Continuous 'Restart to finish install important updates'

Andy · Sep 17, 2014

Hello, I hope you can guide me. Thankyou for very much for your clear posting instructions. I hope I have done enough searching before posting. Normally I would read every post and try things, but I've read in your posts that we shouldn't pick bits of fixes made for other people, but instead to run your first tool (SFCFix) and post it in a new thread, along with CBS folder. So I've done that, it just feels a little bit lazy of me ... asking for help before I've tried everything I can find !

My Problem
... Win Update Sept ran automatically and installed 5 updates. After that, I keep getting the restart box and a timer, which restarts my PC if I don't catch it. Win Update says 'Restart your computer to (finish) install important updates', which also stops me checking to see if there are any more updates outstanding. I see from your forum that this is a common problem, so I won't describe any more detail, as I suspect you will know what I'm seeing.
... Sept Win Update installed 5 updates (2 off .NET, 2 off Office 2010, 1 off Malicious Software Rmvl Tool). Checking another PC, there were a lot more updates in Sept. This problem PC didn't install IE 11 update or any Windows 7 updates.

My PC
... Win 7 Home Premium, SP1, 64bit, genuine from microsoft. i5-2400. 4GB ram.

Fixes Already Tried
... Microsoft troubleshooter leading to MicrosoftFixit50123.
... System Restore, tried 3 restore points from before the Sept WinUpdate. All failed, they seemed to run thro ok, the msg at end said had failed, error 0x80071a91.
... (I also followed one of your instructions for somebody else, before I read that I shouldn't pick bits of your fixes like that). It was services.msc, then confirm Windows Modules Installer will start (it was stopped, and did start ok when I told it to), then set as Automatic and restart the PC. I did all that, and no change to my problem.

SFCFix & CBS folder
... I've run this and attached the info you request;

View attachment CBS.zip View attachment SFCFix.txt

If I've missed something, please let me know.
Thankyou, Andrew.

Andy · Sep 17, 2014

Hello again, since posting earlier, I found a step in one of your postings which seemed worth doing because it might be informative and didn't seem dangerous.

I ran sfc /scannow, it found corrupt files and couldn't fix some.

I then ran your SFCFix again (in case this had changed something) and I attach new 'SFCFix log' and 'CBS zipped folder' to this post.

Hope that's ok, Thankyou, Andrew.

View attachment CBS(2).zip View attachment SFCFix(2).txt

Go The Power · Sep 18, 2014

Hi Andy and welcome to Sysnative forums :)

SURT detected all these errors, I know most of them say that the are fixed and should be a good thing. But what concerns is that there was 6498 errors detected the first time.

Code:

 Found 6498 errors
 Fixed 6492 errors
  CSI Unexpected Failure Total count: 1
  CSI Missing Component Key Total count: 262
  Fixed: CSI Missing Component Key.  Total count: 262
  CSI Missing Pinned Component Key Total count: 397
  Fixed: CSI Missing Pinned Component Key.  Total count: 397
  CSI Missing Identity Total count: 659
  Fixed: CSI Missing Identity.  Total count: 659
  CSI Missing C Mark Total count: 4185
  Fixed: CSI Missing C Mark.  Total count: 4184
  CSI Payload File Missing Total count: 2
  Fixed: CSI Payload File Missing.  Total count: 1
  CSI F Mark Missing Total count: 1386
  Fixed: CSI F Mark Missing.  Total count: 1385
  CSI F Mark Cannot Read Total count: 2
  CSI Store Directory Missing Total count: 1
  Fixed: CSI Store Directory Missing.  Total count: 1

There errors that are identified inside SFC also relate to the COMPONENTS hive. I will be honest with you its not looking to good from here, and could turn into a complete reinstall. With this many corruptions there could be a ton of things that SURT has not detected that could cause countless issues for you in the long run. I would like to take a look at the COMPONENTS first.

