Windows 10 Cumulative Update Failed

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I’ve been getting “Windows 10 Cumulative Update Failed” for about a week. There’s the usual popup notification that an update is ready and the computer will restart sometime later, or Restart Now. Whichever option I choose the laptop restarts (with the usual getting-ready-so-don’t-turn-it-off message). After hanging for some seconds on that message it reboots fairly quickly to the desktop, and soon a popup message says the Update failed. When I click for more information the attached screen appears. How can I overcome this, please?

The laptop:

ACER E5-575G / Intel Core i-5 6200 @ 2.4GHz / 8GB RAM / Widows 10 Home v.1803 OS Build 17134.766 / Last update 05-23-2019

 

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Try running Windows Update Troubleshooter.

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PKCano wrote:

Try running Windows Update Troubleshooter.

Ran Windows Update Troubleshooter. It checked, found, and fixed three issues (green checkmarks for all three). Ran Windows Update, but got the same result as before (see attached image on my earlier post above). Soooo, what’s next??

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The May CU for 1803 was KB4499167 giving Build 17134.765.
I see you have Build 17134.766 – did you download and manually install KB4505064 (to fix the gov.uk issue)?
If so, did you also install the new Servicing Stack KB4497398?

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PKCano wrote:

The May CU for 1803 was KB4499167 giving Build 17134.765.
I see you have Build 17134.766 – did you download and manually install KB4505064 (to fix the gov.uk issue)?
If so, did you also install the new Servicing Stack KB4497398?

The first two updates you mention were installed automatically by Windows Update.

Going back as far as the beginning of this year I don’t see Servicing Stack KB4497398. See attached screenshots.

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The SSU is not listed there.
In the search bar type “view installed updates” (without quotes)
It will be listed there if it’s installed.

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PKCano wrote:

The SSU is not listed there.
In the search bar type “view installed updates” (without quotes)
It will be listed there if it’s installed.

The Settings window for Windows Update does not offer View Installed Updates on my laptop. Opened Control Panel and searched there for “update”. A list appeared and I selected  ” View Installed Updates”. According to the list it’s already installed.

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OK, lets try easy first. Maybe you have a corrupt update.

Type “Services.msc” (without quotes) in the search box
In Services in the right panel, scroll down and highlight Windows Update Service
At the top left, click on “Stop”

In File Explorer:
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Delete the files and folders under Download that have a 2019 date
Reboot your computer.
Do not check for updates, wait until it notifies you again (probably within 24 hours)
Hopefully this will give you the downloaded CU for 1803, not v1903.

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PKCano wrote:

OK, lets try easy first. Maybe you have a corrupt update.

Type “Services.msc” (without quotes) in the search box
In Services in the right panel, scroll down and highlight Windows Update Service
At the top left, click on “Stop”

In File Explorer:
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Delete the files and folders under Download that have a 2019 date
Reboot your computer.
Do not check for updates, wait until it notifies you again (probably within 24 hours)
Hopefully this will give you the downloaded CU for 1803, not v1903.

There’s no “Windows Update Service”. There are two options in the Services list: Windows Update and Windows Update Medic Service. I stopped Windows Update. Then went to  C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and deleted all 2019 downloads.

Will now wait, say, 36 hours, and see what happens. Will report back here after that.

Rebooting now ….

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PKCano wrote:

OK, lets try easy first. Maybe you have a corrupt update.

Type “Services.msc” (without quotes) in the search box
In Services in the right panel, scroll down and highlight Windows Update Service
At the top left, click on “Stop”

In File Explorer:
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
Delete the files and folders under Download that have a 2019 date
Reboot your computer.
Do not check for updates, wait until it notifies you again (probably within 24 hours)
Hopefully this will give you the downloaded CU for 1803, not v1903.

Update failed again. “More details” screen reads as before except with today’s date.

Cumulative Update KB4503286 failed.

Any other steps to try?

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Before you start: Disable Windows Defender and any other AV/malware s/w you have running.

OK, next attempt. There are two articles you may want to read here and here that describe what we do next. It is going to involve using an elevated command prompt.

