System Update Readiness Tool problem...

NoelDP said:

Download and install it.
Then do another check for updates.

Well, it just hit me that you must have been referring to downloading & installing KB976932, correct? If so, I've already tried that & it simply informs me that I've already got SP1 installed, which is a fact. The problem is that due file corruption, the update is not found in the list of installed updates in WU. Thus, I can't uninstall it in order to perform a no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall of Windows 7 Ultimate.

NoelDP said:

That's what you need to install - if it's offered, then Windows considers it not to be installed, and it will over-install if necessary.

I just left you another message. Are you saying that I need to download & install KB976902? If so, I'll be happy to so but I'm pretty confident that it will inform me that the update is already installed.

NoelDP said:

Lets' see what Windows thinks is installed....
we need to see a full copy of the report produced by the MGADiag tool
(download and save to desktop - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=52012 )
Once saved, run the tool.
Click on the Continue button, which will produce the report.
To copy the report to your response, click on the Copy button in the tool (ignore any error messages at this point), and then paste (using either r-click/Paste, or Ctrl+V ) into your response.

Diagnostic Report (1.9.0019.0):
-----------------------------------------
WGA Data-->
Validation Status: Genuine
Validation Code: 0
Cached Validation Code: 0x0
Windows Product Key: *****-*****-7CC23-CH38R-YXJD9
Windows Product Key Hash: +lr/v1Q78bozm+Bul4J/uetztN0=
Windows Product ID: 00426-292-1378565-85339
Windows Product ID Type: 5
Windows License Type: Retail
Windows OS version: 6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.001
ID: {224BF75A-5A52-48CC-9046-5850FE40B6D8}(3)
Is Admin: Yes
TestCab: 0x0
WGA Version: Registered, 1.9.42.0
Signed By: Microsoft
Product Name: Windows 7 Ultimate
Architecture: 0x00000009
Build lab: 7601.win7sp1_gdr.120830-0333
TTS Error:
Validation Diagnostic:
Resolution Status: N/A
WgaER Data-->
ThreatID(s): N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
File Exists: No
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaTray.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
WgaLogon.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Notifications Data-->
Cached Result: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Version: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAExec.exe Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGAAddin.dll Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
OGA Data-->
Office Status: 100 Genuine
Microsoft Office Professional 2007 - 100 Genuine
Microsoft Office Project Standard 2007 - 100 Genuine
OGA Version: N/A, 0x80070002
Signed By: N/A, hr = 0x80070002
Office Diagnostics: 77F760FE-153-80070002_7E90FEE8-175-80070002_025D1FF3-364-80041010_025D1FF3-229-
80041010_025D1FF3-230-1_025D1FF3-517-80040154_025D1FF3-237-80040154_025D1FF3-238-2_025D1FF3-244-80070002_025D1FF3-
258-3
Browser Data-->
Proxy settings: N/A
User Agent: Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 8.0; Win32)
Default Browser: C:\Program Files (x86)\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Disabled
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Allowed
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Disabled
Allow scripting of Internet Explorer Webbrowser control: Disabled
Active scripting: Allowed
Script ActiveX controls marked as safe for scripting: Allowed
File Scan Data-->
Other data-->
Office Details: <GenuineResults><MachineData><UGUID>{224BF75A-5A52-48CC-9046-5850FE40B6D8}
</UGUID><Version>1.9.0019.0</Version><OS>6.1.7601.2.00010100.1.0.001</OS><Architecture>x64</Architecture><PKey>****
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Spsys.log Content: 0x80070002
Licensing Data-->
Software licensing service version: 6.1.7601.17514
Name: Windows(R) 7, Ultimate edition
Description: Windows Operating System - Windows(R) 7, RETAIL channel
Activation ID: ac96e1a8-6cc4-4310-a4ff-332ce77fb5b8
Application ID: 55c92734-d682-4d71-983e-d6ec3f16059f
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Installation ID: 010724569020774041563914401720376542259824615305469121
Processor Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88338
Machine Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88339
Use License URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88341
Product Key Certificate URL: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=88340
Partial Product Key: YXJD9
License Status: Licensed
Remaining Windows rearm count: 3
Trusted time: 12/14/2012 6:45:23 PM
Windows Activation Technologies-->
HrOffline: 0x00000000
HrOnline: 0x00000000
HealthStatus: PASS
Event Time Stamp: 11:23:2012 17:53
WAT Activex: Registered
WAT Admin Service: Registered
HWID Data-->
HWID Hash Current: NgAAAAEAAwABAAIAAAABAAAABAABAAEAln2Sy6LsVJoedDxQ1mckQ3RY9na6zwJAHLEWFS5z
OEM Activation 1.0 Data-->
N/A
OEM Activation 2.0 Data-->
BIOS valid for OA 2.0: yes
Windows marker version: 0x20001
OEMID and OEMTableID Consistent: yes
BIOS Information:
ACPI Table Name OEMID Value OEMTableID Value
APIC Sony VAIO
FACP Sony VAIO
DBGP Sony VAIO
HPET Sony VAIO
MCFG Sony VAIO
SLIC Sony VAIO
SSDT Sony VAIO
SSDT Sony VAIO
SSDT Sony VAIO

NoelDP said:

MGADiag is quite happy that SP1 is already installed - and SFC and CheckSUR aren't complaining about file mismatches.
You machine was built well after SP1 was released, so should have been pre-installed with SP1, in which case it wouldn't show in the Installed updates listing.