SFCFix Collect COMPONENTS

Download SFCFix.exe (by niemiro) and save this to your Desktop.
Download SFCFixScript.txt, and save this to your Desktop. Ensure that this file is named SFCFixScript.txt - do not rename it.
On your Desktop, you should now see two files: SFCFix.exe and SFCFixScript.txt.
Drag the file SFCFixScript.txt onto the file SFCFix.exe and release it.
SFCFix will now begin to upload your CBS logfiles to our server.
Upon completion, a log should be created on your Desktop: SFCFix.txt.
Copy (Ctrl+C) and Paste (Ctrl+V) the contents of this into your next post for me to analyse please - put [CODE][/CODE] tags around the log to break up the text.

If all goes well, you should see that your logfiles have now been added to your thread.

Andy · Sep 18, 2014

Go The Power,

Thankyou very much for having a look at my problem. I have carried out your instructions and all seemed to go well. However, I don't see any logfiles added to my thread, but I will look further when I've pasted the log details below. The data did upload, because I watched it on my broadband monitor. I'm also not sure what 'putting CODE tags around the log' means, but I work it out if it doesn't post well.

Here is the text from SFCFix.txt

SFCFix version 2.4.1.0 by niemiro.
Start time: 2014-09-18 20:20:30.478
Using .txt script file at C:\Users\Management\Desktop\SFCFixScript.txt [0]

Collect:: directive completed successfully.

Successfully processed all directives.
SFCFix version 2.4.1.0 by niemiro has completed.
Currently storing 1 datablocks.
Finish time: 2014-09-18 20:24:08.976
----------------------EOF-----------------------

Thankyou, Andrew.

Go The Power · Sep 18, 2014

Thanks Andrew. I got the file.

I should hopefully have a response for you soon.

Alex

Go The Power · Sep 19, 2014

Hi Andrew,

Can you please do another scan with SURT and SFC? Once the scan is done please upload the CBS folder again.

SURT did repair a lot of issues, I just want to see if any more errors occur.

Thanks

Alex

Andy · Sep 20, 2014

Hello Alex,
Sorry for the delay getting back to you. I couldn’t understand exactly what I should be doing, so I’ve been trying to work it out. I think I’ve done what you wanted, probably too much, but I’ll also describe what was confusing me.

You asked me to do another scan with SURT and SFC, then upload the CBS folder again. I looked through what I’d done before and couldn’t see a SURT scan, but I did see it mentioned in the ‘SFCFix log’ and wondered if it had been one of the things you’d asked me to do, but by a different name. I also knew I had done a ‘sfc /scannow’ myself, and wondered if it was this. However, I found a thread you wrote on 30 Aug 2014 describing how to run SURT and I can say that I definitely haven’t done that.

Your SURT thread said the results are in the CheckSUR log, so I had a look at the one from the CBS folder which I posted the other day. I can see the 6498 errors / 6492 fixed, but when I scroll up the log, the date appears to be 2012-09-27. Does that explain why I don’t recognise doing a SURT scan in the last few days, is that result actually from an old scan.

I did once have recurring BSOD with this PC and it turned out to be defective RAM. I need to find the date, but it could easily be 2012. Maybe a SURT was done then. Would it also account for all those errors.

Anyway, I tried to do what you asked, but as I wasn’t totally sure what you meant, I may have done too much. I did SFCFix between each step and attached the SFCFix.txt, so that you could see the results.

a. Ran SFCFix. See attachments SFCFix(3).txt & CBS(3).zip
b. SURT scan (as in your thread of 30 Aug 2014). Result says ‘zero errors detected’.
c. Ran SFCFix. See attachments SFCFix(4).txt & CBS(4).zip
d. Ran ‘sfc /scannow’. Result says ‘windows resource protection did not find any integrity violations’.
e. Ran SFCFix. See attachments SFCFix(6).txt & CBS(6).zip

I have not re-uploaded the Components hive, because I don’t think you asked for that. Just ask if you want it.

Re. the original problem, it is still the same. I notice that 2 updates have tried to install, twice actually (18th & today), and failed. They are both .NET 3.5.1 updates (KB2478662 & KB2446710). I have now hidden them both to see if that changes anything.

View attachment SFCFix(6).txt View attachment SFCFix(3).txt View attachment SFCFix(4).txt

These are only the SFCFix.txt attachments. The CBS.zip attachments will be in the next post below.

I hope I’ve done what you wanted.
Thankyou, Andrew.

