Windows cannot update - Error 80073712

[highplaiins]

My Win 7 PC kept re-installing the same updates over and over. When I looked at the update history, it looked like several updates failed, and then a few days later the five new updates (they came after the ones that failed) started reinstalling themselves over and over. I tried several troubleshooting steps found on various message boards (including all steps at the following: Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2) , and now I can't even see my update history any more.

When I go to Windows update, it still gives error 80073712.

Ran SURT - prompted me to install Hotfix KB 947821, which I did.

sfc /scannow -- Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation

Can't get sfc to run in safe mode either.

I tried repair install of W7SP1 from disk, but it gets to the step where it tries to download updates and then fails saying it needs to download updates and cannot.

Can anyone help me?

 

[NoelDP]

First time I've ever seen that error in a CheckSUR log!...

Checking Component Store
(f) CSI Missing Root Key 0x00000002 HKLM\Components\CanonicalData\Deployments

I need to have a look at your COMPONENTS registry hive

Please copy the C:\Windows\System32\config\COMPONENTS file (no extension) to your desktop and then compress it - upload the compressed file to your favoured fileshare site (preferably Dropbox or OneDrive) and post a link.

 

[highplaiins]

Components zip

Thanks very much for being willing to help. Here is a link to a dropbox with the components file in it. https://www.dropbox.com/s/kb78rhu6vjvg4na/components.zip

 

[NoelDP]

Bad news, I'm afraid - the hive is totally corrupt, and there's nothing I can do with it.

Have you tried a System Restore back to a point where Windows Update was working?

 

[highplaiins]

I was going to try to do a restore, but for some reason I can't see any restore points prior to the problems -- I even tried clicking "show more dates" but there is nothing listed. Is there a maximum number of restore points? Because the particular set of updates that kept re-installing created a restore point each time, but I can't even see any earlier than about a week ago.

 

[NoelDP]

It may be that whatever corrupted the hive also corrupted System Restore, so the system reset that.

A repair install is now your best option - see the instructions here... http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html?ltr=R

 

[highplaiins]

Thanks very much for trying to help. I appreciate it. I've tried to do a repair install (created the install disk, launched from within Windows, etc.) but at some point it seems to be trying to download updates and fails, so I think I may have to just do a clean install.

 

[NoelDP]

Sounds like it
Sometimes the corruption is just too deep for the Repair to function properly, so at least it backs out gracefully (unlike XP!)

Good luck with it!