Note that KB976902 is also a proper update for SP1 - and should be installed.

Thanks much Noel. I have only 2 remaining questions based on your feedback.

1. In order to perform the repair reinstall that I need to do I need to be assured that my copy of Windows 7 Ultimate has SP1 installed on it. The copy I have was one that I obtained as a participant in the release 'party' promotion. Thus, it's unlikely that it does. That said, it would appear that I then need to download a pre-SP1 ISO copy, correct?

2. As I noted before WU indicates that KB976902 is already installed. So, are you suggesting that I download it & attempt to install it anyway!

NoelDP said:

If WU indicates that it's awaiting installation, then see what happens if you install it :)



Download the SP1 Refresh for your language and edition from the links on these pages...

Heidoc - Microsoft DR Download links

The links are for downloads from the Digital River servers run for MS, so are about as safe as you can get :)

Once you have it downloaded, you then need to burn the DVD from it - use either the Windows Disk Image Burner, or (better still) your favourite burning application at the slowest speed possible.

Note that you do NOT 'drag and drop' the file to the disk, you must use the 'burn an image' option from your app - or you'll end up with a useless coaster :)

Once you have the disk burnt, check that it boots the (or any other) system OK - but do NOT start the repair from there - you must start the repair from within a normal Windows boot.

Follow the instructions in this tutorial - https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
- and they should help you get through it (it's not as difficult as it looks!)


Good luck with it!

Noel, as it happens with me a lot when discussing PC terminology, I very well may have not described my issue well, or stated something that led you to misinterpret my intent.

The bottom line for me is that after almost 3 weeks of troubleshooting WU, system restore & explorer.exe crashes and/or inabillity to function properly, I decided to pack it in & perform a no-reformat, nondestructive reinstall of Windows 7 Ultimate.

To do so, I'm using Fred Langa's method (excerpt below). I know that SevenForums has a method as well but in my opinion, it appearred that Langa's method was simpler to perform.

The following excerpt from his method is key:

"If you’re not running Win7 SP1, skip ahead to the next section.

You can also skip ahead if you’re repairing an SP1 setup with a Win7 setup DVD that already contains the SP1 files — but such disks are still relatively rare as of this writing.

If you’re still reading this paragraph, then you’re most likely attempting to repair a Win7 SP1 setup with an original, pre-SP1 DVD. That’s OK, provided you take an important preparatory step.

Win7 SP1 replaced many of your original system files with newer versions. If you try to install the older, original Win7 files over the newer SP1 files, the setup process will balk at what it sees as an erroneous downgrade.

So, if you’re attempting to repair Win7 SP1 with a pre-SP1 DVD, you need to remove SP1 from the target PC before proceeding. Fortunately, that’s easy, as Figure 1 shows."

I originally had Windows 7 Pro installed but performed a Windows Anytime Upgrade to Ultimate last June. I got a signed retail copy of the former during the Windows 7 Release Party promo pre-SP1 release.

Key here is that I have SP1 installed, which has now been confirmed by several different methods, but the SP1 update (KB976932) is not found in WU's list of updates, only its precursor (KB976902).

Given all of this, per the sentence above, "So, if you’re attempting to repair Win7 SP1 with a pre-SP1 DVD, you need to remove SP1 from the target PC before proceeding. Fortunately, that’s easy, as Figure 1 shows."

My problem is that "Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932) (windows6.1-KB976932-X64) is nowhere to be found on my system! Thus theoretically, I can't uninstall it if I can't find it.

So, after reading this, please let me know if I've managed to confuse you more or I managed to clear things up. :)

Randy

PS: I have downloaded a genuine copy of SP1 & can burn it to a DVD any time.

NoelDP said:

If WU indicates that it's awaiting installation, then see what happens if you install it :)



Download the SP1 Refresh for your language and edition from the links on these pages...

Heidoc - Microsoft DR Download links

The links are for downloads from the Digital River servers run for MS, so are about as safe as you can get :)

Once you have it downloaded, you then need to burn the DVD from it - use either the Windows Disk Image Burner, or (better still) your favourite burning application at the slowest speed possible.

Note that you do NOT 'drag and drop' the file to the disk, you must use the 'burn an image' option from your app - or you'll end up with a useless coaster :)

Once you have the disk burnt, check that it boots the (or any other) system OK - but do NOT start the repair from there - you must start the repair from within a normal Windows boot.

Follow the instructions in this tutorial - https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
- and they should help you get through it (it's not as difficult as it looks!)


Good luck with it!

I reviewed your post again. If I'm interpreting your instructions correctly, instead of me using Langa's repair install method, I would use the following step in the SevenForums tutorial, correct? I'll not start anything until I hear back from you!

5. Repair Installed Windows 7 SP1 using Windows 7 with SP1 DVD/USB


Note
If you do not have a Windows 7 with SP1 installation DVD/USB, then you can download the latest official Windows 7 with SP1 ISO file here: Dell Community - Windows 7 ISO Downloads, and use Windows 7 USB-DVD Download Tool to create a bootable DVD or USB flash drive with the ISO to do the repair install with using this step.

A) While in Windows 7 SP1, insert your retail Windows 7 SP1 installation DVD into the DVD drive, or connect your Windows 7 with SP1 installation USB thumb drive, and click on the Run setup.exe option in AutoPlay. (see screenshot below)
NOTE: If the AutoPlay window does not open, then open the drive folder in Computer and run the setup.exe file.

B) Go to Go to step 7 below.