Updates fail to install

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Dave Davison
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Dave Davison »

Thanks Argos, I only identified it from looking at the update history but haven't got a clue where updates are stored till installed or I would [rightly or wrongly] delete it. It can't be critical or I would have sustained some malfunction or other.

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Argus
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Argus »

Dave Davison wrote:... but haven't got a clue where updates are stored till installed or I would [rightly or wrongly] delete it. It can't be critical or I would have sustained some malfunction or other.
I don't understand; delete something that's not been installed? I was thinking that you, after the computer had restarted some time, way back, had noticed that one update didn't install. In your other post:
Dave Davison wrote:... I have an ancient update that refuses to install but - despite this - it must not have been critical as I have experienced no problems without it installed.
As I said, your most recent snapshot isn't showing one failed, but two, albeit they are cumulative (rollups); the point is something further back isn't installed making monthly rollups installation fail.

So, it seems more likely you are missing one than need to remove one. It possible the answer is in this thread; they have mentioned (in their KB articles) a couple of requisites for their monthly rollups.

You can't judge the need for updates from observed malfunction; for quite some time, years, Win7 has mostly seen security updates. And if an update changes, say, something so that the "baddies" can't use a protocol to access your computer, then you won't see malfunction as result if you don't install it. Rather something far less tangible, your computer will be less secure.
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Dave Davison
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Dave Davison »

Searching for answers I found a tutorial on You Tube that pointed me in the right direction and discovered where downloads are in fact temporarily stored till one decides to install them. According to the narrator, it is safe to delete everything in the "Downloads" folder but - as the demo shows - his only had something like 32MB of data whereas mine has 3.27GB so decided not to delete the contents of the said folder till I get advice about the importance of the files shown. :scratch: :thankyou: Dave.
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HansV
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by HansV »

Normally, one wouldn't do this, but since you have problems with Windows Update, you can try it. The recommended way is to stop Windows Update, rename the SoftwareDistribution folder, then restart Windows Update. Windows should automatically create a new one and download updates to it. You will lose your update history.

See Windows Update Files
Best wishes,
Hans

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Argus
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Argus »

As Hans said (and in the link he provided).

That said, as I mentioned above, your problem is further back than the second half of January, as shown in your most recent screenshot. (One would need to see what WU offers, and what is installed.)

I've mentioned one or two updates needed. Both of the failed updates (Dec & Jan rollups), and there could be more further back, has the latest SHA-2 update (KB4474419) from September among their prerequisites. In one of your earlier screenshots it shows you have an earlier version of that update, "v2" from August. When I mentioned it above, you found some old thread on the net discussing problems with KB4474419 (a thread from March to June), probably v1 from March, but you already had v2 from August, and as it seems it didn't install the September update.
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Dave Davison
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Dave Davison »

Thanks for advice, link, comments; .......bit of a corundum also is the fact that despite MS not issuing any further updates and bearing in mind that only one refuses to install, when I shut down a pop up message says there are two updates that need to be installed before switching off. Regards Dave.

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Argus
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Argus »

Dave Davison wrote:... bit of a corundum also is the fact that despite MS not issuing any further updates and bearing in mind that only one refuses to install, when I shut down a pop up message says there are two updates that need to be installed before switching off.
Argus wrote:(One would need to see what WU offers, and what is installed.)
(Also, again, that "one" refusing to install is the last (latest?), there have been other monthly rollups before.)
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Dave Davison
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Dave Davison »

More than once it has been suggested to me on the lounge that "if it aint broke, don't mend it." Seeing I don't appear to be experiencing any malfunctioning of my computer despite this particular update resisting installation I am inclined to simply ignore the minor delay experienced at close down but thanks for the replies anyway. Regards Dave.

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Argus
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Argus »

With that definition of broke we wouldn't have had to install a single security update since 2009. :smile:
(Vulnerabilities usually do not manifest themselves as malfunction.)

You probably would need to:
- Download and install one update from MSFT Catalog.
- Temporarily hide what is shown in Windows Update (WU) and do a new search for updates.
- Install the SSU (servicing stack update) that is offered (when WU is empty).
- Unhide the previously hidden updates; do a new search for updates, and let WU install them.
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Dave Davison
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Re: Updates fail to install

Post by Dave Davison »

Thanks for the feedback, maybe I'll leave well alone seeing nothing seems to a problem at the moment & sooner or later I will have to upgrade to W10. Cheers Dave.