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Windows 8.1 why is updating so stressful for this OS

M

MustISO

Lifer
I image and re-image operating systems pretty regularly, mostly Windows 7 and Server 2008R2. Never have any issues.

Have a laptop now with Windows 8.1. This OS hasn't been able to successfully install an update since last year. I've been through all the MS KBs and technet articles, nothing worked.

Finally was able to install Update 2 manually but then all updates since then fail. Restore back to factory, on the first Windows update about 50% of the updates fail.


Run Windows update again, this time 5 installed. Ran check for updates again, 68 updates found, won't download. Now I'm trying a manual download and install of the larger of those updates but dear lord is this a serious piece of junk.
 
MustISO said:
I image and re-image operating systems pretty regularly, mostly Windows 7 and Server 2008R2. Never have any issues.

Have a laptop now with Windows 8.1. This OS hasn't been able to successfully install an update since last year. I've been through all the MS KBs and technet articles, nothing worked.

Finally was able to install Update 2 manually but then all updates since then fail. Restore back to factory, on the first Windows update about 50% of the updates fail.


Run Windows update again, this time 5 installed. Ran check for updates again, 68 updates found, won't download. Now I'm trying a manual download and install of the larger of those updates but dear lord is this a serious piece of junk.
Click to expand...

Win8 is not alone,my brother spent six months trying to get Win7 to update,always failed yes Win7.

I personally spent two months trying to get Win7 to update on my mums PC a few years ago,same thing always failed.

In the end I did a reformat of Win7 on her PC and it then installed updates fine.

End of the day NO OS is WU proof.

All I do now is make sure I've the latest ISO of OS in question and also make sure I've everything backed up.

Btw do I call Win7 serious piece of junk due to these issues?..Nope can happen to anyone.
 
I was having issues with all the Win7 computers in the house(3 of them) not being able to connect to the update server. What solved it for me was changing the DNS server to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. I rebooted them and was able to connect to the update server and dl Windows updates.

Might take a look at it and give it a shot. If it doesn't work you can always change it back. Don't forget to reboot after you change the DNS server address!
 
Very strange MustISO. I won't venture to guess if my experience holds a candle to yours, but I have only once ran into this problem with a customer's PC, and a FixIt actually fixed it (the part of the fix that did the trick was clearing the WU history log).

Actually I have had other computers have issues with updating, but I am not counting those because they were due to malware, and it worked fine after the removal.
 
I guess me and Windows 7 just have that kind of relationship. I've literally never had any issues with it and I've owned and managed a lot of Win 7 systems. I do work on Windows 8 a bit so I know not all systems are like this but MS in general seems to have really slipped when it comes to updates.
 
Well, I've had no issues with updates on either my main computer or a tablet pc running 8.1. More likely that there is a hardware or network issue, or possibly a flaky install.
 
MustISO said:
I image and re-image operating systems pretty regularly, mostly Windows 7 and Server 2008R2. Never have any issues.

Have a laptop now with Windows 8.1. This OS hasn't been able to successfully install an update since last year. I've been through all the MS KBs and technet articles, nothing worked.

Finally was able to install Update 2 manually but then all updates since then fail. Restore back to factory, on the first Windows update about 50% of the updates fail.


Run Windows update again, this time 5 installed. Ran check for updates again, 68 updates found, won't download. Now I'm trying a manual download and install of the larger of those updates but dear lord is this a serious piece of junk.
Click to expand...

After you have some failures, upload
Code: 
C:\windows\windowsupdate.log
to pastebin and post it here.
 
MustISO said:
I guess me and Windows 7 just have that kind of relationship. I've literally never had any issues with it and I've owned and managed a lot of Win 7 systems. I do work on Windows 8 a bit so I know not all systems are like this but MS in general seems to have really slipped when it comes to updates.
Click to expand...


I'm the opposite,Win7 I've had issues over the years until I ditched it for Linux,Win8/8.1 never had any issues with updating myself.

End of the day it can happen to any OS.

I have had a few minor update issues with Linux a few years back, but their support forums are normally pretty good at finding solutions.
 
Last edited:
MustISO said:
I image and re-image operating systems pretty regularly, mostly Windows 7 and Server 2008R2. Never have any issues.

Have a laptop now with Windows 8.1. This OS hasn't been able to successfully install an update since last year. I've been through all the MS KBs and technet articles, nothing worked.

Finally was able to install Update 2 manually but then all updates since then fail. Restore back to factory, on the first Windows update about 50% of the updates fail.


Run Windows update again, this time 5 installed. Ran check for updates again, 68 updates found, won't download. Now I'm trying a manual download and install of the larger of those updates but dear lord is this a serious piece of junk.
Click to expand...

i have been imaging windows 8 at work and updating new and running PCs for about 8 months. My only hangup is that the surface tablets cant get firmware via local WSUS, ridiculously.

but the pcs and laptops work fine.

are you using a WSUS server or just going online for windows updates?

id consider rebuilding your image if you are constantly having problems with it updating, honestly.
 
MustISO said:
I image and re-image operating systems pretty regularly, mostly Windows 7 and Server 2008R2. Never have any issues.

Have a laptop now with Windows 8.1. This OS hasn't been able to successfully install an update since last year. I've been through all the MS KBs and technet articles, nothing worked.

Finally was able to install Update 2 manually but then all updates since then fail. Restore back to factory, on the first Windows update about 50% of the updates fail.


Run Windows update again, this time 5 installed. Ran check for updates again, 68 updates found, won't download. Now I'm trying a manual download and install of the larger of those updates but dear lord is this a serious piece of junk.
Click to expand...

Don't re-image. Clean install. You don't know if your images are corruption free.
 
SimMike2 said:
Oh yes, there is nothing I love quite so much as tracking down and installing all my programs, which can take hours if not days to get right.
Click to expand...

Yes, because reinstalling a corrupted image and having nothing work right over and over again is a better solution?

If the image is bad, a clean install is the only thing that's gonna fix it.
 
Microsoft has a downloadable utility to fix Windows Update problems. I have no idea why Windows Update periodically gets borked, but it does, and this fixes it. Just Google "Windows Update fix".
 
jkauff said:
Microsoft has a downloadable utility to fix Windows Update problems. I have no idea why Windows Update periodically gets borked, but it does, and this fixes it. Just Google "Windows Update fix".
Click to expand...


Does not always work,I tried the WU fix on Win7 awhile back about six times ,no luck in my case.
 
Why bother with the 8.1 upgrade at all?

8.1 is a fail OS, stick to 8 for now. Wait for 10. Microsoft *might* just get it right this time.
 
Magic Carpet said:
Why bother with the 8.1 upgrade at all?

8.1 is a fail OS, stick to 8 for now. Wait for 10. Microsoft *might* just get it right this time.
Click to expand...

You'll find people who disagree with you. You know this, right? Win8.1 is more than usable for me at home. I use it daily and I am totally OK with it.
 
RampantAndroid said:
You'll find people who disagree with you. You know this, right? Win8.1 is more than usable for me at home. I use it daily and I am totally OK with it.
Click to expand...
In my case, 8.1 broke more things than it's fixed. But I am glad, that you are content with it.

I am giving Microsoft one more chance with Windows 10.
 
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