Andy · Sep 20, 2014

View attachment 9331 View attachment 9330 View attachment 9329

Go The Power · Sep 20, 2014

Hi Andy,

Sorry I should have been more clear with my instructions. But you did well :)

Now SURT is not detecting anymore issues, SFC is not detecting any more corruptions. But it did fail a few times. with the following errors:

Code:

	Line 46810: 2014-09-20 18:53:47, Error                 CSI    00000007 (F) STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE #155# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectRegistryProvider::SysOpenKey(flg = (AllowAccessDenied), key = {provider=NULL, handle=0}, da = (KEY_SET_VALUE|KEY_WOW64_64KEY), oa = @0xe3ee00->OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES {s:48; rd:NULL; on:[28]"\Registry\Machine\COMPONENTS"; a:(OBJ_CASE_INSENSITIVE)}, disp = Unmapped disposition: 14937504 (0x00e3eda0))[gle=0xd0190005]
	Line 46811: 2014-09-20 18:53:47, Error                 CSI    00000008@2014/9/20:17:53:47.457 (F) d:\win7sp1_gdr\base\wcp\sil\merged\ntu\ntsystem.cpp(3676): Error STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE originated in function Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectRegistryProvider::SysOpenKey expression: (null)
	Line 46815: 2014-09-20 18:53:48, Error                 CSI    00000009 (F) STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE #154# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectRegistryProvider::SysOpenKey(flg = 0, key = {provider=NULL, handle=0}, da = (KEY_SET_VALUE|KEY_WOW64_64KEY), oa = @0xe3ee00->OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES {s:48; rd:NULL; on:[28]"\Registry\Machine\COMPONENTS"; a:(OBJ_CASE_INSENSITIVE)}, disp = Unmapped disposition: 14937976 (0x00e3ef78))[gle=0xd0190005]
	Line 46816: 2014-09-20 18:53:48, Error                 CSI    0000000a@2014/9/20:17:53:48.533 (F) d:\win7sp1_gdr\base\wcp\sil\merged\ntu\ntsystem.cpp(3676): Error STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE originated in function Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::DirectRegistryProvider::SysOpenKey expression: (null)
	Line 46820: 2014-09-20 18:53:48, Error                 CSI    0000000b (F) STATUS_RM_NOT_ACTIVE #153# from Windows::Rtl::SystemImplementation::CSystemIsolationLayer_IRtlSystemIsolationLayerTearoff::OpenRegistryKey(flags = (OpenForBackupIntent), da = (KEY_SET_VALUE), kn = [ml:58{29},l:56{28}]"\Registry\Machine\COMPONENTS", key = NULL, disp = (null))[gle=0xd0190005]

This error can be a bit of a hit and miss to repair, we might have to try a few things before getting this working again.

Click on Start -> in the search field type in Services.msc -> Right click and choose Run as Administrator -> go down until you see Windows Modules Installer -> Double

Double click on the service.
If the server is Stopped please click on Start
Set the startup type to Automatic
Restart the computer and try and update again

If it fails please continue.

First, 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

Try windows update again, if it fails please continue.

Please go navigate to C:\Windows\winsxs and copy any files with a similar name to pending.xml (e.g. pending.xml, pending.xml.bad, pending.xml_dfsadf78 etc.) to your folder on the Desktop [there may not be any, just if there are].

Also, this will take a little time but if your up for it I would like to have you do a few extra things to see if we can find the cause of this error for future users that come along.

Please go Here and download Process Monitor -> Save the file to your desktop.

Double click on Process Monitor -> Press Yes on the UAC -> you should now have a Filter box appeared -> Select Process Name in the first box -> Is in the second -> and msiexec.exe in the last -> press Ok

Now click on File -> Capture Events (make sure this is ticked)

Run sfc /scannow once SFC has finished please continue.

Click on File -> Save -> save the file to your desktop.

Now go to your desktop and you should see a file called Logfile.pml -> please but it in a Zip file -> and upload it for me to have a read. As the file is going to be quite big please use Dropbox or ge.tt.

Andy · Sep 24, 2014

Alex,
Thankyou for your last instructions. We have success, the ‘restart to finish installing updates’ went and I was presented with a list of new updates, which I installed. I will go through the details below, for your info and anybody else who’s following. I’ll put a few questions at the end.