In the search bar type “cmd.exe” (without quotes). RIGHT CLICK on the icon and choose “Run as Administrator.”
+ At the prompt, type “chkdisk /f” (without quotes). When it asks you if you want to run it when the computer boots, answer yes. Close the command window and reboot your computer. Make a not of what it finds.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete, and open the elevated command prompt again. Type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter. Make a note of what it finds (repairs, cannot repair). Close the command prompt and reboot your computer.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete, and open the elevated command prompt again. There three commands, enter them in sequence, allowing each to run before entering the next one.
1. dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
2. dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
3. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Close the command prompt and reboot your computer.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete. try to install the update again.

 

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PKCano wrote:

Before you start: Disable Windows Defender and any other AV/malware s/w you have running.

OK, next attempt. There are two articles you may want to read here and here that describe what we do next. It is going to involve using an elevated command prompt.

In the search bar type “cmd.exe” (without quotes). RIGHT CLICK on the icon and choose “Run as Administrator.”
+ At the prompt, type “chkdisk /f” (without quotes). When it asks you if you want to run it when the computer boots, answer yes. Close the command window and reboot your computer. Make a not of what it finds.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete, and open the elevated command prompt again. Type “sfc /scannow” and hit Enter. Make a note of what it finds (repairs, cannot repair). Close the command prompt and reboot your computer.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete, and open the elevated command prompt again. There three commands, enter them in sequence, allowing each to run before entering the next one.
1. dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
2. dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
3. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Close the command prompt and reboot your computer.
+ After the reboot, login, wait until the bootup is complete. try to install the update again.

 

Ran chkdisk /f (for C: drive), and sfc /scannow. Some corrupt files were repaired.

Ran the command line instructions, and they executed OK.

1. dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth
2. dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth
3. dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Unfortunately, the update failed again today:

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Please have a recent backup of your User data and an image of your computer.
OK, next up. If this doesn’t work we’re going to have to call in the experts.

What this procedure is going to do is clean out the datastore.
What will happen: It will erase your update history. If you have hidden any updates with wushowhide, they will probably no longer be hidden, so make a list before you start. You may have to hide them again.
What won’t happen: It will not uninstall any updates. It will not erase the “Installed Updates” list.

1. Close any open programs. Disable your AV/anti-malware programs.
2. Type “services.msc” in the search box and open Services – stop Windows Update, stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, stop the Cryptographic Services (highlight the Service, click on the “stop” link upper left). Leave the Services window open.
3. Go to C:\Windows – Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution.bak
If it tells you that you don’t have permission, type “explorer.exe” in the search box, right click and “Run as Administrator. Try again to rename the folder.
4. Reboot your computer
5. If you had any hidden updates, immediately run wushowhide and re-hide them. You may have to clear the Windows Update cache afterward. See AKB2000013 before you start.

Do not check for updates, wait until it notifies you again (probably within 24 hours)
Hopefully this will give you the downloaded CU for 1803, not v1903 (you have an image just in case, right?).
Turn off your AV/malware programs, try to install the update again.

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PKCano wrote:

Please have a recent backup of your User data and an image of your computer.
OK, next up. If this doesn’t work we’re going to have to call in the experts.

What this procedure is going to do is clean out the datastore.
What will happen: It will erase your update history. If you have hidden any updates with wushowhide, they will probably no longer be hidden, so make a list before you start. You may have to hide them again.
What won’t happen: It will not uninstall any updates. It will not erase the “Installed Updates” list.

1. Close any open programs. Disable your AV/anti-malware programs.
2. Type “services.msc” in the search box and open Services – stop Windows Update, stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, stop the Cryptographic Services (highlight the Service, click on the “stop” link upper left). Leave the Services window open.
3. Go to C:\Windows – Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution.bak
If it tells you that you don’t have permission, type “explorer.exe” in the search box, right click and “Run as Administrator. Try again to rename the folder.
4. Reboot your computer
5. If you had any hidden updates, immediately run wushowhide and re-hide them. You may have to clear the Windows Update cache afterward. See AKB2000013 before you start.

