[SOLVED] Windows Update Error 80073712

PandaCookie · Mar 7, 2014

Hello all,

I'm having similar trouble to what I've seen in this forum and all over Google...
Sadly, everything I've tried has just laughed in my face

Things that seem to be broken which may make you to pretend I don't exist:

Windows Update Fails with Error Code 80073712
"Turn Windows features on or off" shows up blank
"sfc /scannow" tells me "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation."
Can't install IE10/11 as they require updates first -.-
Don't want to install Visual Studio until I install IE10 or higher to prevent the compatibility issues it has with previous versions of IE but I can't do that cause Windows Update is pooping >.< (This is where it all started... I didn't know anything was wrong until Visual Studio brought IE10/11 into the mix...)

Things I've tried so far:

First off, VIRUS SCAN!!!!!!!!!! (Used SuperAntiSpyware followed by Malwarebytes which found 4 adware/trojan baddies which seemed to be IE pluggins for weird sales/bargains...)
All the Microsoft Fixes under the sun (Multiple recommended MicrosoftFixIt.exe's, System Update Readiness Tool, Resetting Windows Components as mentioned in kb article 971058, etc)
Attempting to manually install the prerequisite updates for IE10 and IE11 which all return "The update is not applicable to your computer."
Bunch of registry modifications that were mentioned in the microsoft support forums to fix both Updates and/or SFC but the changes they had pointed out were usually already in place so nothing much changed...
Rebuilding the SoftwareDistribution directory (%windir%\SoftwareDistribution)
Checking services (restarting many and making sure they weren't disabled and such)
sfc /scannow which returns the error mentioned in the "broken things" list above (Both normally and in safe mode)
sfc /scannow /offbootdir=G:\ /offwindir=G:\Windows which also returns the error mentioned in the "broken things" list above (It was G:\ in my case... Did diskpart and list volume to make sure)
Windows Auto Repair Tool (hoped to at least get sfc working from that)
I would try a restore point but I have no idea how long ago this started as my PC's uptime is usually quite ridiculous... (I don't believe it has ever restarted as many times in a year as it has today)
chkdsk which didn't return any errors on my disk...

Overall, I'm not really too fussed about this but it's nice when everything works as it should...

Thank you for your assistance with this
I'll be going to sleep now but I'll try and wake up early to respond to any possible replies... (ended up staying up till 2:15AM on this...)

PandaCookie · Mar 7, 2014

Hello again,

Ended up reading more related issues on this site and found one very quickly that enabled me to run Windows Update again...
https://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows-update/7625-windows-update-error-code-80073712-a.html

Fingers crossed that everything is ok after it finishes installing the 60 updates it found...

What I actually did:

Opened Registry, clicked HKLM and went to File > Load Hive the loaded c:\windows\system32\config\components with the Key name Components and noticed it was empty
Did the same on another computer with the same OS and exported the Components folder...
Merged that export to my PC then selected Components and went to File > Unload Hive

Now up to update 58 of 60... I'll let you know how it goes...

PandaCookie · Mar 7, 2014

Hmmm...
Lot's of them failed and had to be rolled back... PC bluescreened at one stage starting up but it was fine after that... there are now 44 updates showing up so I'm going to try again and see how it goes...

SFC /Scannow runs but it finishes almost instantly and finds no errors... Kinda doubt it did anything...

I'm hoping I don't have to do a memtest on my RAM cause it bluescreened with "PAGE_FAULT_IN_NONPAGED_AREA" which usually would be RAM failing right? (seen it a few times before and that was the case)
Maybe I should anyway if the updates continue to fail...

PandaCookie · Mar 7, 2014

Nope... Updates still failing miserably... BUT, sfc /scannow actually did something this time... I now have a new CBS log =)
(Strangely, it verified up to 102% then said it could not repair everything)

SFC fails again when I try to run it more than that first time...
I'll keep mucking around in case I get lucky...