1. The ‘Windows Modules Installer’ did start ok, but setting it to ‘auto’, then restarting, did not solve the problem.

2. Running your various commands at the ‘Elevated Command Prompt’ did solve it. Initially after running your commands and then looking for updates via Windows Update, it wasn’t resolved. But following a restart, it was resolved.
Initially I pasted all of the commands into the command prompt, but it only ran some of the commands. I guessed I had to paste them in, one line at a time, which I did and it worked. Here’s a couple of tries, fyi, (these aren’t the initial ‘block pasting’, they are actually ‘3 blocks’ followed by ‘line by line’);
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil resource setautoreset true %SystemDrive%\
The operation completed successfully.
C:\Windows\system32>
C:\Windows\system32>attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*
C:\Windows\System32\Config\TxR\*, Are you sure (Y/N)? y
C:\Windows\system32>attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.tm*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.blf
Could Not Find C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.blf
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.regtrans-ms
Could Not Find C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.regtrans-ms
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
C:\Windows\system32>fsutil resource setautoreset true %SystemDrive%\
The operation completed successfully.
C:\Windows\system32>attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*
File not found - C:\Windows\System32\Config\TxR\*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\Config\TxR\*
C:\Windows\System32\Config\TxR\*, Are you sure (Y/N)? y
C:\Windows\system32>attrib -r -s -h %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.tm*
Could Not Find C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.tm*
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.blf
Could Not Find C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.blf
C:\Windows\system32>del %SystemRoot%\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.regtrans-ms
Could Not Find C:\Windows\System32\SMI\Store\Machine\*.regtrans-ms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. When I ran windows update (after my para2 above) it first asked to install an update for windows update itself. Only after that did it present a list of 19 updates.

4. I installed them in small batches, in date of issue order, and only when all the ‘win7 updates’ were done, did I do the .NET 3.5.1 ones. Everything went ok first time.

5. In one of my earlier posts, I wrote; “I notice that 2 updates have tried to install, twice actually (18th & today), and failed. They are both .NET 3.5.1 updates (KB2478662 & KB2446710). I have now hidden them both to see if that changes anything”.
These two updates were not re-presented in all of these new updates, after the fix. That seemed funny, if they were outstanding updates.
I googled them and they were both from 2011. I checked my update history and they are not listed as having already been installed, in the past, and as I said, they are not being re-presented now as outstanding updates.
However, I also found people posting back in 2012 & 2013, saying that these two updates were ‘stuck’ and that windows update kept asking for a restart to finish installing, but never finished, ie. exactly my problem. Also, that once they had resolved it, these updates were never re-presented., again same as me.
So, I wonder, is it these two updates which caused my problem. Also, why did they appear now, in my ‘Sept update’, if they were from back in 2011.
What do you think?

6. Alex, you asked at the end if I would install and run Process Monitor, then run scannow, which would help identify the problem for future users. Do you still want this, I’m asking in case the fact that my update seems to be fixed, is there still anything useful to collect or has all the useful ‘fault info’ now been ‘corrected’.
If you still want it done, I am happy to do it, as you said, to help the forum. But I do need to ask if there is any risk to my ‘now fixed’ PC by doing the steps. I don't have 'dropbox', but I could find out about this. Please let me know.

Thankyou very much for all your help. You are definitely very patient and well organised. And the various standard info gathering processes which you / the forum ask us to do to give you info, are great.
If I can help you, please let me know. Andrew.

Go The Power · Sep 25, 2014

That's good news about the updates are working :)

The uodates could have been a prerequisite for the correct updates you were trying to install.

Thanks for offering, but I don't need that scan if the above fix worked, the above fix can be a bit of a hit or miss.

Thanks

Alex

Search

Search

Continuous 'Restart to finish install important updates'

Andy

Member

Andy

Member

Go The Power

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert, Contributor

Andy

Member

Go The Power

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert, Contributor

Go The Power

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert, Contributor

Andy

Member

Andy

Member

Go The Power

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert, Contributor

Andy

Member

Go The Power

Senior Administrator, Windows Update Expert, Contributor