Windows update roadblock [Solved - Yay!]

[AndyB]

has anyone else run into a Windows update roadblock trying to install 8.1? I've just reinstalled on a RAID 0 array, so far its taken me the best part of 10 hours to install the 160+ updates to get me to this point but i'm running out of options, I've tried the Windows Update Diagnostic tool repeatedly to no avail and also stopped both BITS and windows update to delete the content of the software distribution folder. hopefully that will work and 8.1 will install, but if it doesn't i'm stuck.

anyone any idea's that don't involve dumping the raid and plugging my old drive back in?

see the last post for the link, you need to download an iso of 8.1 for your version of windows (home/pro/etc.) and install it over the top of 8

[AndyB]

as expected, it failed - suggestions on what to do next welcome

[Pembroke]

I have no idea, I ended up skipping to 10 because I ran in to the same problem... I wish I could provide more advice

[AndyB]

I have no idea, I ended up skipping to 10 because I ran in to the same problem... I wish I could provide more advice

I've still got a few idea's, as i said i still have the original drive so next is plugging that one back in to use as a repair source

[DangerousJim]

I had to do fresh installs of Windows 7 on some work PC's very recently (no RAID, standard single HDD). Windows update took over 2 days to complete and would only finish after shutting down and upgrading the memory from 2Gb to 4Gb. I had done several Win 7 installs last year on similar hardware and Windows update at worst took 4 hours. I've had little to with Windows 8 and gone straight to 10 but found this link that may be worth a look.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/kb/2700567

[thebs]

Blame Microsoft.

1) Starting with Vista, they no longer maintain "Updates" so it's easier to re-install several years later. Only one (1) Update, and they stop once the next version comes out. That is just inexcusable, and makes it more and more difficult for us Windows Professionals to maintain Windows.

2) Windows Update is the most utterly I/O inefficient process. It literally writes to blocks 200x over actual update size. E.g., I had merely 1.2GiB of updates, and Samsung Magician verified it "ate" a quarter-Terabyte of drive "lifespan"!

But as much as Windows Update "wears out" NAND storage devices, it's just too freak'n slow for platters. Hence why I build every new system with ...

127GiB (or 255GiB) C: Drive** - on a cheap, $50-60 240GB (or $100-120 480GB) NAND device, leave extra for undercommit

1TiB+ D: Drive(s) - where I put all applications, including Steam's default "library folder," ideally two (2) drives in RAID-1 for redundancy (or more for RAID-10, 5 or even 6)

I backup the C: drive, either use Windows backup, or (I often dual-boot) Linux and just "dd" the 127GiB (or 255GiB) for an exact backup copy (of which it's easier to boot Linux and restore).

I also install "I/O heavy" games (e.g., Fallout 4), or games I play a lot (e.g., Elite), in a 2nd Steam "library folder" called C:/SteamSSD. It then becomes another pull-down target for whenever a new game is installed.

BTW, I've reached the point I only install Windows 7 or go Windows 10. I refuse to deal with Windows 8/8.1 after many issues. Despite common assumptions, Windows 7 x64 installs just fine on uEFI-only firmware systems with native 64-bit Storage Services** (no CSM required for BIOS emulation), although I recommend generating the native GPT disk label USB device for uEFI installation with Rufus.

But yes, if you install Windows 7, expect to be updating for a better part of the day. OEMs and Corporations avoid this by either cloning or "slipstreaming" in drivers, updates, etc... although they've changed the name, and procedure, of "slipstreaming" after XP. In fact, it's getting pretty ludicrous how much Microsoft keeps changing things, when other OS vendors have no problem keeping updates, automated installers, etc... the same for 15+ years.

But then again, that's what happens when you have a company outsource their development. They don't sustain things well.

-- CMDR TheBS

** P.S. I use the following GUID Partition Table (GPT) layout. Omit Linux partitions as you see fit, I recommend you "undercommit" the device for NAND SSD longevity.

1-384MiB (383MiB) type EF00h (efi esp) - FAT32 EFI System Partition (must be at least 260MiB for 4KiB logical sector size)

384-512MiB (128MiB) type 0C01h (msftres) - Microsoft Reserved Partition (for meta-information, so it doesn't use hidden sectors)

512-768MiB (256MiB) type 8300h (extfs) - Ext4 Reserved /boot #1 (typically my Fedora/RHEL)

768MiB-1GiB (256MiB) type 8300h (extfs) - Ext4 Reserved /boot #2 (typically my Ubuntu LTS)

1-128GiB (127GiB) type 0700h (ntfs) - NTFS Windows C: Drive (1-256GiB, 255GiB size, if using a 480GB NAND SSD)

128-end (varies) type 8E00h (lvm) - Logical Volume Manager (for any Linux volumes, other than /boot)

[AndyB]

still failing, the 8.1 update gets to exactly 50% then dies i've tried granting admin rights over the C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Crypto\RSA\MachineKeys folder but get access denied errors even in safe mode, i then tried downloading the 8.1 iso from the download centre and it refused to recognise the keys from either machine. next i'm downloading 8.1 from pirate bay

[AndyB]

seems windows doesnt like being threatened with an install source from the bay, windows 8.1 now installing

[JustSomeGuy]

Hehe the classic 'I did nothing and now it works'

[AndyB]

but its stuck at 82% setting up