W7 x64 Ultimate SP1 -- Update Error Code 80071A90

Discussion in 'Windows 7' started by MDL0, Aug 25, 2012.

  1. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    #1 MDL0, Aug 25, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2012
    I have been using auto update with no problems until mid-August: suddenly appears "Error Code 80071A90," accompanied by repeated efforts to reinstall the same 9 updates, always failing to configure, always in consequence reverting changes, and each attempt requiring 3 restarts.

    various pundits have posted their solutions -- the most common proffered solution being to install the updates separately in reverse chronological order (the oldest-released update should be installed first, then install the next-oldest, ..) -- but none of the solutions have stood the test of time, and none carry MS's imprimatur; and MS does not offer a solution, even though i have found posts complaining of these exact symptoms dating to at least Aug. 2009.

    I estimate that by invoking MS's various quasi-solutions, and invoking those offered by the pundits, my computer restarted at least 20 times. Before I attempt more pundit solutions -- and embark on another marathon of restarts -- I solicit the thoughts of the Great Minds of MDL.
     
  2. stoppen

    stoppen MDL Junior Member

    Jun 10, 2012
    96
    21
    0
    #2 stoppen, Aug 25, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2012
    Hi MDLO, I had this thing happen to me years ago with winxp. And; Let's see if it still works.

    1. Go to the folder options, view tab move down to the show hidden files and folders and put a tick in it.
    2. Now go to control panel to Adminstrative Tools, Computer Management, Services and Applications and open it, Now click Services, go down to the Windows Update Service and click on it. In the panel to the left you will see stop the service click on that. Now minamize.
    3. Open windows explorer go to Windows, Software Distribution highlight the folder and right click go down to properties and open at the bottom take the tick out of the read only. close the folder properties.
    4. Go back and right click the Software Distrobution folder and click rename. Rename it Software Distribution.old. Now you can close Windows Explorer.
    5. Reopen Computer Managment and restart the Windows Update Service.
    6. Close all windows and Reboot.

    Now try the Windows Update. It should work. I can't garentee that this will work but if the Software Distribution folder even gets the slightest corruption the service fails. Sometimes all it takes is a system restore to corrupt the file.

    Hope it works for you.
     
  3. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    i had already tried this -- even though it was designed for a different problem.


    it did not resolve my problem.
     
  4. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    i've tried MS's Mr Fixit in both normal and "aggressive" mode -- as did many other users: all users report that Mr. Fixit accomplished nothing.

    i would like to post a full delineation of my travails, but this would require that i include url links in my post -- MDL's policy is to disallow such links by members with a post count of less than twenty.

    (btw, do you know why MDL might disallow the posting of links by members with a minimum post count?)

    two recurring strategies for resolving this 80071A90 Error Code issue: install the updates in the chronological order that MS distributed them; the other strategy being to first install the update with the largest size. both strategies have been reported to work and to not work .... your thoughts are solicited.

    I estimate that my attempts have resulted in at least twenty restarts because each attempt requires three restarts: once to configure the installed updates -- and to be apprised that the installation failed and that the changes will be reverted; once to configure the reverted changes; and a third time for a normal reboot.

    although i have traced this problem as far back as June 2008, MS has no resolution!!

    so, before i attempt another marathon round of restarts, i seek your thoughts -- my guess is that these restarts are detrimental to my hardware.
     
  5. urie

    urie Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 21, 2007
    9,039
    3,388
    300
    it is to try and stop Spammers and we notice if some one starts to post useless posts to get post count up so they can post links and spam the board.
     
  6. PhaseDoubt

    PhaseDoubt MDL Expert

    Dec 24, 2011
    1,443
    275
    60
    #6 PhaseDoubt, Aug 26, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 26, 2012
    I believe at this point, if this were my problem, I'd have already left the corrective action pundits and gurus behind and just restored one of my system images. Having no image(s), wiped the drive and reinstalled Windows. There comes a point when you're just spinning your wheels and need to move on. But then I've restored images and installed some version of Windows OS so many times it's just another minor distraction.
     
