[SOLVED] "The configuration registry is corrupt." during driver update.

A

alder

Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2023
Posts
5
Hi,

our old Surface Pro 4 started reporting "The configuration registry is corrupt." for any driver update/installation. Windows Update lists various drivers which eventually fail to install. I've tried "sfc /scannow" and "Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth" and while they've reported that some thing were fixed the driver's still fail.
Are there any other tricks left than reinstalling?
 
Windows Update list pretty much every possible driver for this device. Each one has "Error 0x800703f1". What's weird is that the version numbers in the Windows Update list match the ones that are already in use according to Device Manager. Only exceptions are the display, GPU, and audio. Device Manager shows "Generic Monitor", "Video Controller (VGA Compatible)", "Intel High Definition Audio" with a question mark icon, so these don't have any driver. Trying to install one either via Windows Update or a local copy ends up with "The configuration registry is corrupt.".
 
Rather than run the Update troubleshooter, I'm moving the whole thread (From the Windows 10 Forum) to where people who are trained in Windows Update can help.
 
Hi and welcome to Sysnative,

Step 1. Please follow the Windows Update Forum Posting Instructions and provide the requested files in your next post.

Step 2. Upload your DRIVERS Hive
  • Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\config and locate the DRIVERS file.
  • Please copy this file to your desktop.
  • Note: If you receive an error that this file is in-use, simply reboot your computer and try again.
  • Right-click on this file on your desktop and select Send To > Compressed (zipped) folder. This will create a file named DRIVERS.ZIP on your desktop.
  • If the file is too large to upload here, upload the file to www.wetransfer.com and post the link in your next reply.
 
Hi,

Replace Drivers Hive Manually

Warning: this fix is specific to the user in this thread. No one else should follow these instructions as it may cause more harm than good. If you are after assistance, please start a thread of your own.
  1. Download DRIVERS.ZIP and save to your desktop.
  2. Right-click on it and select Extract all.... Make sure the "Show extracted files when complete" is checked and click Extract.
  3. Now we have the DRIVERS file that we will be using to replace your current one.
  4. Navigate to C:\Windows\System32\config
  5. Right-click on the current DRIVERS file and select rename. Rename it to DRIVERS.bad.
    Note: If you get an error that the file is in use, reboot your computer and then try again.
  6. Take the file from the Drivers folder on your desktop and paste it into C:\Windows\System32\config

Afterwards reboot the system and try to update your drivers.
 

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