Here few tips from Microsoft to resolve error code 80073712 before trying the hard way fixing it.
Error Code 0x80073712 occurs in Windows Update or Microsoft Update
Hope this help!
PS:
Read some have install Windows 7 on a separate hard drive to pick up a fresh COMPONENTS registry file and replaced it on their install to fix the corrupted one.
Yeah - I've read that too - and I suspect that the install falls over next Update Tuesday.
Doing that is pretty much the same as a repair install, without ANY of the safety factors that a repair includes.
It's really asking for more severe problems down the line.
Thanks for the replies.
I have attempted 3 of the 5 methods on the Microsoft page. Windows Update Troubleshooter did not find any problems, System Update Readiness Tool did not find any problems, and System File Checker did not find any integrity violations.
Before moving onto the more drastic methods, what exactly will re-installing the latest service pack do at this point? Correct me if I'm mistaken: Windows 7 only has SP1. So if I re-install SP1 now, will I basically have to download and install all Windows Updates post SP1 release? I just want to know what I'm getting into before I actually go through with it.
I have attempted an in-place upgrade before on a different machine, and that is of course a fairly drastic measure. Not sure if I just had bad luck, but in the one instance I resorted to that, the results were less than successful: it seemed to cause more problems than it solved.
I do have another machine with Windows 7 installed, so I could try simply replacing the COMPONENTS registry file.
The one good things is: I can really try anything as I have backed up my current installation to an image file. So I can always restore my system to its current condition, should anything I attempt actually make it worse.
Any other thoughts / suggestions before I try something more extreme?
Thanks again.
Actually, since I already have SP1 installed, it won't let me install SP1 again.
So that leaves me with the in-place upgrade method, but I won't attempt that unless you recommend it as last resort.
I think it's probably your best option.
It's not as nuclear an option as it used to be in pre-Vista days, and usually works pretty well, and pretty quickly.
See the tutorial here... https://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html
Alright I will give the in-place upgrade method a try, following the directions.
Thanks for all of the help! :)
I completed the in-place upgrade, and I believe I am in better shape that I was before.
I have installed over 150 Windows updates now, and I'm essentially done. I had some issues with the .NET Framework that required a cleaning an re-installation, what was successful.
The main issues I'm facing right now is: after one of my reboots, a number of desktop shortcut icons were lost. I tried to rebuild the icon cache, but that didn't bring back my missing icons. And when I right click on one of the effected shortcuts, and select -> Properties -> Change Icon..., I receive a message that, "Windows can't find the file ..."
So my question is: is there any way to get back these icons without re-installing the software? There are about 10 different applications impacted, so that would be fairly significant re-installation work. The programs themselves all seem to be fine, its just their icons that have gone missing.
Thanks!
You can:
- right click the program in the Start Menu (or the program .exe file)
- drag with the mouse to the desktop
- release the right button
- left click Create shortcuts here
That might be your simplest way to get the desktop shortcuts back for apx. 10 missing icons.
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