Windows 7 SP1 refuses to install

[Goi]

Hi,

I'm trying to update my Windows 7 Home Premium on my new Lenovo G470 laptop, but despite trying to run Windows Update several times and also trying the 900MB offline installer, it keeps failing. When running the offline installer the error message is:

A system error prevented the service pack from installing.

Any idea what's up?

 

[dualsmp]

Are you running from the Administrator account? Win7 I believe deactivates the Administrator, so re-enable it, log in and then try and install SP1.

 

[Emulex]

windows 7 service pack 1 has certain requirements that prevent it from installing. google around it may be an app or a KB that you chose not to install. silly stuff like that.

 

[Goi]

@dualsmp yes I'm on an Admin account.

@Emulex, I have installed all the critical updates that Windows Update brought up. Didn't choose not to install anything.

 

[Dahak]

Does it give any sort of error code?
You could also try the windows update troubleshooter. by searching troubleshoot in the start search, once it loads select system and security and select windows update.

 

[ImDonly1]

Does it give any sort of error code?
You could also try the windows update troubleshooter. by searching troubleshoot in the start search, once it loads select system and security and select windows update.

This. Look in the logs or at the error screen. You should get something like error 0x00011 and a link to the MS site or can google the error. Maybe they even give you a link to the KB site.

Also
http://windows.microsoft.com/troubleshootwindows7sp1
Follow those steps and there is also a tool called the System Update Readiness Tool on that page. Try running that.

 

[reallyscrued]

Obligatory: Microsoft are a bunch of idiots.

Here's my long battle with installing Win7's SP1 on my M1330 laptop (Intel GMA). First, it didn't show up on Windows update, so I went and downloaded the redistributable at full size (even though I had most of the hotfixes and needed only like 80 megs of the update). The redist would never install, gives me error and rolls back changes. It would give me an error as vague as yours.

Somehow, trying to install the redist pack enabled Windows Update to show SP1 was an available update at 86 or so megs, so I thought, "Great, this should surely work." Unluckily enough, same bullshit. At least now I had an error code though: 8007370B.

Awesome, at least then I figured I was getting somewhere. A number of google searches for that specific error code revealed all these hoops that had to be jumped through to get down to why it wouldn't install, I performed all of them, even down to the "windows update readyness tool" or some BS like that. Nothing worked.

So I said screw it. I've spent the last 3 months without SP1 on my laptop even though on my desktop (which I used the same Win7 installation disk for), SP1 installed fine.

Today I decided to perform a backup of my laptop drive so I pulled it out and connected it to my desktop when I got curious, I had an extra 320 Scorpio Blue laying around so I tossed it into my M1330 and gave it a fresh install of Win7 to test out SP1. Guess what? Still wouldn't install...same error code. On a FRESH installation of Windows.

I'm now convinced there exists certain hardware configurations or certain device drivers that somehow get in the way of SP1 from installing. There's no other explanation.

/end rant and shitty story.

Good luck with your case.


EDIT: Oh, if you've got the patience, just reinstall Windows with SP1 slipstreamed in. I'm probably going to end up doing that on my laptop but I'm afraid it might create some sort of space/time continuum vortex that would be the end of our universe as we know it. Anyway, if the world ends within the next week, sorry guys. Don't blame me though, blame Microsoft.

 

[GrumpyMan]

What screwed it up for me was that I had IE-9 beta installed and it wouldn't uninstall at all. So I ended up restoring back to when I had IE-8. After that SP1 installed no problem. Go figure, it should install on a fresh install though?

 

[Emulex]

why didn't you just install IE9 release? that would have solved the problem.