Failure Configuring Windows Updates Message While PC is Restarting

Efdy said:

Yes, the same exact thing happened when I tried to install the KB408878 Security Only Quality Update for March 2018 that happened when I try to install the March 2018 rollup. It was after that that I tried the other suggestions and then installed WSUSOffline. I still don't know what boxes to check in the UpdateInstaller options.

Yes, I think there were just two missing security updates listed in the results of the first Baseline Security Analyzer scan, March 2018 rollup and some old update from 2015 that I downloaded individually. It installed normally, no problems.

Ok, so at least you're up to date security wise with the exception of the March rollup. So, no issues there.
I would abandon the WSUSOffline option as I just don't think it will work in your case. If it's stalling and you're up to date with the rest of the updates then you'll probably get the same result even when using WSUSOffline. It will most likely just stall again and revert.

If you've tried resetting Windows Update as previously posted then I think it might be worth holding off until the April rollup gets pushed out. I've just checked in my Windows Update and I still see no sign of the March rollup. So, I can only assume that it was pulled and hasn't been reissued yet. The rollups are usually pushed out on the 2nd Tuesday of every month so it would be showing in my update list by now.





If the April rollup also won't install then we need to look deeper into what is causing the issue.

And you're not dumb mate, we all learn something new everyday on these forums. Even the more senior members learn new tricks all the time! :)

Oh, maybe there was something else missing, and for some reason I thought only the ones with red icons were missing even after reading the results designations. Here's that screenshot of results for Baseline Security Analyzer run with the Scan Offline Catalog option checked.



I've got time now to try to see what that other one is with the yellow icon and try to install it. Thanks for suggesting doing this scan. And I'll just hold off on further attempts to remedy the problem with installing March rollup KB4088875, and try to keep up with news about it. Thanks for the advice on that. At least it seems like maybe it isn't my PC that's messing up, but their update that is, if that's a fair way to put it. Still doesn't feel as safe though.

The third update appears to be a timezone update. It won't hurt to install that one, I doubt it will cure the rollup issue though. But, you can install it and see if it helps.

I wouldn't worry too much, the next rollup will be out in a couple of weeks and include March Security updates too. It's also possible that MS may reissue the March rollup again with some new fixes. From what I've read the March rollup has caused some network issues for some businesses, so that could be the reason it's been pulled. MS doesn't usually pull updates unless there's a pretty big problem with them though, so it might be a blessing that it won't install!

You should be fine for a couple weeks, so long as you keep your AV and Malwarebytes definitions up to date and firewall secure. I'll keep an eye out and see if it reappears in my Windows Update list, that will most likely mean it's been reissued with additional fixes. I'll post back in here if that happens.

While you're waiting for next months patch, and perhaps feeling a bit adventurous,read the following link:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/softwa...der-in-windows

Flushing the Software Distribution has been known to fix Windows update issues like "unable to configure windows updates".

Good luck

I would leave it open since you still have an issue. If next month's patch doesn't fix it then you can revisit the thread you started. Pretty sure anyone that post on this thread gets email alerts for any thread activity.

I'd leave the thread open. If Sky Ranch's fix doesn't work and you still have issues installing the April rollup, then we'll still need to look into the issue a little more. I wouldn't mark it as solved yet.

Okay, I will leave this thread open. I always worry about being a bother or doing things wrong according to a website's policies, so thank you for the assurance about leaving this thread open for now. Sorry if email notifications for activity in this thread got annoying. I hope you didn't get one every time I used the button to edit my posts.

Sky Ranch said:

While you're waiting for next months patch, and perhaps feeling a bit adventurous,read the following link:
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/softwa...der-in-windows

Flushing the Software Distribution has been known to fix Windows update issues like "unable to configure windows updates".

Good luck

Thanks. I followed those instructions for deleting the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder and was able to do so without any difficulty, but the same thing happened again as did all the other times when I tried to install the March 2018 rollup KB4088875 update after deleting the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder, restarting those two services, and restarting the computer. The other updates that appeared after resetting Windows Update History (I think they were ones I hid) installed fine, so I guess my computer does work okay. Thank you for the suggestions you have made to help me.

I looked at the Microsoft information web page for the KB thing mentioned in About Internet Explorer where it says "Update Versions: 11.0.52 (KB4088835)" after you asked me to post what it says in About Internet Explorer, and that page says that update was published in February. I don't know how often that gets updated, but if that happens everything month, will it probably be something that gets taken care of in whatever they make to download and install in Windows Update in April after all this rollup problem? Should I avoid using IE and just use Firefox till then? I've been trying to just use the other computer to go online during this time since the March rollup installation failure. Is it safe to visit websites like SevenForums and Microsoft web pages? Should I keep the Internet connection for this computer switched off when I don't need to go on the web with it?

Snick said:

The previous version of your SoftwareDistribution folder is located at:
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.old
To reinstate the history, rename the current Software Distribution folder, i.e. add a different extension, the rename SoftwareDistribution.old to SoftwareDistribution.

Oh. I don't see a folder named SoftwareDistribution.old in the Windows folder even with "Show hidden files, folders, and drives" ticked. I only see folders named SoftwareDistribution and SoftwareDistribution.bak, which I thought (I guess mistakenly) got created by WSUSOffline when I used it to download Windows updates in preparation to use it to install updates (which I decided not to do per Brds7t7).

Does using the Reset Windows Update History batch file thing create the SoftwareDistribution.old folder? If so, could that SoftwareDistribution.bak folder be what it created instead of one named SoftwareDistribution.old? I installed some other updates since then that appeared in Windows Update after resetting Windows Update History that I think were previously hidden updates. If the SoftwareDistribution.bak is what you said would be named SoftwareDistribution.old, would it be a bad idea to rename it to be my SoftwareDistribution folder after deleting all the contents of the SoftwareDistribution folder per Sky Ranch last night and installing those other previously hidden updates that showed up after resetting Windows Update History? Would I be all right just leaving things as they are and deleting the SoftwareDistribution.bak folder even though my Windows Update History won't show all the updates I previously installed?

Thank you all for helping me with this problem. I appreciate the consideration.