Failure Configuring Windows Updates Message While PC is Restarting

I didn't mention that when I tried to do "Update Driver" for "ACPI x64 based PC" in Device Manager and failed as I showed in the picture (a few posts back), next time when I rebooted/restarted the laptop, it'd crash/fail to restart and went into the "repair mode". It's kind of scary. After ~30 seconds it'd offer to "system restore" and it'd then reboot successfully after some more (too many !) minutes. It's a bit scary and so I decided to do a "Repair Install", instead of playing with "ACPI x64 based PC". Too bad that I didn't keep machine.inf (etc.) to compare

After repair install, you can install updates to, I believe April 2016 with convenience update, provided prerequisites are installed.
How to Update Windows 7 All at Once with Microsoft's Convenience ...

Hello. Here is what happened regarding the repair install of Windows 7 on my dual boot system.

The repair install of Windows 7 seemed to go okay for me while it was being done. Windows XP boots and seems to function okay.

After the repair install completed, the disable Windows 7 Libraries fix was applied to prevent the computer from bogging down (and because I just really don't like the Libraries feature). Then I restarted the computer and let it set there for a bit to sort itself out some more. Then I shut it down so I could reconnect my speakers and the external hard drive. It said "Please do not power off or unplug your machine. Installing update 1 of 101." I didn't expect that, and I thought I would have more time after the repair install during which I could use that convenience rollup thing, but that''s not the way things happened so I let Windows update itself automatically because it was already downloading so much stuff to install, and I hoped Windows would know what order to install it all.

The automatic installation of Windows updates seemed to go okay, after which I installed whatever appeared next each time the computer restarted after installing an update or updates. There were no "Failure configuring Windows update" messages since the repair install.

I had a similar or the same issue with .NET Framework as Kin experienced, which he described in post #55 of this thread. I went to try doing what Kin did for that, but I couldn't see a C:\Windows\Installer folder even when Show hidden files, folders, and drives is selected. (I also don't see a C:\Windows.old folder or C:\$INPLACE.~TR if that's a folder, but I do see a C:\WINDOWS.~Q folder.) I did not try those other things Kin tried that did not help him with the .NET Framework issue that resulted from his repair install.

On my computer system, there was something like that (missing updates in Installed Updates) going on before the repair install. When Brds7t7 suggested uninstalling the February and January Security Monthly Quality Rollups and then trying again to install the most recent Security Monthly Quality Rollup, I went to uninstall those in Installed Updates, but they weren't listed even though they were listed in View Windows Update History as successful.

There was a lot of updates missing in Installed Updates, so i just decided to do the repair install, hoping that would fix whatever all that was about too.

I don't know exactly when all those updates went missing from Installed Updates, or if it had anything to do with following suggestions such as deleting the contents of SoftwareDistribution\Download, resetting Windows Updates with a batch file thing, etc., but the updates all went missing from Installed Updates during the course of this thread. Here is a screenshot taken when I first started this thread after the March Security Monthly Quality Rollup failed. (542 updates installed.)



And here is a screenshot from April 13. (297 updates installed.)



And here is what it looks like now in Installed Updates and Turn Windows Features On/Off. (Please notice .NET Framework 3.5.1.)



I used an application that depends on (or whatever) .NET Framework to function after all those updates went missing from Installed Updates. That same application does not launch now after the Repair Install, which makes it seem like the current .NET Framework issue resulted from the repair install for me too, as it did for Kin.

During the past day or so, new Windows updates available slowed to a trickle. There has been almost nothing presented in Windows Update besides an update for .NET Framework that the computer keeps trying and failing to install. I switched off automatic updates and unchecked that update in Windows Update hoping the computer will stop trying to install it.




Thank you all for trying during the past month to help me avoid reformatting the hard drive and reinstalling Windows from scratch (clean install or whatever it's called) and for sharing your solutions, Kin. I appreciate it--can't really describe the gratitude I feel.

I am wondering if anyone can think of something I might be able to do to fix this .NET Framework problem and the matter of not being able to see C:\Windows.old, C:\$INPLACE.~TR, or C:\Windows\Installer folders even with Show hidden files, folders, and drives ticked so I might be able to continue using that computer without starting over with a cleared hard drive. I can't even just try what Kin did about the NET Framework matter after his repair install because I can't see the Installer folder.

It seems like none of my problems were caused by malware or whatever. I had Malwarebytes Premium installed on that computer for a long time, I have been in the habit for a long time of frequently running default settings scans and occasional in-depth scans with Malwarebytes and Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool like I'm compulsive about it or something, and I don't go to websites where humans download free (pirated) music, movies, and games or other suspicious websites. And I ran full scans with both Malwarebytes and Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool on both computers prior the repair install. I don't ever see any infections, or whatever it's called, in the scan results. By the way, since I switched from using Avast to Bitdefender on the Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit computer, only one website has been blocked when I tried to go there. Check out this screenshot. (Please notice the URL/address/whatever thingo.) LOL



Sorry this is so long. Thank you for reading.

A more direct answer to Efdy's question :

I re-read Efdy's paragraphs ... I think Efdy has not UN-clicked "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)" as shown in my Capture.JPG ? [ This is in Windows Explorer, under "Tools" -> "Folders Options" -> "View". ]

You need to unclick that to show c:\windows\installer or C:\$INPLACE.~TR etc.

[ I don't have Windows.old either after the repair install, but I do have C:\$INPLACE.~TR and C:\$WINDOWS.~Q . ]


I just tested it in my laptop. You do need to "unclick" the above "Hide protected..." to see C:\windows\installer. But you still need to know which .msi (in C:\windows\installer) to click by going through what I went through.

You may click that "Hide protected ..." back after you solve your problem as unclicking it shows some files on your desktop etc. that you may not want to see all the time.

Kin

When you rename the software distribution folder, this data store also contains your Windows Update History files. If you delete them you will lose your Update history. Moreover, the next time you run Windows Update, it will result in a longer detection time.

After you do a upgrade install, you will also see the option Files discarded by Windows upgrade option in Disk Cleanup. This would be for the C:\Windows.old , C:\$INPLACE.~TR , and C:\$WINDOWS.~Q files left over from the previous operating system.

I don't rely on M$ for these folders/files, and don't rely on (system restore which I have disabled), I always create a full system backup, data only (system image) with 3rd party backup software.

Hi,

I've just noticed that Efdy's Windows Update was trying to update ".NET Framework 4 Client Profile". Does this mean that Efdy's .NET4 environment was/older than 4.5 ?! According to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dot...client-profile, "Starting with the .NET Framework 4.5, the Client Profile has been discontinued ...".

[ I can't be completely sure because I did see the "Client Profile" in my "Program and Features" when 4.7.1 etc. were not shown there before I solved my problem. I un-installed this "Client Profile" without any known good/bad effect. But my Windows Updates were trying to update the full .Net Framework 4.7.1, 4.5...and ... lower 4.x etc. (and failed), not this "Client Profile". ]

...I just saw that Efdy had that .Net 4.7.1 updates installed in Windows update screen. You may probably uninstall the "client profile" stuff as it's discontinued.

Does Efdy see .Net Framework 4.7.1 in "Programs and Features" ? If so, you may just right-click to "repair" it.

Kin