"We couldn't complete the updates" Loop - Impossible to stop Windows updating

Question

Windows 10

I have tried the solution listed here without success: "We couldn’t complete the updates. Undoing changes" endless loop

Every 7 days, Windows forces an update which is never able to install properly. Then there is a 20-minute cycle of uninstalling and rebooting. It's infuriating and I cannot get it to stop. I have tried disabling updates in Services but it keeps getting re-enabled. I have also tried manually installing the updates by getting the relevant files from the Microsoft site, but this didn't make any difference. They seem to install but on reboot I get the message about not being able to install the updates.

Please, does anyone have a solution to this annoying issue?

Can you provide the Windows Update log? It will be nearly impossible to determine the reason the updates are failing without it. You will also want to provide which update explicitly is failing to be installed. — Ramhound, Jan 31 '21 at 16:54
Windows Update log. Is there a reason you have not already upgraded to Windows 10 version 2004? — Ramhound, Jan 31 '21 at 17:06
"The update troubleshooter didn't seem to do anything " <-- Thanks. I deleted my answer since it did not help you — John, Jan 31 '21 at 17:17
Try running a Windows 10 Repair Install from the Microsoft Media Creation Link. 3 levels: Keep all, Keep data, Keep nothing = essentially fresh install. — John, Jan 31 '21 at 17:23
You should provide the Windows Update log before you do anything — Ramhound, Jan 31 '21 at 17:46
Please share the CBS logs from the path c:\Windows\logs\cbs. Copy and paste the CBS folder on your desktop, zip it and then upload it on wetransfer.com and share the link here. — Tekkie_Boy, Feb 01 '21 at 01:09
@Tekkie_Boy wetransfer free version doesn't allow to share links, only email transfers. what's an alternative? — kandyman, Feb 01 '21 at 13:16
@kandyman Note: On wetransfer.com you have the option to send files by email or to create a link to share the files. Please press the three dots next to the "Transfer" button and then select the "Get transfer link" option. Transfer Option Picture — Tekkie_Boy, Feb 01 '21 at 16:44

Tekkie_Boy · Answer 1 · 2021-02-02T13:23:44.597

Here is the relevant excerpt from your log files:

