Win 10 Pro 64 1809 to 1903 update stuck in endless install loop

Being in the slow ring, 1903 turned up on checking via Windows Update. I fresh installed 1809 a few months ago, don't particularly want to do that again with all the settings and software to sort. Have now installed 1903 at least 6 times, allegedly! Tried a basic stop and start of the relevant services and deleted the Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution folders, reboot. Same deal (that was try 5).

You would think Reset Windows Update in Windows 10 | Tutorials would fix it, but I ran the batch file, rebooted and WU gets same result. On restart, it counts up to 60% before doing the restart. No errors reported yet there it is, on 1809 with a check on WU finding a new Update so it busily gets about downloading it, whether I have reset Windows Update or not. So it will then install this lovely newly baked version, grinding away for an hour or so to do that before asking for a reboot, doing that, and hello ground-hog day...!

SFC reports no violations. Windows Update Troubleshooter finds no problems. But wait, I have just run it for what would be the 4th time now (first time after running destructo-bat) and it found "Some security settings are missing or have been changed" and "Service registration is missing or corrupt", both of which it claims to have fixed. Ran SFC again, to be sure. Still good.

So, really, I shouldn't post this topic until I have gone round the the hurdie-gurdie one more time, one more time, one more time. But there is clearly a problem here and I won't be alone. So let's get some tracking of it. I'll come back and report...

PS: The WU Troubleshooter output (some could be because it is currently 34% through installing):

IsPostback_RC_PendingUpdates
IsPostback: False

InformationalIsPostback_RC_PendingUpdates
IsPostback: True

InformationalService Status
Problem with BITS service : The requested service has already been started. More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2182.

InformationalService Status
Problem with BITS service : The requested service has already been started. More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2182.

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OK, so About has 1809 stuck in there again. I watched very carefully and there is no sign of an error in the update process. Sits on 60% with the circling dots for about 2 mins, then goes black and restarts, back to 1809 which is not something mentioned anywhere.

Aha, this time, if I check Update history I now have an error code: 0x8024200d instead of just 'requires restart listed 4 times (until history deleted by u-bute.bat). But of course this error is entirely useless, being a generic update failure. I just ran WU Troubleshooter again and it came up clean. Any suggestions as to what is smart to try next? Thank you.

"SetupDiag found 0 matching issue.". But what a useful looking program, except for that result... Paddled around in the logs for a while but unsurprisingly can't say I saw anything I recognised as useful. Ran it again in an elevated prompt to read the output. Same same. Takes 15 mins to run, with 4.8GHz to gee it on, so it had a proper look!

I have a week old Paragon image but Macrium looks easier (to restore, always the test!), so made one of them too.

SFC still good. DISM Checkhealth is happy too. I ran RestoreHealth just for the heck of it, successful. Image Version: 10.0.17763.437.

I specifically didn't Check Updates, but it found, downloaded and prep'd it anyway. There are no Device Mgr errors, but I will will post this then pull all usb devices bar mouse and kb and let it have another go. Which would be an actual change, rather than just rummaging around in the dross, which is what all the other activities seem to have added up to. Not complaining mind; this is our modern tech and we always have options to live a good life when it folds in on us... And I sure do appreciate the help to get it sorted as painlessly as possible. Thank you.

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Aah well, no change. Did it twice, with and without any usb peripherals. That wasn't the plan, but got a ph call just after pressed 'Do it Now' button, so next time unplugged everything (which unregistered all the devices, could have been useful...), did the restart, saw 1809 back, plugged all back in, Device Mgr still happy.

What a fascinating puzzle. Maybe 1809 needs to stay and I go hide the update - such a half-baked solution, but may be the immediate future anyway. Hoping for more suggestions please, to find an actual solution? Thank you.

The troubleshooter found nothing, ran as admin. I have no 3rd party AV, just Defender. Oh, and Malwarebytes (free) running as a service. I have used the Location option to move Documents etc to a 4Tb mech drive and suspect disconnecting that would create more problems than it would solve. There is another old SSD connected as SATA just for data storage, could lose that but honestly, seems a bit of a pointless exercise.

I need to use this box to actually be productive for a few hours or so. When that is sorted, I will try an msconfig basic (diagnostic) startup and let WU have another crack at it....

Interesting possibly relevant observations: In WU history shows "Requires a restart to finish installing" four times (since ran fix-me-up-Scottie.bat) and one "Failed to install on ‎01/‎05/‎19 - 0x8024200d". The error is the second last entry, when I think I did something different but can't remember now. The strange things are that I am currently presented with the Restart Now option, but the Troubleshooter specifically checked for pending restart and found none.

Also is the weird situation that this update fail is like no other. Usually a fail gets some message about failing and going back to previous versions and not to worry about file losses etc. This one tells me nothing and the only actual evidence is the Restart required option in WU and the System About v1809 showing there. A regular pleb would have no reason to think the update failed. In fact when I first did it I thought it succeeded, went to WU to cycle it once more in case other stuff came with it so let's just get the thing fully updated. Saw the Restart so figured it must be a two stage update and ran round again, got another restart button (no messages / errors), smelt a rat and here we are. How is that going to work for an average Joe?

We also have the bizarre bit that this non-update fixed my lost right click image rotate function when the image-fixer.bat put together by Brink couldn't get that to happen. Being the innocuous issue I finally signed up here to see if I could resolve, then got it fixed but a mightier puzzle in it's place.

I am happy to make an Insiders report, but would rather advance the cause before doing so.

Rightio, did I say I'm busy atm? Better get crackin then!!!

Obviously the diagnostic startup was a flop - too many things dysfunctional and little point to pick them out and activate as bits fell over.

I can't find a media creation tool file for 1903 but that is the next obvious step - it was available mid April but got pulled, any idea where to find it now?

I did put up a report on the Feedback Hub, titled "1903 update fails with no error reported - endless download, install, restart loop". Seems there are a lot of 1903 update issues, but this happens every major release...

The best failure codes can be created when performing an in place upgrade repair with a windows iso flash drive.
If available for insiders see if you can create a flash drive windows 10 iso build.

Repair Install Windows 10 with an In-place Upgrade | Tutorials

Code:

UPGRADE CHECK LIST:
Run through this check list before the next upgrade attempt:

1) remove nonessential hardware
docks
USB devices
printers
headset
speakers
joysticks
projectors
scanners
plotters
portable optical drives (CD, DVD)
microphones
cameras
webcams
smartphones
bluetooth devices
USB drives (other than a windows 10 iso if used for the upgrade)
USB Wireless Mouse or Keyboard Receiver, USB Wireless Network Card
secondary monitors


2) These should be the only attached devices:
wired mouse
wired keyboard
monitor

Any of these that have been done in the past week are not necessary to repeat:


3) open administrative command prompt and type or copy and paste: (repair file system)
chkdsk /r /v 
This may take many hours so plan to run overnight
Find the chkdsk report in the event viewer using the information in this link and post into the thread:
Read Chkdsk Log in Event Viewer in Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/40822-read-chkdsk-log-event-viewer-windows-10-a.html 

4) open administrative command prompt and copy and paste: (repair operating system)
sfc /scannow 
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth 
When these have completed > right click on the top bar or title bar of the administrative command prompt box > left click on edit then select all > right click on the top bar again > left click on edit then copy > paste into the thread

5) update windows (have all recommended updates installed) and reboot after updates

6) uninstall all non-Microsoft antivirus software
(This includes always on and manual software.)
(This includes running the applicable antivirus uninstall tools for any AV that could have been incompletely unistalled)

7) Uninstall all non-Microsoft firewall software

8) Uninstall all non-Microsoft disk encryption software

9) Run disk cleanup to clean temporary and system files

10) Verify that the drive has > 30 GB free space (At least 25 GB is needed for creating dumps)

11) Place the computer in clean boot:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...oot-in-windows
How to perform a Clean Boot in Windows 10 - TechNet Articles - United States (English) - TechNet Wiki

12) Detach all SATA devices other than the disk drive that has the Windows operating system
(Make sure that the only disk drive that is attached to the computer at the time of the upgrade attempt is the disk drive containing Windows)
(Other disk drives may be able to be detached by disconnecting cables or if necessary to remove the the drive from the computer)

13) Make sure that there are is metered connection after the upgrade:  https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17452/windows-metered-internet-connections-faq

I have an MC DVD of 1809, had contemplated an in-place upgrade but figured clean DISM and SFC meant little point, plus need to clear 'an issue' before try. Of the Code list, mostly done, but I haven't run the full chkdsk (just /f) - it is an 850 Evo 0.5Tb. Also I really don't want to pull the mech data drive with Location changed Documents etc directories as I struggle to see any possible true benefit there, just down-side.

'The issue': I normally have an M.2 NVMe 1Tb 970 Pro as the main drive. It is on warranty replacement #3 now and I have spat the dummy on that so prob put a pair of 1Tb 970 EVo M.2's in Raid 1, or 0 if feeling adventurous, when hear back next week. I used an image of the 970 onto the 850 but had to leave the 443Gb Steam directory behind. Could be this is the true cause of my problem! The 850 performs flawlessly (minus Steam, use another box for that), and has since last Nov when these Pro failures started, except for the few days the next dud Pro goes in until the whole random freezing then permanent kicks in a few days later, or last one DOA.

Prudence says I should drop this until I get a 1Tb drive back in, put the Steam directory back, test the lot, try an upgrade then an in-place repair. I'll report back when have the next chapter sorted.

There is a log collector that is used in another forum.
Run the BETA log collector and upload the results into this thread:
BSOD - Posting Instructions - Windows 10 Forums

The Panther logs are created during an upgrade failure.

They have many error codes and messages.
Often they have ambiguous messages but can solve some upgrade failures.
Resolve Windows 10 upgrade errors - Windows IT Pro | Microsoft Docs