Do not check for updates, wait until it notifies you again (probably within 24 hours)
Hopefully this will give you the downloaded CU for 1803, not v1903 (you have an image just in case, right?).
Turn off your AV/malware programs, try to install the update again.

Update failed yet again. Stopped the services as you advised, and renamed the software dist. folder to .bak. (Anti-virus disabled).

One thing different this time. Hours after the stopping/renaming steps I was ready to shutdown. This time the options to Update and Shutdown or Update and Restart appeared. Chose Update and Shutdown. Later, after booting up, the Update Failed message appeared yet again. How tedious!

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[PKCano]

OK, the only thing we haven’t tried now, is installing the Preview patch. There was a post yesterday suggesting that installing the next later patch had worked for some (forget which thread is was in, probably the DEFCON one).

If you feel brave, download and try to manually install KB4509478 (June 26th CU Preview).
Or wait for the July CU on Tuesday.

Correction – June 26 (not May)

• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by PKCano.

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PKCano wrote:

If you feel brave, download and try to manually install KB4509478 (May 26th CU Preview).
Or wait for the July CU on Tuesday.

this now dated 6/26 , I am guessing a newer version?

🍻

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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PKCano

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Think I’ll wait for the July patch/update. If that also fails then it’s clean install time!

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[rc primak]

Check out this post from Born City (Gunter Born):
https://borncity.com/win/2018/04/03/windows-10-update-error-0x80070157/

This applies to cases where the failed update error code is something similar to your code Error 0x80070157.

There is a fair chance that either a driver associated with third party antivirus, or else an OEM driver may be at the root of this type of error.

It may not be enough to suspend or disable third party antivirus in these cases. The program might have to be removed in Windows Safe Mode using the removal tool from the AV vendor. The third party AV program can later be reinstalled if you still trust it. (I wouldn’t trust any AV program which has interfered with Windows Updates.)

Updating your drivers might also be a good idea in cases like this. Check the Windows Device Manager to see if any yellow triangles with exclamation points are present. Those drivers definitely should be updated from your PC vendor’s site. (Not from third party sites, not from Microsoft Update, and not from the individual hardware component’s manufacturer’s site.)

See also:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-update-winpc/windows-10-kb4041676-error-0x80070157-stuck-in/5e28664b-9985-4434-aa0c-67fa0235e0f6

Another option is to use Disk Cleanup (Storage Sense) and clean System Files, especially the ones related to Windows Update and Driver Installation Files.

What the Preview Patch may be doing is to give you a corrected CU which contains a fixed version of the failed previous (current) monthly CU patch.

-- rc primak

• This reply was modified 5 years, 10 months ago by rc primak.

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The problem with asking the experts if you aren’t one yourself is that the answers tend to violate the KISS principle bigly.

My last fail message on July 5 has “(58)” at the end, which I assume is the number of tries. I finally broke down and risked getting June’s ~3286 update (after defcon 4) by downloading the .msu file from Microsoft and double-clicking it as instructed by this site:

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-download-and-install-windows-10-cumulative-updates-manually

Much easier than manually cleaning out all the various system files! I hope it works for you too.

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Forgot to check the notify box.

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Are you sure the hard drive is in good shape?  I use CrytalDiskInfo free tool to check the health of a hard drive, and/or pull the drive and use Volitans SMART Utility on my Mac to verify I’m not fighting a failing hard drive.  About 1/2 of the laptops/desktops that cross my bench with “won’t boot” or “won’t update” have failing drives and the most recent update triggered the symptoms most likely by trying to use the previously undetected failing sectors.  You can follow the “my Windows won’t update” rabbit hole for a looooooong time before realizing you’ve got a failing drive.  I’m not sure those command prompt instructions would give you a result that indicates a failing drive, and I know the dirty bit set chkdsk/f on reboot flashes “bad sectors detected” too fast for you to see it.  Windows doesn’t give any notification on a failing SMART self test afaik.

Hey look! Another Feature Update!

You mean I shouldn't click Check for Updates?

Where is the Any key?

