W7 SP1 - Windows can't update important files

C

Cams

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2014
Posts
4
Location
Isle of Arran, Scotland
I have a Windows 7 SP1 x64 installation and can't get round this error message in Windows Update:

Restart your computer to install important updates.
Windows can't update important files and services while the system is using them. Save any open files and restart the computer and then try to check for new updates.

I've rebooted several times, ran the Windows Update Fix It tool and sfc /scannow. The Fix It tool came up with the following:

Problems found
Windows update error 0x80070005(2014-04-08-T-01_47_07P) - Not fixed
Problems installing recent updates - Not fixed

I found my way here via Google and came across an interesting thread with a warning not to follow the instructions as they were intended for the OP, so I'm starting my own thread in the hope that I can resolve this!

Thanks
Cams
 
Hello Cams, welcome to Sysnative!

Thanks for your CheckSUR log, but unfortunately in this case it doesn't give us any clues where this problem lies:

Code: 
=================================
Checking System Update Readiness.
Binary Version 6.1.7601.22471
Package Version 23.0
2014-04-08 15:49

Checking Windows Servicing Packages

Checking Package Manifests and Catalogs

Checking Package Watchlist

Checking Component Watchlist

Checking Packages

Checking Component Store

Summary:
Seconds executed: 1159
 No errors detected

Can you zip up and upload your whole CBS folder please?

C:\Windows\Logs\CBS

If it's too big for here, upload it to SendSpace then send me the link please: http://www.sendspace.com

Tom
 
tom982 said:
Can you zip up and upload your whole CBS folder please?

C:\Windows\Logs\CBS

If it's too big for here, upload it to SendSpace then send me the link please: http://www.sendspace.com

Tom
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply and the welcome Tom. I've zipped the CBS folder and attached it. An interesting thing to note is that I switched off auto update and put it back on and it seems to installed pending updates at Shutdown with no problem, but Check for Updates still gives me the failed error.
 

Attachments

Hello :)

Thanks a lot for that!

This particular error is a curious one. It has many possible causes, and it's hard to know exactly which one applies to your computer. In the time it takes me to identify exactly which one applies to you (which takes lots of long and complicated steps), I could have just tried them all. So instead, the most efficient way is to try all of the fixes in decending order of likelihood, which is what I shall attempt here.

WARNING to other readers: These fixes absolutely must not be run on a computer which is not experiencing the problem at hand. In particular, these fixes will cause great damage to a computer whose Windows Update is working normally - these techniques are not to be used to attempt to cancel an inconvenient restart, only when Windows Update is repeatedly forcing a restart.

So, first, please start an Elevated Command Prompt: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wind...vista-7-a.html
and copy and paste in the following:

fsutil resource setautoreset true %SystemDrive%\

attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*
del %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*

attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*
del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.tm*
del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.blf
del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.regtrans-ms

pressing Enter after the final line if necessary. Type Y in any "Are you sure? (Y/N)" prompts. Do not be concerned if there are any failures with "Could not find...{x}", as they are normal. Just ignore them.

Please let me know if that resolves your problem.

Thank you!

Richard
 
Yes! That did the trick! I'm now writing from the machine with the computer fully updated. There were over 50 updates pending after the fix went through. Thank you so much for taking the time to help me with this. Amazing help!
 
edbarcik said:
are there any problems associated with this fix?
Click to expand...

Welcome to Sysnative!

There are slight risks, but they can be effectively mitigated to a point where the risk are low enough not to be a concern.

The fix aims to take out corrupt pended Windows Update related transaction operations. The biggest problem with the fix is that it takes out *all* pended transaction events, not just Windows Update ones. On the vast majority of computers with this problem the large majority of the time, there will be no other pended transaction events. But if there are, there is a small potential to cause further, unrelated, issues (which are likely to be perfectly repairable - just need repairing). The risk of the problem occurring is small, the severity of the problem is moderate-low, and there are further mitigation steps possible.

These are ways to try to ensure that there are no other pended transaction events before you run the fix. Most programs will not ever pend transaction events, and those that do, some will go through almost immediately (type 1) whilst others will go through after the next reboot (type 2).

Type 2 will be placed almost exclusively by Windows Update, and very occasionally some auto-updaters. Type 1 can be placed by any program, but are much rarer.

The way to ensure that no type 1s get placed is to close all running programs. The way to ensure that no type 2s have been placed is to restart your computer to clear them out.

So, to keep your risk as low as possible, restart your computer, then once it's settled (to complete any operating system type 1 operations), before starting any programs (to avoid type 2s being placed), run the script. Opening a web browser window (provided it doesn't update itself in which case restart your computer again) or a copy of notepad, to get the script text won't matter.

Everything has risks, but if you follow those instructions, I suspect that they are so low you don't need to worry. Ultimately, though, the decision is yours to make.

Richard
 
Thanks very much for this info, it's really nice to finally meet someone that "knows" what's happening.:thumbsup2:

niemiro said:
edbarcik said:
are there any problems associated with this fix?
Click to expand...

Welcome to Sysnative!

There are slight risks, but they can be effectively mitigated to a point where the risk are low enough not to be a concern.

The fix aims to take out corrupt pended Windows Update related transaction operations. The biggest problem with the fix is that it takes out *all* pended transaction events, not just Windows Update ones. On the vast majority of computers with this problem the large majority of the time, there will be no other pended transaction events. But if there are, there is a small potential to cause further, unrelated, issues (which are likely to be perfectly repairable - just need repairing). The risk of the problem occurring is small, the severity of the problem is moderate-low, and there are further mitigation steps possible.

These are ways to try to ensure that there are no other pended transaction events before you run the fix. Most programs will not ever pend transaction events, and those that do, some will go through almost immediately (type 1) whilst others will go through after the next reboot (type 2).

Type 2 will be placed almost exclusively by Windows Update, and very occasionally some auto-updaters. Type 1 can be placed by any program, but are much rarer.

The way to ensure that no type 1s get placed is to close all running programs. The way to ensure that no type 2s have been placed is to restart your computer to clear them out.

So, to keep your risk as low as possible, restart your computer, then once it's settled (to complete any operating system type 1 operations), before starting any programs (to avoid type 2s being placed), run the script. Opening a web browser window (provided it doesn't update itself in which case restart your computer again) or a copy of notepad, to get the script text won't matter.

Everything has risks, but if you follow those instructions, I suspect that they are so low you don't need to worry. Ultimately, though, the decision is yours to make.

Richard
Click to expand...
 
Did not work, it left several files in the TXR directory and did not delete any of the others. The BLF and regtrans files are in the TXR directory. I cleared everything else but those won't leave. Error message. "The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process."
 
Found these files in config, possible that they are the ones needed to be deleted?
Volume in drive C is HP
Volume Serial Number is 38E8-C77B


Directory of C:\Windows\System32\config


04/22/2014 04:50 PM <DIR> .
04/22/2014 04:50 PM <DIR> ..
06/28/2013 04:13 PM 28,672 BCD-Template
06/28/2013 04:13 PM 25,600 BCD-Template.LOG
04/18/2014 04:56 PM 29,097,984 COMPONENTS
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 COMPONENTS.LOG
04/18/2014 04:56 PM 262,144 COMPONENTS.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 COMPONENTS.LOG2
07/07/2013 07:08 AM 65,536 COMPONENTS{016888b9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
07/07/2013 07:08 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{016888b9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
07/02/2013 12:29 PM 524,288 COMPONENTS{016888b9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
03/28/2014 02:26 PM 65,536 COMPONENTS{06f22e7a-723c-11e3-80b8-90e6ba590e74}.TM.blf
03/12/2014 10:36 PM 524,288 COMPONENTS{06f22e7a-723c-11e3-80b8-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
03/28/2014 02:26 PM 524,288 COMPONENTS{06f22e7a-723c-11e3-80b8-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
12/31/2013 12:39 PM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{56af4a6a-31ec-11e3-9a9e-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.0.regtrans-ms
12/31/2013 12:39 PM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{56af4a6a-31ec-11e3-9a9e-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.1.regtrans-ms
12/31/2013 12:39 PM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{56af4a6a-31ec-11e3-9a9e-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.2.regtrans-ms
12/31/2013 12:39 PM 65,536 COMPONENTS{56af4a6a-31ec-11e3-9a9e-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.blf
04/09/2014 09:43 AM 65,536 COMPONENTS{98799c94-b6b2-11e3-aba8-90e6ba590e74}.TM.blf
04/09/2014 09:43 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{98799c94-b6b2-11e3-aba8-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
03/29/2014 09:13 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{98799c94-b6b2-11e3-aba8-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
07/20/2013 04:42 AM 65,536 COMPONENTS{cadfef14-e650-11e2-b96c-90e6ba590e74}.TM.blf
07/20/2013 04:42 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{cadfef14-e650-11e2-b96c-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
07/07/2013 07:22 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{cadfef14-e650-11e2-b96c-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
10/10/2013 11:15 AM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{db2cf92c-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.0.regtrans-ms
10/10/2013 11:15 AM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{db2cf92c-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.1.regtrans-ms
10/10/2013 11:15 AM 1,048,576 COMPONENTS{db2cf92c-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.2.regtrans-ms
10/10/2013 11:15 AM 65,536 COMPONENTS{db2cf92c-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TxR.blf
12/31/2013 08:57 AM 65,536 COMPONENTS{db2cf92d-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TM.blf
12/05/2013 08:10 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{db2cf92d-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
12/31/2013 08:57 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{db2cf92d-f14c-11e2-a77a-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/18/2014 04:56 PM 65,536 COMPONENTS{fcaaacf5-c3cc-11e3-8b2e-90e6ba590e74}.TM.blf
04/18/2014 04:56 PM 524,288 COMPONENTS{fcaaacf5-c3cc-11e3-8b2e-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
04/14/2014 11:42 AM 524,288 COMPONENTS{fcaaacf5-c3cc-11e3-8b2e-90e6ba590e74}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/22/2014 04:50 PM 0 config.txt
04/22/2014 04:45 PM 524,288 DEFAULT
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 DEFAULT.LOG
04/22/2014 04:45 PM 262,144 DEFAULT.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 DEFAULT.LOG2
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 65,536 DEFAULT{016888b5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 DEFAULT{016888b5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 DEFAULT{016888b5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
07/13/2009 10:34 PM <DIR> Journal
03/30/2014 12:36 AM <DIR> RegBack
04/22/2014 04:47 PM 262,144 SAM
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 SAM.LOG
04/22/2014 04:47 PM 50,176 SAM.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 SAM.LOG2
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 65,536 SAM{016888c1-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SAM{016888c1-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SAM{016888c1-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/22/2014 04:44 PM 262,144 SECURITY
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 SECURITY.LOG
04/22/2014 04:44 PM 25,600 SECURITY.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 SECURITY.LOG2
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 65,536 SECURITY{016888c5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SECURITY{016888c5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SECURITY{016888c5-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/22/2014 04:50 PM 97,517,568 SOFTWARE
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 SOFTWARE.LOG
04/22/2014 04:49 PM 262,144 SOFTWARE.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 SOFTWARE.LOG2
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 65,536 SOFTWARE{016888c9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SOFTWARE{016888c9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SOFTWARE{016888c9-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/22/2014 04:50 PM 32,243,712 SYSTEM
04/12/2011 04:32 AM 1,024 SYSTEM.LOG
04/22/2014 04:50 PM 262,144 SYSTEM.LOG1
07/13/2009 10:34 PM 0 SYSTEM.LOG2
11/20/2010 10:41 PM <DIR> systemprofile
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 65,536 SYSTEM{016888cd-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TM.blf
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SYSTEM{016888cd-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000001.regtrans-ms
06/16/2013 10:13 PM 524,288 SYSTEM{016888cd-6c6f-11de-8d1d-001e0bcde3ec}.TMContainer00000000000000000002.regtrans-ms
04/22/2014 11:48 AM <DIR> TxR
68 File(s) 179,770,368 bytes
6 Dir(s) 165,755,609,088 bytes free
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top