[SOLVED] Cortana preventing updates?

[baedamichi]

Hello there!

Well, how to begin? I'm on Windows 11 22H2. A rather old PC which started out as Windows 8, moved from 8.1 to 10 and now to 11.
Two days ago, I wanted to run Windows Updates. One update couldn't install: KB5031455 consistently throws error 0x80071160.

After an extensive Google search I came to the conclusion that this must have something to do with corrupted system files. So I ran sfc and dism as described in your posting instructions (CBS.zip is attached).

The output of these two commands is as follows:

C:\Windows\System32>sfc /scannow Beginning system scan. This process will take some time. Beginning verification phase of system scan. Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files but was unable to fix some of them. For online repairs, details are included in the CBS log file located at windir\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For example C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. For offline repairs, details are included in the log file provided by the /OFFLOGFILE flag. C:\Windows\System32>Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 10.0.22621.1 Image Version: 10.0.22621.2428 [===========================55.1% ] Error: 4448 The WOF driver encountered a corruption in the compressed file's Resource Table. The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

I inspected the CBS.log (which contains output of sfc too as far as I understand).

One particular occurence caught my attention:

2023-10-30 12:05:00, Info CSI 00000428 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:26]'ConstraintIndex.Search.dll' of Microsoft-Windows-Cortana-ConstraintIndex, version 10.0.22621.2361, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35} in the store, hash mismatch 2023-10-30 12:05:00, Info CSI 00000429 [SR] Cannot repair member file [l:26]'ConstraintIndex.Search.dll' of Microsoft-Windows-Cortana-ConstraintIndex, version 10.0.22621.2361, arch amd64, nonSxS, pkt {l:8 b:31bf3856ad364e35} in the store, hash mismatch 2023-10-30 12:05:00, Info CSI 0000042a [SR] This component was referenced by [l:158]'Microsoft-Windows-Client-Desktop-Required-Package0513~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.22621.2428.B0B59ED1CD9EC9E21DF13E06862A1520D45D168199BFDCA12C58812A8C6340B8' 2023-10-30 12:05:00, Info CSI 0000042b [SR] Could not reproject corrupted file \??\C:\WINDOWS\System32\\ConstraintIndex.Search.dll; source file in store is also corrupted

So this might have something to do with previous Cortana integration into Windows search? I tried Cortana some years ago but didn't really use it. As of now, Cortana is deprecated, when I open the Cortana app from the Microsoft Store I'm told so. Upon further research, I found that the update I want to install (KB5031455) adds some funtionality related to the new Windows Copilot, which as far as my understanding goes would somehow be linked to Windows search functionality. So at least from my naive point of view, it makes sense for this update not to work if somehow system files related to search are in a corrupt state.

I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Cortana app from Microsoft store. I even did an sfc run from WIN RE. Procedure was: Downloaded and installed Media Creation tool. Created a Windows 11 ISO with it (using default settings, recommended, ISO should be the exact same Windows version as the one I have installed). Created bootstick from said ISO using Rufus. Booted from bootstick, ran the following command:

sfc /scannow /OFFBOOTDIR=D:\ /OFFWINDIR=D:\windows /OFFLOGFILE=Scanlog.txt

Log is attached.

I also tried to do DISM using the install.esd contained in my downloaded Windows ISO. Command:

Dism /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:G:\sources\install.esd

Where G: was my virtual DVD-Drive with mounted ISO created with media creation tool.

Nothing helped. Apart from the inability to install the aforementioned update, the system runs like clockwork. Search functionality has no issues whatsoever.

My theory:

Some system files which are somehow related to Cortana installation are corrupt. Those are related to the built-in Windows search. Since the update I want to install adds Copilot funtionality, it can't install with corrupted "search" files.
Since Cortana is deprecated the files required to fix this are not included in the WIndows 11 ISO I created, hence not even the repair attemps using a freshly downloaded install.esd work.

Okay guys, now I'm interested in your opinions. What do you think about my theory?

 

[baedamichi]

@Admins: I just realized I put this in the wrong category. Could you please move my thread to "Windows Update" category? Many thanks!

 

[Maxstar]

Hi,

Step 1. Download

SFCFix and save it to your desktop.

Warning: This fix was written specifically for this system. Do not run this fix on another system.

• Save any work you have open, and close all programs.
• Download the attachment SFCFix.zip and save it to your desktop.
• Drag the SFCFix.zip file over the SFCFix.exe executable and release it.

• SFCFix will launch, let it complete.
• Once done, a file will appear on your desktop, called SFCFix.txt.
• Post the logfile (SFCFix.txt) as attachment in your next reply.

Step 2. Run the System File Checker and post the result. If it fails attach a new copy of the CBS log.

SFC /Scannow

 

[baedamichi]

Hi Maxstar

Thanks a lot for the fix. It worked!

The three .dll files were restored successfully (see SFCFix.txt).

Update KB5031455 could be installed successfully.

SFC no longer throws an error:

C:\Windows\System32>sfc /scannow Beginning system scan. This process will take some time. Beginning verification phase of system scan. Verification 100% complete. Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

DISM works as expected too:

C:\Windows\System32>dism /online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool Version: 10.0.22621.1 Image Version: 10.0.22621.2506 [==========================100.0%==========================] The restore operation completed successfully. The operation completed successfully.

A big thanks to you @Maxstar!

 

[Maxstar]

Hi,

You're welcome. Glad to hear the issue has been resolved...