[SOLVED] Win10 update error 0x800703ee

[Marko Viinikainen]

This error show on my brothers computer everytime windows tries to update. Update is from build 1803 to 1809 (next one after 1803).

Steps we have tried:

-cleaning win update cache (Net stop 4 services, delete Softwaredistribution folder and catroot folder)
-disabling all antivirus and win defender services
-updating with only windows services started
-run commands sfc /scannow and 2 DISM.exe commands, both report that no problems and disk images are healthy.
-sfcfixit program reports no corruption as the image shows.

Nothing helps, error keeps popping up. I read somewhere that this could be disk space related issue, but as you can see from the picture every drive has over 50% free space. Could error come from those 465Mb partitions? Or is it something else?

If possible I would like to avoid clean install, then we lose so many custom configs and possibly the dual boot configuration. Dual boot is needed on this computer. But if that is only alternative then clean install it is.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Hi!

Please try detaching your system disk with Windows XP install.

 

[Marko Viinikainen]

-Tried Disk Management and setting Winxp disk to Offline, same error
-Opened the case and removed data cable from the physical HDD, rebooted machine and tried installing again, same error.

Did you mean to use Diskpart command and then command detach vdisk?
And do I use the detach command on to Win xp disk or the win10 disk?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

If unplugging didn't help, then diskpart is not going to help, are there any other systems installed?

 

[Marko Viinikainen]

On the unplugged drive WinXP and on the SSD-Drive windows 10. Nothing else and win10 is in dual boot config.
Would clean install of win10 get rid of that error?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Yes.

 

[Marko Viinikainen]

What a shock, clean install did not work. It gave error message could not find recovery media or installation.
Is it possible to do clean install options with some usb-stick that has win 10 bootable ISO? That win iso image, does that have to be 1803-image?

Doing this will mess up the dual-boot option, is it possible to add that manually without destroying winxp installation?
Are there any other options than clean install?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Hello! I am sorry to hear that you are still having issues. I will be returning from my vacation by Monday at the latest and will continue troubleshooting this if necessary.

 

[Marko Viinikainen]

Is the clean install method only available option? And how to make sure dual boot to win xp can be still added after new installation of Windows 10?

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Why is the dual boot necessary? Can't you just set up a VM?

 

[Marko Viinikainen]

Problem solved with clean install of win10 media 1903 (latest version) and Easybcd. It allowed me to add dual boot entry to win10 without problems. My brother likes the winxp sound mixer and makes music so he needs absolutely no delays in input and output of sound from the machine. And the software he uses does not work well with win10.

 

[Sysnative Windows Update]

Great! Thank for letting me know what worked for you