Solved Cannot Complete Installing Updates, or Check for New Updates

[QuagsireQing]

Access is denied in a Safe Mode elevated command prompt.

 

[NoelDP]

That means that it must be open in something
Please try opening the file in Notepad - if you can open it, save teh file as
'testpend.txt' to your desktop, and attach it to your response.

 

[QuagsireQing]

Here's the .txt.

 

[NoelDP]

So far as I can tell, there's nothing wrong with the content of the file - it seems perfectly legitimate to me.

I need to do some research tob find out what the problem is likely to be.
Please let us know if you've renamed/deleted either the Catroot2 or SoftwareDistribution folder - or run any of the MS Fixit tools.

 

[QuagsireQing]

Please let us know if you've renamed/deleted either the Catroot2 or SoftwareDistribution folder - or run any of the MS Fixit tools.

I have not. I ran MicrosoftFixit.wu.LB.137271463094452760.1.1.Run a couple months ago.

 

[NoelDP]

The only thing I can think to do is to boot to the Repair Environment, and rename the file there.


Reboot the computer, and tap the F8 key until you get the advanced boot menu up - one option should be 'Repair your computer'. Pick that one.

Log into your normal account.
You'll get a set of options - pick the Command Prompt one.
At the command prompt, type DIR C:\
- if we're lucky this will bring up a listing of your normal C: drive contents, including the Program Files folder(s) and the Windows folder.
If not, try D:\ or E:\ (etc. until you get the right letter)
then type the following command

REN <drive>:\Windows\winsxs\pending.xml pending.old1

see if that works - if it does, then try running the SFC from there...


type

sfc /scannow /OFFBOOTDIR=<drive>:\ /OFFWINDIR=<drive>:\Windows

where <drive> is the letter you found above.

Wait for the command to complete. (make a note of the response!).

Once it has, type EXIT and the pick the option to reboot.

Boot to Normal mode, and run another SFC /SCANNOW - this will update the CBS.log file (the one in RE couldn't)
Please attach teh new CBS.log file to your response.

 

[QuagsireQing]

Repair environment rename and SFC scan worked; no integrity violations. Same with the normal scan.

 

[NoelDP]

Great - now do a check for updates <crosses fingers>

 

[QuagsireQing]

No-go. Guess that wasn't the issue.

 

[tom982]

What error codes are you having this time?

 

[QuagsireQing]

No error codes. Just an endless cycle of "Restart to install important updates."

 

[NoelDP]

What happens if you open Windows Updates, and run a Check for Updates?

 

[QuagsireQing]

This.

 

[QuagsireQing]

Thought I'd give this another bump now that the holidays are over.

 

[NoelDP]

No need to wait that long - I've been around all through
Sorry about that - this seems to have dropped out of my radar.

Since it's been so long since we were active, please run another SFC /SCANNOW and post the cbs.log again.

 

[QuagsireQing]

CBS Log - 01/02/13.

 

[NoelDP]

As I remembered - of the 38000+ lines in the log, 1700+ are near-fatal error messages, many of which seem to occur on every boot.


Most common error types are
STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE -
E_UNEXPECTED

They all appear to be related to the Components store - which is (if I understand it right) where all the bits of Windows are stuck together.

There are also a load of
ERROR_FAIL_REBOOT_REQUIRED
which is fairly self-explanatory.

Since we started this thread, MS have updated the CheckSUR tool - so it may be a good idea to try running that again, and see if it finds/fixes anything new.
Please delete the old one, then
Please download and save the CheckSUR tool from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947821
(you'll need to look in the details for Method 2)

Run it - The tool can take anywhere from 5 mins to a couple of hours to run (or 'Install') depending on how much it has to do, and may exit silently - it may appear to freeze for most of that time, but be patient.
The result is logged in the C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log file - and an archive …\checksur.persist.log file

Then zip the CheckSUR.log and attach it to a reply.

 

[QuagsireQing]

CheckSUR.log - 01/03/13

 

[NoelDP]

Not great, but nowhere near as bad as some I've seen in the past week or so.

(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 mstscax.dll x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 tsgqec.dll x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 aaclient.dll x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 wininet.dll x86_microsoft-windows-i..tocolimplementation_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_1ccb165e79ec3635 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 tzres.dll x86_microsoft-windows-i..rnational-timezones_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16695_none_1512e25f6aedb9ba 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 wab.exe x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16684_none_427eb90c38e711f1 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 win32k.sys x86_microsoft-windows-win32k_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20821_none_b99052a114cae695 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 wab.exe x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20814_none_4354073151cbeb4b 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 mstsc.exe x86_microsoft-windows-t..minalservicesclient_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_4e4de6cb9b7c1c97 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 iertutil.dll x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.20831_none_62effa8b7dd26186 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 cdd.dll x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 dxgkrnl.sys x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 dxgmms1.sys x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 iertutil.dll x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_6285cd3a649d5492 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 dxgmms1.sys x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16699_none_ab9825b044e4d3af 
(f) CSI Payload File Missing 0x00000000 urlmon.dll x86_microsoft-windows-i..ersandsecurityzones_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_cfc53abcaee30fa2

These files are all from RTM Windows 7 updates so I'll have to go on a hunt for them - back later (shout if you haven't heard in 24 hours!)

 

[tom982]

This should grab a few of the files for you

xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\mstscax.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\tsgqec.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\aaclient.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-t..s-clientactivexcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_305fa0f3400cc316\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-i..tocolimplementation_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_1ccb165e79ec3635\wininet.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-i..tocolimplementation_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_1ccb165e79ec3635\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-i..rnational-timezones_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16695_none_1512e25f6aedb9ba\tzres.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-i..rnational-timezones_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16695_none_1512e25f6aedb9ba\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16684_none_427eb90c38e711f1\wab.exe C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16684_none_427eb90c38e711f1\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-win32k_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20821_none_b99052a114cae695\win32k.sys C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-win32k_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20821_none_b99052a114cae695\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20814_none_4354073151cbeb4b\wab.exe C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-wab-app_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20814_none_4354073151cbeb4b\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-t..minalservicesclient_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_4e4de6cb9b7c1c97\mstsc.exe C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-t..minalservicesclient_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20861_none_4e4de6cb9b7c1c97\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.20831_none_62effa8b7dd26186\iertutil.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.20831_none_62effa8b7dd26186\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\cdd.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\dxgkrnl.sys C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\dxgmms1.sys C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.20830_none_ac59a14f5dd9e4eb\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_6285cd3a649d5492\iertutil.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-ie-runtimeutilities_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_6285cd3a649d5492\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16699_none_ab9825b044e4d3af\dxgmms1.sys C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-lddmcore_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16699_none_ab9825b044e4d3af\
xcopy C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-i..ersandsecurityzones_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_cfc53abcaee30fa2\urlmon.dll C:\QuagsireQing\x86_microsoft-windows-i..ersandsecurityzones_31bf3856ad364e35_8.0.7600.16700_none_cfc53abcaee30fa2\