ 2.00ghz 2.60ghz
RAM: 8,00 GB (7,89 GB usable)
Kaspersky Free Antivirus

I'm getting quite desperate, so I hope you have some ideas what I can try to do.
Of course I hope I posted this question in the right section of the forum.

Many thanks in advance!

dalchina · 20 Aug 2018

Hi, start by doing a couple of basic checks on your disk and file system - just to be sure.

E.g. Hard Disk Sentinel (trial) - is great.
Else e.g. HD Tune, Health and Error scan tabs.

Then from an admin command or Powershell prompt please run
chkdsk C: /scan
and report result.
(If failure, run
chkdsk C: /F
- PC will need to restart.

Now resetting Windows Update may help:
Reset Windows Update in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials

But given -

When using command sfc /scannow in command prompt I get error message "Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service"

it's possible you may end up having to do an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all progs and data and most settings.
For that you would need a build 1709 iso or boot medium - do you already have one?

You've already spent a long time on this so you may as well simply do this rather than waste more time.

Upon restart my laptop cannot find any Wifi networks. I have to completely shutdown the laptop to make it connect to my Wifi again

You might try disabling fast start-up.

Renown · 20 Aug 2018

Hi Dalchina,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

Attached you find the txt report from Hard Disk Sentinel Disk report 2018 08 20.txt

Below the report from the chkdsk command

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.16299.371]
(c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>chkdsk c:/scan
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is OS.

Stage 1: Examining basic file system structure ...
536064 file records processed.
File verification completed.
22924 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.

Stage 2: Examining file name linkage ...
31610 reparse records processed.
678586 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
0 unindexed files scanned.
0 unindexed files recovered to lost and found.
31610 reparse records processed.

Stage 3: Examining security descriptors ...
Security descriptor verification completed.
71262 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
40829712 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.

Windows has scanned the file system and found no problems.
No further action is required.

124325756 KB total disk space.
118440144 KB in 324458 files.
222220 KB in 71263 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
658924 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
5004468 KB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
31081439 total allocation units on disk.
1251117 allocation units available on disk.

C:\WINDOWS\system32>

I will try to reset windows upgrade through the provided tutorial, but just in case..
I do not have a build 1709 iso or boot medium yet. I prefer using a USB-flashdrive, do you by any chance to know a good tutorial on how to create one?

dalchina · 20 Aug 2018

Thing is, even if you fix Windows Update, as I suggested, that won't fix the SFC /SCANNOW problems.

The GUI of Hard Disk Sentinel is what I was looking for:

- hopefully something like that..

You can get a 1709 iso using the iso download tool in post #3 here:
Windows 10 Recovery Tools - Bootable Rescue Disk - Windows 10 Forums

See the Tutorial section - you can search for a tutorial for creating a USB bootable disk for Win 10.
While this can be useful for some repair operations, the iso is all you need for an in-place upgrade repair install.

Renown · 20 Aug 2018

Hereby a screenshot of the GUI

Windows Update failure-hard-disk-sentinel.jpg

I will try to make the ISO now.

Thanks again for your help!

Renown · 20 Aug 2018

Perhaps a stupid question, but what do I do once i have the ISO downloaded?
Do I have to mount it with Daemon Tools or reboot it from the ISO in a certain way?

And this way no data will be lost?

Clintlgm · 20 Aug 2018

Create Bootable USB Flash Drive to Install Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials
Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade | Windows 10 Tutorials

dalchina · 21 Aug 2018

Hi,

And this way no data will be lost?

Correct- I said- in bold- 'cos most people always ask..
an in-place upgrade repair install which keeps all progs and data and most settings.

Your OS will be replaced with the version in your iso, and services will be returned to default. This does not fix user account specific problems, but should fix Windows update problems.Therefore you will get a Windows update and other updates afterwards.

Go to step 4 in the tutorial, and use the iso you've downloaded.

But to be safe, create/update a disk image beforehand, then create a new one afterwards. (We continually recommend disk imaging e.g. Macrium Reflect (free)).

Renown · 21 Aug 2018

Ok i got untill step 12 of the tutorial (of this one Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade | Windows 10 Tutorials)

After choosing what i want to keep (personal files only), the setup goes back to step 11, namely making sure i'm ready to install and that i have enough space available. Then it takes around 1 hour to complete and i get back to choosing what i want to keep and so on.

I downloaded the following iso: Win10_1709_English_x64
Despite being Dutch my Windows language is English (United Kingdom), when downloading the iso i chose English instead of English (International), might that be the cause of getting stuck in the loop?

dalchina · 21 Aug 2018

The ISO base language must match the base language of your installed OS.

The installation media (ex: ISO or USB) must be the same language as your currently installed Windows 10. If it's not, then you will not keep anything.

- from the tutorial.