Windows 7 SP1 installation problems Error 0x80004005

[normor]

I’ve tried for weeks to upgrade my computer to Win7 SP1. My current installation is Win7 Ultimate x64 (Norwegian). What happens is that the installation seems to proceed OK until ”configuring Service Pack” has reached 99% after the last reboot. Then I get a message telling that ”error configuring SP1” (freely translated from the Norwegian text – don’t know what it will be in the English version) and the OS is restored to previous state. The error code is 0x80004005 which seems to be a tricky one. I believe I’ve tried every trick in the book; updating every possible device driver, running the update readiness tool (v.14), checked for system file errors using the sfc-command (no errors), ran chkdsk, made a copy of the SoftwareDistribution folder and deleted the contents of the original, upgraded the Windows Update Agent, ran installation of the Service Pack manually from a downloaded exe-file, reregistered the WU-files using a freeware utility (Fix WU Utility v 1.0) and so on. Most of these tasks are ran as Administrator and with my security software (ZoneAlarm ISS) disabled (I haven’t stopped the Windows Defender service though…). I’ve even pulled out a video capture card (Pinnacle AV/DV PCI 100) that I believed could be the cause of trouble because I once had trouble installing this card into the 64-bit environment. I probably did a lot of other things too but I can’t remember it all as I’ve messing around with this problem since last year…
I read in some forum that renaming the pending.xml file in the windows\winsxs folder might do the trick. But there is no such file. Or rather, there is a file called pending.xml. 01cb8a4e07748db9. But I’m not able to rename that one either. I’ve taken ownership to it by running the takeown /f command and tried to rename it with the ren command using an elevated command prompt but I get a message telling that I have to get permission from an administrator! (I’ve tried to do this both logged on as myself and as Administrator – the same result.)
Among other things I find these entries in the CBS.log-file:
2012-01-29 19:42:10, Info CBS SQM: Requesting upload of all unsent reports.
2012-01-29 19:42:10, Info CBS SQM: Failed to start upload with file pattern: C:\Windows\servicing\sqm\*_std.sqm, flags: 0x2 [HRESULT = 0x80004005 - E_FAIL]
2012-01-29 19:42:10, Info CBS SQM: Failed to start standard sample upload. [HRESULT = 0x80004005 - E_FAIL]
2012-01-29 19:42:10, Info CBS SQM: Queued 0 file(s) for upload with pattern: C:\Windows\servicing\sqm\*_all.sqm, flags: 0x6
2012-01-29 19:42:10, Info CBS SQM: Warning: Failed to upload all unsent reports. [HRESULT = 0x80004005 - E_FAIL]
I must admit that I don’t know what SQM is or does but whatever it is the folder is empty.
I’ve considered doing an in-place upgrade but I understand that this is something you do when everything else is tried.
Anybody out there who knows the tricks?

 

[Roderunner]

Insert your Win7 install disc, and do an upgrade. View attachment Win7's Non-destructive Install..pdf

 

[NoelDP]

I must admit that I don’t know what SQM is or does but whatever it is the folder is empty.
I’ve considered doing an in-place upgrade but I understand that this is something you do when everything else is tried.
Anybody out there who knows the tricks?

The SQM folder is normally empty - and nothing to worry about.

First run SFC /SCANNOW from an Elevated Command Prompt - then attach a copy of your CBS.log file to your response.
The run the CHECKSUR tool - Description of the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows Vista, for Windows Server 2008, for Windows 7, and for Windows Server 2008 R2 - and attach the CHeckSUR.log file as well

 

[normor]

Hi Noel!

Sorry to kept you waiting. Her are the files.

Normor

 

[NoelDP]

I'm not the expert here - I just know that he'd ask for those files anyhow
That said, I'll see if I can see anything obvious.
Back later.

 

[NoelDP]

Hmm - that was easier than I expected - there appear to be no problems with either SFC or CheckSUR.

This almost certainly means that it's a permissions problem somewhere - and that I have no real idea how to deal with.