PandaCookie · Mar 7, 2014

Alright... my CheckSUR.log is telling me there are a hell of a lot of files missing or corrupted/invalid...
Hopefully this won't be too difficult to fix...

niemiro · Mar 8, 2014

Hello, and welcome to Sysnative!

PandaCookie said:
Hello again,

Ended up reading more related issues on this site and found one very quickly that enabled me to run Windows Update again...
https://www.sysnative.com/forums/windows-update/7625-windows-update-error-code-80073712-a.html

Fingers crossed that everything is ok after it finishes installing the 60 updates it found...

What I actually did:

Opened Registry, clicked HKLM and went to File > Load Hive the loaded c:\windows\system32\config\components with the Key name Components and noticed it was empty

Did the same on another computer with the same OS and exported the Components folder...

Merged that export to my PC then selected Components and went to File > Unload Hive

Now up to update 58 of 60... I'll let you know how it goes...

Unfortunately, that user posted terrible advice. I will endeavour to get it removed as soon as possible. Every single system has a completely different state of Windows Update. No matter how similar the PCs appear, even different install orders, and different installed programs (each of which require different internal Windows components enabled or disabled), varies the state of Windows Update. All of this state information is held in the COMPONENTS hive, and merging the two machine's components hives together completely trashes the state information on this machine to an unfixable level. I hate to break this to you, but this machine is no longer fixable by myself or anyone I know

(you've probably seen all the errors in your CheckSUR.log, you initially only had one, the first run after COMPONENTS import had thousands, and then there are hundreds. This is simply SURT seeing mismatches between the COMPONENTS hive from the other machine and other errors or the registry. It tried to fix them, but that has, in all honesty, only made the problem worse as now the differences exist throughout the registry and file system, not just in the COMPONENTS hive).

I think you can see where this is going, I'm afraid there is absolutely nothing I can do

However, it's not all bad news. You might be able to perform an In-Place upgrade now: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...-install-windows-windows-7-windows-vista.html

Try that, it's your last resort, and the absolute best of luck to you.

Richard

P.S. The BSOD may be caused by bad RAM, and I guess there's no harm in checking, but there are also a whole load of other causes for that particular BSOD. Do not think that it *has* to be RAM. Please see here and made a separate thread in BSOD section to find out: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/bs...ctions-windows-8-1-8-7-and-windows-vista.html

Tell them you might soon be reinstalling due to WU, and you just want to know whether it looks hardware related first.

And please, not more following instructions on the internet just yet!

PandaCookie · Mar 8, 2014

Hello hello,

I had a feeling I had taken a step back rather than a step forward... Things just kept getting worse and worse =P
Shows the danger of someone who knows yet doesn't know enough... I'll sit in the naughty corner for a few hours...

Performing an In-Place Upgrade now :)

Thanks for getting back to me, I'll post back with the results (It's taking a hell of a long time to search for installation updates... probably due to my earlier stuffing around)

PandaCookie · Mar 8, 2014

Sadly, no go... Keeps failing for different reasons... Well, time to suck it up and install Windows 8.1 =P
Thanks again

If I see someone else about to do what I did, I shall give them a spanking :)

niemiro · Mar 8, 2014

Hello again :)

I'm very sorry that it had to end like this. I am also very sorry that that advice was present on the website. It may not have been me or any of my staff who posted it, but the advice posted here is ultimately my responsibility, and I completely failed to notice or remove that content. I am really, really sorry.

I wish you all the best, and although a reinstall is painful now, it will give you a nice clean machine, plus most of the pain, in my opinion at least, comes from the thought of starting, rather than the actual reinstalling. They don't take that long really, even with a lot of programs.

Richard

PandaCookie · Mar 8, 2014

No worries my friend!!
It's my fault for being impatient and performing anything and everything I read online XD

I have to say, I am very impressed with this site and I'm glad I stumbled across it... I will definitely recommend to others too :)

Thanks again
Have a wonderful weekend!!

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[SOLVED] Windows Update Error 80073712

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niemiro

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert

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niemiro

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert

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