[SOLVED] Windows update is not working, also cannot install some programs

M

Marco

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2013
Posts
3
Good afternoon,

I am having problems with windows update and it's currently displaying the following message:

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.

Also I cannot install some programs such as itunes and adobe photoshop, I guess this might be related to the above problem

I have tried a lot of fixes, but no luck

I will be greatfull if you can help me to solve this problem.

Best regards,
Marco
 
Thanks for your quick reply,

I've run the System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems and the FIXIT to reset Windows Update components, and still the same problem.
I've attached Windows7_Vista_jcgriff2 file, but received the following error when trying to run PERFMON /REPORT:
[TABLE="width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD] Error:

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD] An error occured while attempting to generate the report.

[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]
[/TD]
[TD]
Transaction support within the specified resource manager is not started or was shut down due to an error.
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
Hello Marco, and welcome to Sysnative :)


This is a problem with very, very many possible causes. We must start at the most common, and keep persevering until we hit upon the one which applies to your computer. Please stick with me.


Most common solution to this problem: transactional logfile corruption (don't worry, you don't need to understand that :p)



So, please start an Elevated Command Prompt: https://www.sysnative.com/forums/wi...-prompt-window-windows-windows-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

and press enter after the final line if necessary.

If you are asked if you are sure, type Y and press enter.

You may get some errors on some of these lines. Please just ignore them (they are normal), and let me know whether this resolves your problem.

Thank you!

Richard
 
Dear Richard,
The problem is solved:dance:, thanks a lot for your help.

Just wanted to know what was the reason for this problem.

Best regards,
Marco
 
Marco said:
Dear Richard,
The problem is solved:dance:, thanks a lot for your help.

Just wanted to know what was the reason for this problem.

Best regards,
Marco
Click to expand...

Hello Marco :)

That is truly great news! Thanks for letting me know.

Basically, Windows needs to pend some files for replacement over reboot. This is done through the transactional file system and transactional registry. Simplistically, Windows Update tells transactional file system that it wants file x to be moved to location y on the next boot by creating a "task". On the next boot, Windows looks at all the tasks, and makes the moves requested. This avoids file in use problems.

However, on your computer, after moving x to y, for some reason, Windows forgot to delete the task. The move has been done, but the task file still lingers. Windows Update sees the task file, and thinks it is a remnant from a past update --> you need to restart your computer. But the task has already been done, it isn't done again, it isn't ever deleted, and the restart needed cycle continues.

My commands simply purged all those task files, including the faulty one or ones, and that solved your problem.

This is quite a simplistic view of it, but I hope that it is enough to give you an idea of what went wrong without all of the jargon and gory details :p

Richard
 
Hmmm, I am a bit surprised the Update tool and Fixit didn't correct the problem. I was under the impression they automated the same tasks Richard suggested - except maybe fsutil resource. I wonder if that was the problem and corrected it, or if maybe after (or with) several reboots, the problem worked itself out. Since many update, delete, scan and repair actions don't actually take place in real-time, but instead are scheduled to run during the next boot, it is often amazing what a couple reboots can resolved after a hiccough - especially one brought on by critical system file updates. That just from personal experience - I don't consider myself a Windows expert - I just keep the hardware running.
 
Digerati said:
Hmmm, I am a bit surprised the Update tool and Fixit didn't correct the problem. I was under the impression they automated the same tasks Richard suggested - except maybe fsutil resource. I wonder if that was the problem and corrected it, or if maybe after (or with) several reboots, the problem worked itself out. Since many update, delete, scan and repair actions don't actually take place in real-time, but instead are scheduled to run during the next boot, it is often amazing what a couple reboots can resolved after a hiccough - especially one brought on by critical system file updates. That just from personal experience - I don't consider myself a Windows expert - I just keep the hardware running.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, they don't. The Fix-It tool does virtually nothing of value TBH :p OK, so it does fix a few issues, and it re-registers some common Windows Update .dll files, but not a lot more. It won't even clear SoftwareDistribution folder anymore...that requires a separate hard to find Fix-It to separate the risks. The old Fix-It used to fix far more problems than the new Windows 7 troubleshooter, but it had a small risk associated with it - that risk can no longer be taken apparently, so the one fix of value has been removed :p

Anyway, this fix would be extremely dangerous to put into a standard fix-it, which is why they haven't (and this is completely out of the scope of System Update Readiness Tool, which deals with other, but very specific files and registry keys). The problem is, it wipes out any transactions which have been pended for the next reboot, Windows Update, other programs, whatever, all broken. It is actually quite a risky fix, and I only run it on these computers because a) its the only fix, b) the actual chance of something going wrong is small, c) I can fix up most issues caused, whereas a fix-it tool wouldn't be able to.

So yeah, sadly it isn't included as part of the fix-it. I am however, working on a fix-it for this issue - which includes all of the other possible causes I know about - there are loads!

Richard
 
but it had a small risk associated with it - that risk can no longer be taken apparently, so the one fix of value has been removed
Click to expand...
Yeah, a lot of good ideas have removed because a very few had problems. I really like some of the gadgets out there (Pandora, for example) but MS no longer supports any gadgets. I guess it is good to err on the side of caution, and certainly MS has a right be tired of being bashed for everything, but frankly, I am tired of good ideas going away, and bad ones never dying.

But I do sympathize with MS too. The problem with most any tool that tweaks or resets Registry settings is they assume existing settings are wrong. Then the tool fixes it, when it was not broken. For 20+ years, all my personal builds have had the OS and hardware drivers on C drive, and everything else on D. I change the defaults for My Documents, temp files, backups, downloads, etc. to D drive too. I can't tell you how many times some tool changed the Registry back to stuffing everything on C.

Windows' greatest advantage, IMO, is it is so highly user customizable. In just a few seconds after first boot, virtually every computer (and Registry) becomes unique with this security program, that printer, the user's favorite background image and font, interfacing with hardware from 1000s of different makers.

Windows' greatest disadvantage, IMO, is it is so highly user customizable.

For that reason, I don't like running special tools on systems, unless they are sitting on my bench and I can see what is happening for myself.

I am however, working on a fix-it for this issue
Click to expand...
For which issue, exactly? There have been several mentioned. Windows Update constantly calling for a reboot, Windows Update not working, unable to install other programs.
 
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