Cannot upgrade – Windows updates – Store apps

I know this has been discussed before because there is no way it wasn’t but after several searches I am not finding anything so please accept my apology if this is a re-peat-post.

I have had the issue where you cannot upgrade for some time.  Due to hospitalization, loss of work and finally returning I have not had time to address this for well over a year.

I am having the issue where not only won’t Windows upgrade anymore (installs, fails, reboots, reverts back) but I also cannot install Windows updates or anything from the store.  I have tried many things I have looked up online and nothing has worked.  Microsoft appears to ignore every forum tread or blog comment asking about it.  I am VERY hesitant to reload Windows at this time and seriously have issues believing that it cannot just be fixed somehow?  Does anyone have the magic answer to this riddle?  Something tells me that the fix has been used by many and my search-foo is lacking.

Any help is appreciated.  I’m open to hear it all, even a reload if that is easier but I am sick of wiping out all of my dang settings fixing MS OS issues.  Hopes are that I can repair vs reload.

Conversation 16 comments

  • rvanallen

    Premium Member
    30 January, 2019 - 1:51 pm

    <p>I too have been having difficulty with Windows Update starting today. Running a SP3 unit, cleaned up everything, did a refresh of the &lt; SoftwareDistribution &gt; folder, Win10 Troubleshooter, hard wired, flushed / reset MS Store process cache, cycled through Safe Mode, etc. So far still not updating. Message comes back I might not be connected to the Internet, try again later… </p><p><br></p><p><em>Update-1</em>: 3 out of 3 PC's exhibiting this failure for two days. Assuming Microsoft may be having server issues at the moment.</p><p><br></p><p><em>Update-2: </em>Posted issue on MS Feedback Hub Thursday and seems fine Friday. Also, ZDNet reports Comcast and various ISPs' DNS settings had some issues:</p><p><br></p><p>http://tinyurl.com/ya4wzjug = ZDNet piece, 02-01-19</p><p><br></p><p>Perhaps this might help 'HOOMGAR' or others reporting problems.</p>

    • Hoomgar

      30 January, 2019 - 2:50 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#400680">In reply to rvanallen:</a></em></blockquote><p>That isn't the exact issue I am getting but it isn't comforting hearing that this is still coming up with the latest builds.&nbsp; I'm still stuck back in the 17xx's this has been going on for so long.&nbsp; I'm finally at a spot to dig into it.&nbsp; I'll definitely post my solution here when I find it because I WILL find one.&nbsp; It's ticking me off&nbsp; LOL!</p>

  • waethorn

    30 January, 2019 - 2:44 pm

    <p>If you can get into Windows, do an install of Windows from inside of Windows. That resolves a lot of problems like this.</p>

    • Hoomgar

      30 January, 2019 - 2:53 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#400702"><em>In reply to Waethorn:</em></a><em>&nbsp; I was tempted to try that several times now but always stay clear because the options it gives are clearly going to blow away my settings.&nbsp; Grrrr.&nbsp;&nbsp; I think I might as well bite the bullet and try that though.&nbsp; I'm still hoping that someone will chime in with a "here is the fix for that" and it will actually work as a known solution.&nbsp; I'm going to see if I can find the latest build in an ISO rather that using the upgrade assistant.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • Hoomgar

    05 February, 2019 - 2:45 pm

    <p>This issue is as real and as large and as ignored as I thought.&nbsp; Even on here, no one.&nbsp; I have seen threads going back years now on MS forums.&nbsp; No one has an answer to this.&nbsp; It is weird :|</p>

    • Hoomgar

      07 February, 2019 - 3:35 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#402877"><em>In reply to lwetzel:</em></a><em>&nbsp; Sadly yes.&nbsp; :(</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • