Windows 10 update issues

You stop the windows update store service?

Start > Run > Services.msc > Disable Windows update and Windows Update Medic Service then delete all contents of "C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution" then start the services again. It should work I just tried it on my machine and it works as it should.
 
I think you would be better off reinstalling. Fine it might take a couple of hours to get your files and programs back on, but it would be quicker than all this.
 
Dont re-install yet, i rarely have to for WU issues.

Did you properly disable and stop the WU service in services? It should read as stopped and best to disable it for the next reboot.
Once it properly off you should be able to empty the folder mentioned, this is where all the windows update files and installers get put and 9 times out of 10 clearing this out does the trick.
Once you have cleared it, go back to services and re-enable the WU service, make sure its on auto and reboot - check again in there to make sure it is actually listed as started.

Once thats done, retry the WU scan for updates and try installing them.
 
sideways14a said:
Dont re-install yet, i rarely have to for WU issues.

Did you properly disable and stop the WU service in services? It should read as stopped and best to disable it for the next reboot.
Once it properly off you should be able to empty the folder mentioned, this is where all the windows update files and installers get put and 9 times out of 10 clearing this out does the trick.
Once you have cleared it, go back to services and re-enable the WU service, make sure its on auto and reboot - check again in there to make sure it is actually listed as started.

Once thats done, retry the WU scan for updates and try installing them.
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I’ll try it one more time. It wouldn’t really bother me if it wasn’t for the Xbox game pass subscription, now I’ve activated it I can’t use it because of this issue. Shame Forza isn’t on steam.
 
You have to properly disable the service, if you dont you cannot empty the directory as the service has it open.
Basically stop service>delete files>start service>retry WU.
 
Nope sorry guys this will not work for me. I’m pretty confident I did what you said correctly but windows just will not update.
 
Did you empty the directory?
Have you ran it through something like malwarebytes to check for something nasty?
I refuse to believe a windows reinstall is needed for this.
 
sideways14a said:
Did you empty the directory?
Have you ran it through something like malwarebytes to check for something nasty?
I refuse to believe a windows reinstall is needed for this.
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Yes and no but they did a few system scans forgot what they typed but it was to check if it was a 3rd party app causing it.

And yes I agree I can’t believe a reinstall is needed but you get so far with the tech guys and then they just tell you, you need to reinstall.
 
I honestly don't see what the problem is about reinstalling. Before this post, I posted in this thread at about 8pm today and it's getting on for midnight. Windows 10 would have been reinstalled with all the drivers installed as well as the majority of software if it was my own computer. It's not difficult.

Clearly something is wrong on the OP's installation. Fixing it without knowing the true cause may mean the problem could show its ugly head again in the future.
 
Well yes i agree however ... i do have a problem with this as well.
I have workmates who will reach for the rebuild system on the first sign of a problem, they never go through a difficult fix and thus never learn the diagnostic or problem solving necessary to get by in modern IT depts.

In this case, or at least many i see like this, a simple WU purge will do the job. Now its not clear yet if all this has been done.
A MS official remoroting in is as useful as a wet fart on a waterbed - i have never been that impressed by these so called experts.

So if this doesnt work then yeah its prob time to pull out the rebuild disk but i do like to see folk at least try some troubleshooting and problem solving before reaching for the big nuke button - wish i had staff like that :(
 
Doobedoo said:
Well it has deleted all except Datastore, Download and Reporting events text document.

I take it I need to restart the pc then try again?

Ok so that hasn’t worked either it seems windows update has broken itself in such a way that the only fix is a reinstall. Doesn’t fill me with confidence that this won’t happen again a couple of months down the line.
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You need to make sure you stop the WU service, or the folder contents will be locked. If you have stopped it, but still get the error - set the WU service to Disabled and reboot - you will then be able to nuke the contents.

You can also try the following locations, and flush out the contents (just in case) - access them via Start/Run (or Windows key + R):

%tmp%
%windir%\temp
%windir%\prefetch - though leave the layout.ini there!
 
darael said:
I honestly don't see what the problem is about reinstalling. Before this post, I posted in this thread at about 8pm today and it's getting on for midnight. Windows 10 would have been reinstalled with all the drivers installed as well as the majority of software if it was my own computer. It's not difficult.
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Of course reinstalling Windows isn't difficult - it's Next, Next, Next, Reboot pretty much. Gone are the days of having to load DOS first, then umpteen Windows 95 floppy disks, or interrupting the installer to load drivers for your device, before clicking the first Next. I don't think anyone giving advice to the Op, is trying to say it's hard - what they are doing, myself included, is encouraging troubleshooting - rather than advocating the knee jerk of 'flatten everything' you seem to be pushing.

Face it, some people get comfortable with how their install is, and worry that reinstalling it, will be some big headache to get it looking and feeling just right again - bit like someone messing around with your old school car seat; it never feels the same again! And although this forum is geared to a lot of people who are on the bleeding edge, and who love to fettle and fiddle, and reinstall Windows at the drop of the hat - some folks are here just for the high quality of the forum and advice on computing.

darael said:
Clearly something is wrong on the OP's installation. Fixing it without knowing the true cause may mean the problem could show its ugly head again in the future.
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That could very well be the case, but what happens if it does arise again, does OP simply keep flattening their o/s? Or do they flex a bit of troubleshooting know-how and try a few things? No idea who OP is, but if they have an interest in computing/IT/whatever, then having an annoying problem like this and the skills to work through finding a solution; will put them in better stead if they pursue a career in IT.

When I have issues with desktops/laptops/servers at work - I cannot simply nuke the o/s. Sure there's a trade-off between my time investigating a fault vs setting up a new device for the end user, and you need to make a call which is the most cost-effective for the business; but reinstalling Windows isn't the be all and end all it used to be under Windows 7 - Windows 10 is much more resilient and has plenty of different avenues to get it back up and running again.

Other than MS support that is - those guys are terrible!

Sorry for the slight OT peeps.
 
Scort said:
When I have issues with desktops/laptops/servers at work - I cannot simply nuke the o/s. Sure there's a trade-off between my time investigating a fault vs setting up a new device for the end user, and you need to make a call which is the most cost-effective for the business; but reinstalling Windows isn't the be all and end all it used to be under Windows 7 - Windows 10 is much more resilient and has plenty of different avenues to get it back up and running again.
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First post: 22 Sep 2019 at 11:05
Last Post: 24 Sep 2019 at 09:34

If it wasn't resolved within 3 hours it's a nuke from me. I used to work at a place with 6000 systems and a format with apps could be done in under 2 hours. If we couldn't resolve the issue within 25 mins we had to nuke it because as you say time is money. As for home systems time might not be money it might simply be for leisure so people can take time to diagnose issues properly and to try every avenue available.
 
mrbell1984 said:
First post: 22 Sep 2019 at 11:05
Last Post: 24 Sep 2019 at 09:34

If it wasn't resolved within 3 hours it's a nuke from me. I used to work at a place with 6000 systems and a format with apps could be done in under 2 hours. If we couldn't resolve the issue within 25 mins we had to nuke it because as you say time is money. As for home systems time might not be money it might simply be for leisure so people can take time to diagnose issues properly and to try every avenue available.
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Who's to say OP as been working on it all that time? Besides, spending a couple of days troubleshooting your home device is no huge deal, unless you have something critical to do of course - but I'm sure that most of us would find an alternative; smartphone, older device, neighbor, friend etc.

Fair enough, if OP has purchased Windows 10, then it's not unreasonable to expect that A. it works and B. you can call MS for support. But those are 'perfect world' scenarios from my experience - we all know what Windows is like, and most of us (certainly at Enterprise level) have found how terrible MS support really is.
 
Scort said:
Who's to say OP as been working on it all that time? Besides, spending a couple of days troubleshooting your home device is no huge deal, unless you have something critical to do of course - but I'm sure that most of us would find an alternative; smartphone, older device, neighbor, friend etc.

Fair enough, if OP has purchased Windows 10, then it's not unreasonable to expect that A. it works and B. you can call MS for support. But those are 'perfect world' scenarios from my experience - we all know what Windows is like, and most of us (certainly at Enterprise level) have found how terrible MS support really is.
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When people post for help usually they already been working on it enough not to have resolved the problem hence asking how it can be resolved on here.

I would probably say it would be better to install again using the media creation tool (latest version) and getting it up to date where probably and most likely a lot of these issues on-going have been resolved by Microsoft.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
 
@sideways14a @Scort
I take onboard everything you have said and I do actually agree to a certain extent that people shouldn't reinstall so easily. But this thread is already a few days old with what seems to be no resolution. I think there has to be a limit.

I would have tried much of what has been suggested, resetting Windows Update, checking system files, purging caches, etc. But I reckon if I couldn't resolve it myself, with some help and pointers from yours truly (Google), I'd have given up after a few hours or just suck up the fact that I won't be getting any updates until I either stumble upon a resolution or reinstall Windows.
 
mrbell1984 said:
If it wasn't resolved within 3 hours it's a nuke from me.
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but that is a commerical environment, with both a limited hardware config and number of applications to re-configure too, and even then, as a recipient of such re-images, there was reduced productivity for several days as you re-configured windows10 (colours/cursor focus/file-browser apps/sharpkeys) , IT services don't appreciate that.
as a home user resolving driver versions is a pain, too.

There are always a plethora of web-sites with advice, I would like to see people give links to sites that, for them, show good diagnostic practise (teach a man to fish etc)
I'd be looking at some of the diagnostic/install logs in addition to above points, to try and find root cause.
EG. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/setupdiag
 
mrbell1984 said:
When people post for help usually they already been working on it enough not to have resolved the problem hence asking how it can be resolved on here.
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Agreed - but I still disagree that OP should be flattening the device so soon; though I appreciate your example of 3 hours is more of a rough Corporate guide.

darael said:
I think there has to be a limit.
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Within a Corporate environment, yes, but as a home user? I guess that depends. A PC World customer, yes, the limit would be up to the point they tell you to bring it in to their 'tech guys' or whatever they call themselves nowadays. For an OcUK customers/forum user with a bit of an idea of how things hang together - I would say that ~7 days of working on the issues (off and on) isn't unreasonable - frankly, it's down to the personal preference.

For OcUK customers/forum members who like to dabble - then the sky is the limit really! If I were having the issue and cba to flatten the device, then I'd be looking for a workaround at least - maybe that's an option for the OP, this might help?

Best of luck with the WU repair though OP :)
 
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