2021-01-31 23:01:11, Info                  CSI    0000000a Performing 1 operations as follows:
  (0)  LockComponentPath: flags: 0 comp: {l:16 b:ccd1f2f724f8d601010000005008140c} pathid: {l:16 b:060bf4f724f8d601020000005008140c} path: [l:119]'\SystemRoot\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-e..-firsttimeinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.833_none_a91ce678f8bbddfc' pid: 850 starttime: 132566076697160726
2021-01-31 23:01:11, Info                  CSI    0000000b Performing 1 operations as follows:
  (0)  LockComponentPath: flags: 0 comp: {l:16 b:9e59f4f724f8d601030000005008140c} pathid: {l:16 b:9e59f4f724f8d601040000005008140c} path: [l:120]'\SystemRoot\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-e..-firsttimeinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.1168_none_60efd81dc9f766fe' pid: 850 starttime: 132566076697160726
2021-01-31 23:01:11, Info                  CSI    0000000c Performing 1 operations as follows:
  (0)  LockComponentPath: flags: 0 comp: {l:16 b:9e59f4f724f8d601050000005008140c} pathid: {l:16 b:9e59f4f724f8d601060000005008140c} path: [l:120]'\SystemRoot\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-e..-firsttimeinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.1168_none_60efd81dc9f766fe' pid: 850 starttime: 132566076697160726
2021-01-31 23:01:11, Info                  CSI    0000000d Calling generic command executable (sequence 1): 'C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-e..-firsttimeinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.1168_none_60efd81dc9f766fe\MicrosoftEdgeStandaloneInstaller.exe'
    CmdLine: '"C:\WINDOWS\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-e..-firsttimeinstaller_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.1168_none_60efd81dc9f766fe\MicrosoftEdgeStandaloneInstaller.exe" /silent /installsource windowsupdate /install "appguid={56EB18F8-B008-4CBD-B6D2-8C97FE7E9062}&needsadmin=True&usagestats=1&brand=WULS"'
2021-01-31 23:01:12, Info                  CBS    Progress: UI message updated. Operation type: Update. Stage: 1 out of 1. Percent progress: 56.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    0000000e Performing 1 operations as follows:
  (0)  LockComponentPath: flags: 0 comp: {l:16 b:e23311fc24f8d601070000005008140c} pathid: {l:16 b:e23311fc24f8d601080000005008140c} path: [l:115]'\SystemRoot\WinSxS\x86_microsoft.windows.s..ation.badcomponents_31bf3856ad364e35_10.0.18362.1_none_aed093e387f9bf3e' pid: 850 starttime: 132566076697160726
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    0000000f Creating NT transaction (seq 2)
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000010 Created NT transaction (seq 2) result 0x00000000, handle @0x3d8
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000011@2021/1/31:23:01:18.566 Beginning NT transaction commit...
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000012@2021/1/31:23:01:18.566 CSI perf trace:
CSIPERF:TXCOMMIT;6482
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000013 Creating NT transaction (seq 3)
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000014 Created NT transaction (seq 3) result 0x00000000, handle @0x3d8
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000015@2021/1/31:23:01:18.566 Beginning NT transaction commit...
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000016@2021/1/31:23:01:18.566 CSI perf trace:
CSIPERF:TXCOMMIT;5989
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Error                 CSI    00000017 (F) Done with generic command 1; CreateProcess returned 0, CPAW returned S_OK
    Process exit code 2147747622 resulted in success? false
    Process output: [l:0 ][gle=0x80004005]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    00000018 Direct SIL provider: Number of files opened: 1.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Error      [0x018007] CSI    00000019 (F) Failed execution of queue item Installer: Generic Command ({81a34a10-4256-436a-89d6-794b97ca407c}) with HRESULT HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(14109).  Failure will not be ignored: A rollback will be initiated after all the operations in the installer queue are completed; installer is reliable[gle=0x80004005]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Could not get active session for current session file logging [HRESULT = 0x80004003 - E_POINTER]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Could not get file name for current session file logging [HRESULT = 0x80004003 - E_POINTER]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Added C:\WINDOWS\Logs\CBS\CBS.log to WER report.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Added C:\WINDOWS\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210131182908.log to WER report.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Added C:\WINDOWS\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210131165311.cab to WER report.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Added C:\WINDOWS\Logs\CBS\CbsPersist_20210130125257.cab to WER report.
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Not able to add pending.xml.bad to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CBS    Not able to add SCM.EVM to Windows Error Report. [HRESULT = 0x80070002 - ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND]
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    0000001a@2021/1/31:23:01:18.713 CSI Advanced installer perf trace:
CSIPERF:AIDONE;{81a34a10-4256-436a-89d6-794b97ca407c};Microsoft-Windows-EdgeChromium-FirstTimeInstaller, version 10.0.18362.1168, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35};7124166us
2021-01-31 23:01:18, Info                  CSI    0000001b End executing advanced installer (sequence 39)
    Completion status: HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_ADVANCED_INSTALLER_FAILED)

Windows Update wants to install the Edge Update KB4584229 and this fails with the error: HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_ADVANCED_INSTALLER_FAILED).

In order to analyze the exact error one would have to go into more detail.

In this case I would suggest that you either perform an in-place upgrade or, best of all, update directly to Windows 20h2. Support for version 1909 will expire in May.

In short, an in-place upgrade would be carried out as follows: Download a Windows 1909.iso Then double click on the ISO file to mount it. And then start the Setup.exe on the mounted drive and so on...

If you have installed a non-system antivirus or firewall program on your computer, it is advisable to uninstall it and use the removal tool from the respective manufacturer to remove the so-called filter drivers that interfere with an in-place upgrade or a general update. Encryption software such as VeraCrypt or Truecrypt or others should also be uninstalled beforehand, if available.

You can find detailed instructions for an in-place upgrade there: In-place Upgrade Tutorial

If you want to update to 20h2, you can in principle proceed in the same way. But then it would be even better to remove all additional devices connected to the PC that are not required for the update too.

For example: printers, scanners, hardware dongles, programming interfaces, USB hubs, USB wifi / network adapters, USB dongles, etc.

Friendly greetings

Sorry for any mistakes. English is not my native language.

A complete upgrade seems like a rather drastic solution. Is there any possibility of data loss in these upgrades? Are they free? — kandyman, Feb 02 '21 at 10:33
It's not a drastic solution. It's a normal process. You will regularly receive the latest feature updates via Windows Update. If you have not yet received the Feature Update 20h2 in your case, you can download it using the Media Creation Tool or run the update directly using the Update Assistant. You can find both on the website: Windows 10 Update. Regarding data loss, I can only write: Everyone is responsible for their own data and therefore I can only advise everyone to make regular backups. Normally there is no data loss, but I — Tekkie_Boy, Feb 02 '21 at 13:26

"We couldn't complete the updates" Loop - Impossible to stop Windows updating

1 Answers1