I do not know when or how this problem began however I suspect it's a few months old.
On an ancient Asus-based 64-bit Windows 8.1 Pro machine, I can go to the Store and pick an app, click on "Install", and all goes as it should - the app is downloaded and successfully installed.
However, checking out various log files (such as WindowsUpdate.log and CBS.log and ReportingEvents.log in the SoftwareDistribution folder) I see that a number of Store Apps have had "updates" downloaded automatically but they are never installed. Here's a typical snippet of WindowsUpdate.log showing the last stage of the successful download of a number of Store App updates followed by an entry saying there are no approved updates to install:
Code:
...2015-09-07 13:26:13:565 1004 914 AU Currently AUX is enabled - so not show any WU Upgrade notifications.
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU User login event timer expired for session id: 1.
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU Update {A00BC204-63A0-4C07-9E75-747C71E9DCB6}.1 was auto-approved for forced install
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU Update {5CFABD1B-2981-47DA-81D8-4ED43C1BF7FA}.1 was auto-approved for forced install...
...2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU Update {A1D537F3-2013-4FE1-80B3-2053338EFFC2}.1 was auto-approved for forced install
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU #############
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU ## START ## AU: Install updates
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU #########
2015-09-07 13:33:09:937 1004 80c AU # Initiating scheduled install
2015-09-07 13:33:09:968 1004 80c AU WARNING: There are no approved updates to install
2015-09-07 13:33:09:968 1004 80c AU # Exit code = 0x8024000C
2015-09-07 13:33:09:968 1004 80c AU #########...
Prior to this snippet there were hundreds of lines showing the setting up of and the download process itself (set up, BITS stuff, download completion stuff, etc). The curly-brace ('{') enclosed values represent each Store app that has been downloaded - here's a typical entry in WindowsUpdate.log about those app "updates" that is human-readable:
Code:
...2015-09-07 13:07:36:410 1016 1350 Report REPORT EVENT: {866057DA-C5DF-4197-8713-1799828FA008} 2015-09-07 13:07:31:410-0400 1 189 [AU_NONDEADLINE_INSTALL_READY] 102 {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000} 0 0 AutomaticUpdates Success Content Install Installation Ready: The following updates are downloaded and ready for installation: - Microsoft.BingWeather - Microsoft.Office.OneNote - Microsoft.WindowsCalculator - Microsoft.BingSports - Microsoft.BingFoodAndDrink - Microsoft.ZuneVideo - Microsoft.BingNews - Microsoft.ZuneMusic - Microsoft.ZuneMusic - Microsoft.SkypeApp - Microsoft.BingTravel - Microsoft.BingHealthAndFitness - Microsoft.BingMaps - Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder - Microsoft.HelpAndTips - Microsoft.WindowsAlarms - Microsoft.WindowsScan - Microsoft.ZuneMusic - Microsoft.XboxLIVEGames - Microsoft.WindowsReadingList - Microsoft.BingFinance - Microsoft.ZuneVideo - Microsoft.Office.OneNote - microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps - Microsoft.ZuneVideo - Microsoft.ZuneMusic...
(the repetition of items may be a clue to the solution of the problem)
This is consistent - I can delete files under various C:\Windows folders and the whole process will kick off again with the same result.
Important note - This is a problem with Windows
Store App updates only; regular Windows Update updates work fine, new Store App installs work fine, etc.
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Okay, that's the problem - a bunch of apparent updates for Store Apps never get installed though they are downloaded successfully.
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I have tried many different things to address this problem. SFC and DISM report no problems. Update Troubleshooter reports no problems. Removing/clearing various folders result in nothing other than repetition of successful download and noninstall (that is NOT a "failed install" - it is simply a "never install"). In pursuit of resolution I even did a "repair install" On the OS from an ISO file downlaoded from uSoft via the Media Creation Tool - this had NO effect on the problem suggesting that whatever the OS install did
missed the cause of the problem. I have twiddled some appropriate registry values and set ownership and permissions there-in, including removing user-IDed entries that reflect that user's installed apps. These manipulations have succeeded in removing the 'x' on the icons in the Start display and returned full functionality of all installed and can-be-installed apps on the Start display and on the Start display's extended-view (clicking on lower left arrow to display extended list of apps).
Nothing has caused these downloaded apparent updates to install.
Everything appears to be working otherwise - the Store works, nonStore updates/installs work, etc.
Only these apparent downloaded updates for Store Apps do not get installed.
I
could simply ignore this - there is no known problem caused by these apparent updates just sitting there uninstalled other than they actually may be REAL updates that should be installed and, if I decided to "try again", the same updates get downloaded and not installed, causing hundreds of megabytes of useless download/data use that my ISP eventually will complain about.
I haven't seen anything like this problem online - there are plenty of "updates don't install" but all are either regular Windows Updates or are of the form "won't download and install" which certainly is NOT this problem (see the snippet above).
