Windows Update Failure (error 80072EE2)

I am sure that this is really not significant, so I really don't think it needs a fix! It prevents Windows from removing desktop icons it thinks are no longer in use, or icons which it thinks are broken (for example, if the network is temporarily down it will remove any icons pointing to network locations). I see no way it would affect Windows Update.

There is a hotfix available on the Microsoft website but it does not work! The 'Fixit' utilities do not run and the registry alteration does nothing, but I cannot see that as the problem, especially as I have had the fixed files there for years now.

Something else must be the problem. I have tried disabling the anti-virus and firewall but it does not make any difference. I have tried all the fixes I have found on the net, more than once, and it makes no difference. I have tried updating the network adaptor driver but that didn't help either.

I've uploaded a file - bgsac.zip - to my OneDrive at Noel's OneDrive
Please download and save it.

Right-click on the saved file and select Extract all...
Change the target to C:\ and click on Extract
Close all windows (it would be a good idea to print these instructions!)

Now reboot to the Repair Environment - as soon as the machine restarts, start tapping F8 - this should bring up the Advanced Boot Menu, at the top of which should be the option 'Repair my Computer'
Pick that
You'll have to log in with your username and password.

Pick the option to use a Command Prompt
At the prompt type
DIR C:\bgsac
hit the enter key - if you get a 'Not Found' error try
DIR D:\bgsac
or
DIR E:\bgsac

The drive letter in use when you find the folder will need to be substituted (for<drive>) into the following command...

XCOPY <drive>:\bgsac <drive>:\windows\winsxs /y /i /s /v /h

(e.g. XCOPY P:\wfire P:\windows\winsxs /y /i /s /v /h )

run the command (it should take almost no time) and when the prompt returns, type
EXIT
and hit the Enter key to exit Command Prompt - reboot to Normal Mode Windows.

Now run SFC /SCANNOW in an Elevated Command Prompt
then reboot and upload the new CBS.log file to your reply

No - it doesn't (it used to in the days of Windows XP - but that was because the base system files weren't kept on the hard drive).

In Vista and above, if more files are required, then the exit message from SFC says (from memory)
'Windows File Protect found error but was unable to fix all of them. Details are available in the file C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log'

It's then up to the user to do the detective work to find the files, and the repair methodology - which is what we've already done here.

bengershon said:

So far, so good ... (update seems to be working ...)

The SFC shows clear, and there are no errors in the background of the CBS log - hopefully we've cured the problems.