  7. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    pardon this noob question: what is the relation between spamming and posts containing url links?
     
  8. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    #8 MDL0, Aug 28, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2012
    (OP)
    @acrsn: thanks for your attention to this.

    sfc /scannow did indeed locate and repair corrupted files but the problem remains. (amazingly, W7 will not allow me, the Administrator, to open the sfc's CBS log -- "access denied")

    I have used MS 's Mr. Fixit in both normal and 'aggressive' mode, and I have used 'clean boot' and 'safe mode' -- these three being MS's only official solutions -- and I have used almost all of the other solutions that the sundry pundits have suggested -- they have all failed.

    there are just a few suggestions that I have not tried yet -- but at a cost of 3 restarts with each trial, I will not continue with these shots in the dark.

    one of the pundit suggestions is to install updates one at a time, in the chronological order that MS promulgated them: the first of the 8 was issued on 12 March 2012 (something about a "Rollup for printing core components" .. I have no idea what this means .. it weighs 1.65MB); the next oldest being 10 August 2012 (an important W7 IE9 hijack-exploit security issue .. weighing in at a hefty 22.9MB - the heaviest of the 8); the remaining 6 were promulgated 13 August 2012 (some of these 6 elude me: one has to do with a hibernation issue when using bluetooth devices (I don't use bluetooth devices); another is for "SEGOE UI Symbol font" (if anyone wants to educate MDL members on this ...)

    another pundit suggestion is to install the heaviest one first (the 22.9MB hijack-exploit noted above), followed the next heaviest, ...

    some users report that the chronological-order strategy works; and some users report that it does not. some users report that the heaviest-first strategy works; and some users report that it does not.


    does anyone have thoughts on these strategies?



    ...and I am sure that virus and malware is not a concern. in fact, I will disable both avast and mbam before I try again.
     
  9. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    #9 MDL0, Aug 28, 2012
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2012
    (OP)
    I resolved the problem:

    firstly, I dossier'd all 8 updates: four were "important" security hijack-relateds, and the remaining 4 were "recommended," relating to matters that appear to have no concern to me. I also recorded their weight -- the heaviest, 22.5MB, being one of the 4 security's -- and I also recorded the dates that MS publshed them.

    I then ran sfc /scannow as a precaution; sfc repaired several corrupted system files (but I, the Administrator, was not permitted to view the CBS log -- "access denied")

    thirdly, I turned off the antivirus and antimalware, as an extra precaution.

    next, I chose to install only the 4 "important" security's -- ignoring the remaining 4 "recommended" 's. Of these 4 security's, one had an earlier publication date than the other 3 so I installed that one first -- BINGO!

    then I installed the remaining 3 security's -- all having the same publication date -- BINGO!!

    All's well that ends well ! (?) .. notwithstanding that I needed at least 25 restarts.

    I can't take credit for this because it is a distillation of what I extracted from scouring the web.
     
  10. PhaseDoubt

    PhaseDoubt MDL Expert

    Dec 24, 2011
    1,443
    275
    60
    Yep, incremented manual install is a good approach. My problem on the one machine I had with your problem is once it started happening it kept happening somewhat sporadically. I took a lesson from that and wiped and reinstalled 7. That was about one year ago and ever since the reinstall that machine has been back in the "update as usual" fold.
     
  11. MDL0

    MDL0 MDL Novice

    May 30, 2012
    15
    1
    0
    @PhaseDoubt:

    As I recall, your Draconian solution was to reinstall W7, which is like treating a hangnail by amputating the foot!

    the strategy that I used saved enormous grief and work versus a W7 reinstall.
     
  12. PhaseDoubt

    PhaseDoubt MDL Expert

    Dec 24, 2011
    1,443
    275
    60
    I prefer to call it the sledge hammer approach, but I may adopt your draconian solution phraseology. :cool: