Windows 7 Pro - reverting changes!

[stockhausen]

Please help . . .
I am trying to sort out a neighbour's Windows 7 PC. Every time she boots it it comes up with the following sequence of messages:

Starting Windows

Please wait

Preparing to configure windows
Do not turn off your computer

There is then a delay before the following is displayed:

Failure configuring Windows updates
Reverting changes
Do not turn off your computer

It then boots up into a state during which I ought to be able to carry out further "tidying up" - but am reluctant to do so until I have sorted out the update problem.

How do I remove the updates that it is supposedly applying in order to allow the Windows Update program to download the updates?
I have a vague feeling that I need to delete some folders or files.

Thanks in advance . . .

 

[stockhausen]

I do have all personal data backed up - I am not at all sure why this is relevant?

How do I remove the updates that the computer is supposedly applying in order to allow the Windows Update program to download the updates?

I have a vague feeling that I need to delete some folders or files.

 

[stockhausen]

Thanks for the advice; sadly it seems not to have worked, I still have the same problem with a Failure configuring Windows updates and changes being reverted on start-up.

Furthermore, when I try to run the update I get an error message saying

Windows could not search for updates
An error occurred while checking for updates for this computer
Error code 800800005 - unknown error

The Event log error appears to relate to:

TrustedInstaller.exe., version: 6.1.7601.17514
With Faulting module name: ntdll.dll, version: 6.1.7601.19110
Exception code: 0xc0000005
Fault offset: 0x000000000002fa52​

 

[stockhausen]

Thanks Tony, I'll give that a go.

A Windows disk would solve all my problems - sadly she no longer has one; in fact she probably never did, she acquired the machine when a company that employed her were downsizing and reorganising

 

[stockhausen]

Unfortunately I learned yesterday that this (Windows Update error code 80080005) problem is still present on Windows 7.
By Googling around and looking at sevenforums.com I learned that the problem may be related to NetDot.
I cannot locate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\TrustedInstaller\Start either.
I tried running the .NET Framework Repair Tool - that failed.
I removed .NET and tried reinstalling the latest version (.Net FrameWork 4.7).
All of these strategies have failed
She is getting very worried about not having been able to update Windows 7 for a very long time.
Does anyone have any further suggestions?

 

[stockhausen]

Won't be long and there will be no updates at all. Upgrade to 10 or move to something free like ubuntu.

Sadly, neither option would work for her.
Unfortunately she missed the free upgrade option - although she is understandably reluctant to move to a "new" user interface.
The same is true of Ubuntu, added to which she would then lose some of the Windows applications with which she is familiar.

 

[stockhausen]

The free upgrade to Windows 10 still works . . .

Does it?
If you will forgive my asking, how do I access it? I have looked for it but most of what I have seen appears to be somewhat "suspect".

 

[stockhausen]

Many thanks, I will definitely give that a go