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cptomes wrote:

Are you sure the hard drive is in good shape?  I use CrytalDiskInfo free tool to check the health of a hard drive, and/or pull the drive and use Volitans SMART Utility on my Mac to verify I’m not fighting a failing hard drive.  About 1/2 of the laptops/desktops that cross my bench with “won’t boot” or “won’t update” have failing drives and the most recent update triggered the symptoms most likely by trying to use the previously undetected failing sectors.  You can follow the “my Windows won’t update” rabbit hole for a looooooong time before realizing you’ve got a failing drive.  I’m not sure those command prompt instructions would give you a result that indicates a failing drive, and I know the dirty bit set chkdsk/f on reboot flashes “bad sectors detected” too fast for you to see it.  Windows doesn’t give any notification on a failing SMART self test afaik.

Apparently, my hard drive is in good shape:

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ok, worth checking.

sometimes the fastest and least painful path is zpe and reinstall Windows. if you have the cumulative updates and the most recent ssu downloaded already it’s less than a 2 hour process for me after the zpe.  I COULD go full paranoid and only install the individual updates as recommended but ime if the cumulative updates are more than 15 days old it’s much faster to just do them.  you DO have all the 3rd party app installers and license codes on hand yes?

Hey look! Another Feature Update!

You mean I shouldn't click Check for Updates?

Where is the Any key?

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cptomes wrote:

zpe

Your post raises serious questions:

1. Does one require a quantum computer to accurately measure the ZPE of my current system?

2. Will a USB connection be sufficient for ZPE measurement?

3. Should one wear a blindfold during said measurement so that an accidental glance won’t change the measurement value?

4. Is ZPE measured in ergs or dynes?

5. Are “cumulative updates” the chores my GF gives me when I come home from playing a poker tournament?

6. Is it true that 9 out of 10 Colorado and Washington PC owners responded that 3rd party app installers and license codes are more fun after smoking cannabis?

7. Are you, as a designated “Ask Woody Plus-er” who admits to being “abused by M$ since MS-DOS 3“, foolishly tempted to answer these questions?

In anticipation of your considered reply I remain

Yours for user-friendly computers,

(signed) Confused in Tunbridge Wells

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wavy

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Please consider following PKCano’s advice: download the 896Mb KB4509478 cumulative update from Microsoft Catalog and try to install it.

Earlier this month I had similar issues attempting to update a v1709 system with KB4503284 (the update was not failing, it simply didn’t install at all: instead, it displayed a rather unusual, unexpected and puzzling “not applicable to your computer” error message).

So I took the opportunity and upgraded the system to v1803. I was planning to update it with KB4503286 (June 11, build 17134.829) too but, after reading this thread and the list of issues and fixes on Microsoft’s website, I ended up installing KB4509478 (June 26, build 17134.860).

All went well, it worked for me. Might work for you, also. 😉

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First, thanks to all who have taken the time to offer advice. Much appreciated.

After running Disk Cleanup/System Files and updating Nvidia graphics drivers my laptop went a full 24 hours without Windows trying to install that update KB4503286.

Also, the suggestion to run chkdisk and sfc /scannow resulted in some corrupt system files being repaired, although that didn’t stop the sequence of failed updates.

One earlier post in this thread suggested that the next patch Tuesday (today, in fact!) might be worth waiting for. Now, since the laptop got through a full day without the failed update, I’m hoping today or tomorrow might bring a successful monthly update.

I’ll report back in a day or two with results ….

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Oh, darn – update failed again! Swear I’m totally fed up with that.

So, i followed a link to download Win 10 and installed it. It unexpectedly did not require me to create anything on a USB flash drive or a DVD. It installed and only then did i notice it was version 1607. At least, i think that’s what it said. Didn’t document every step.

Anyway, after noticing that it was an earlier version of Win 10, i did “Check for Updates”. Went to bed while it was still downloading updates, leaving the laptop on (and crossing my fingers). This morning it seems Win 10 v. 1809 is now installed.

I sincerely hope this resolves the daily update-failed-again event! Here’s a screenshot:

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