Confusing Update Issues

Hello -

05/04/2015 MON
I have been working on a Dell E5500 laptop - Win 7Pro, 4Gb, Intel Core Duo T9600 since 05/04.

The first issue was that the owner hadn't used the lptp for quite a while, and forgot the login password. No password recovery disc; ok, no problem. Hirens HBCD took care of that.
Now I'm in.

05/05/2015 TUE
Next comes the updates - MANY OF THEM! Got 60 or so updates downloaded and installed - no problem. But then, the update for 'Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 on Windows 7 SP1 x86 (KB2742599) failed to install; tried several times and always got the message about an unknown error - "WindowsUpdate_800B0100".

Did some reading, then downloaded and ran the 'Checksur' program. See the attached pdf for the report (256029 Checksur Test.pdf) of issues.

After that ran, I checked for updates again, and now had 8 that were needed. Tried to install them and some of the new ones failed to install as still did the original one. OK, I'm losing ground here.

I then chatted with the MS Help Group last nite. The Rep there attached to the lptp, and ran 'sfc /scannow' from the CMD prompt. This proc produced a CBS.log file that apparently got uploaded to him. After a few minutes he replied that there were a "whole lot of corrupted files that were preventing the updates from installing successfully."

His recommendation was a paid service for him (or somebody) to fix this issue. Told him it wasn't my lptp and couldn't authorize the charge. Asked him if a reinstall of the OS would fix the problems (which I knew it would), he replied that a clean install would fix it all.
Dropped the chat session.

After poking around a bit, I then went back to the update screen, and now saw 4 (I think) updates waiting. What the H..., let'em run. They installed successfully! Went back to updates, saw 3-4 more there. OK, let them run. By Golly, they installed successfully, too! Then there were no more updates to install!

Looked at the update history, and every update that had failed before was now installed successfully - including the first 'Net' update that had failed so many times! Um, ok. Is this sucker lyin' to me or not?

So, this truly leads to the question that if there were so may corrupt files out there that were adversely affecting the updates, then how come they are now reported as 'installed successfully'? And just exactly what presumably 'fixed' all these 'corrupt' files?

Questions:
1. Can I really believe that all the failed updates are now truly successfully installed?

2. Where is the update history file stored? I can attach a copy of that if I can find it.

3. Should I run the Checksur program again - jfthoi?

4. What other action can I take to try to verify the health of this OS - before turning it loose?
[Note: Read on.]


Three other questions:
5. If a 'Password Reset disc' is created while a specific password is installed, if that password is subsequently changed (but the Userid stays the same), will the old Password Reset disc still work for the new password?

I think I read that the Reset disc is only good for the Userid it was created under, so if a new Userid is generated, a new Reset disc would be needed for that Userid, right?


6. It speaks of using a floppy or a jump drive the create the Reset disc.
A. Would using a jump drive 'lock' that jump drive from any other use?
B. Would the program burn a CD instead of a floppy? Would it lock that CD?


7. I read that on a new unit Dell creates a 'Recovery' partition with the original OS and whatever else was included with the unit when sold.
How can I determine if that partition is still on this drive (assuming the drive has not been reformatted in the field which would probably wipe it out)?


05/06/2015 WED
Got ready to post this issue, then read the instructions. I downloaded the 'System Update Readiness Tool (SURT)' and installed it. Then read about the 'SFC Scan', and did 'sfc /verifyonly' to check the files. That opereration did produce a 'CBS.log' file (had to enable file extensions to see the '.log' part).

It reported that there were problems; not happy. Further, when I tried to display that file, I was promptly told that I didn't have permission to view that file! ***Need to fix this!***
More of Win7 BS - but that is another battle.

I copied the file to a Temp dir on C, renamed it to '.rtf' and could see the data. Then copied the 'rtf' to a 'txt' file to line everything up. ***NOTE: This file is now 2.4mb, and the supposed limit for 'txt' files is 1mb. Zipped it.


05/07/2015 THU
Did a 'sfc /scannow'; that also said there were corrupt files but couldn't fix some of them.
----------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /verifyonly

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.

Windows Resource Protection found integrity violations. Details are included in

the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

C:\Windows\system32>sfc /scannow

Beginning system scan. This process will take some time.

Beginning verification phase of system scan.
Verification 100% complete.
Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them.
Details are included in the CBS.Log windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example
C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log

C:\Windows\system32>
----------------------------------
***NOTE1: This file is 2.8mb - with a 2mb limit for log files. Zipped it.
***NOTE2: Apparently the system overwrites any previous 'CBS.log' file.


Thanks for all help here.

Fred

1) there is no point whatever in doing a SFC /verifyonly - most of the time it will miss errors which need to be addressed.
2) we need real data, not pretty pictures/pdfs
3) Please follow the Windows Update Posting Instructions and post the requested data

If the file is too large (8MB compressed), remove the older CBSPersist cab files until the final file is below the limit - you can always post them separately after zipping them. (the forum doesn't allow the upload of bare CAB files, for a number of reasons)

Please also post the C:\Windows\windowsudpate.log file

FWIW, the SFC /verify found two problems...

Code:

 Line 16832: 2015-05-07 01:50:23, Info                  CSI    0000018a [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:24{12}]"utc.app.json" of Microsoft-Windows-Unified-Telemetry-Client, Version = 6.1.7601.18839, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
 Line 16835: 2015-05-07 01:50:23, Info                  CSI    0000018c [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:66{33}]"telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json" of Microsoft-Windows-Unified-Telemetry-Client, Version = 6.1.7601.18839, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch

- but since you didn't use the proper command, we have no idea whether Windows can fix it, or needs assistance.

Post the requested data, and we'll find out.

We can do without that one - we have more recent ones available.

The SFC results are the same...

Code:

2015-05-07 02:52:34, Info                  CSI    000001f9 [SR] Repairing 1 components
2015-05-07 02:52:34, Info                  CSI    000001fa [SR] Beginning Verify and Repair transaction
2015-05-07 02:52:34, Info                  CSI    000001fb Hashes for file member \SystemRoot\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-u..ed-telemetry-client_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18839_none_a1e9aa37653a7ea4\utc.app.json do not match actual file [l:24{12}]"utc.app.json" :
  Found: {l:32 b:avTc1jbPkVRlPDU21b5uj1c0XP6y3oNRLq5nJDYwg+M=} Expected: {l:32 b:6510UErwHGoFg3sRd3gzh3HSbTceuHem3Rnk0NraKS8=}
2015-05-07 02:52:34, Info                  CSI    000001fc [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:24{12}]"utc.app.json" of Microsoft-Windows-Unified-Telemetry-Client, Version = 6.1.7601.18839, pA = PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE_INTEL (0), Culture neutral, VersionScope = 1 nonSxS, PublicKeyToken = {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35}, Type neutral, TypeName neutral, PublicKey neutral in the store, hash mismatch
2015-05-07 02:52:35, Info                  CSI    000001fd Hashes for file member \SystemRoot\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-u..ed-telemetry-client_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7601.18839_none_a1e9aa37653a7ea4\telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json do not match actual file [l:66{33}]"telemetry.ASM-WindowsDefault.json" :
  Found: {l:32 b:YtIIyOml6sSUsWGV2NVLBNphRI1HIemcP71ZZQNTROk=} Expected: {l:32 b:EeQJzlVPvq9GNIcA2FEwrOjEeuDam1G+ol3x61gKasQ=}

I'll post a fix for them later.
The CheckSUR log is clear.

zip files are limited to 8MB/upload, other file types have different limits (or may not be allowed at all)

Hmm - somebody has already done all the heavy lifting on this for me...
The Tech Cookbook – Windows 8 update (KB3022345) causing corrupt files

(Thanks, Alex!)

Please do NOT attempt to use the files from that page - but it does explain the situation well.
I'll post the Windows 7 fix here in a few minutes

SFCFix Script




Warning: this fix is specific to the above corruptions only, do not run these fixes if you do not have these corrupt files.

1. Download SFCFix.exe (by niemiro) and save this to your Desktop.
2. Download SFCFix.zip from the below link, and save this to your Desktop. Ensure that this file is named SFCFix.zip – do not rename it.
3. download this version: SFCFix(x86version)
4. Save any open documents and close all open windows.
5. On your Desktop, you should see two files: SFCFix.exe and SFCFix.zip.
6. Drag the file SFCFix.zip onto the file SFCFix.exe and release it.
7. SFCFix will now process the script.
8. Upon completion, a file should be created on your Desktop: SFCFix.txt.
9. Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) the contents of this file into your next post for me to analyse please – put tags around the log to break up the text.

SFC /SCANNOW

1. Right click on the Start button
2. Click on Command prompt (Admin) => Press Yes on the prompt
3. Inside the Command Prompt windows copy and paste the following command SFC /SCANNOW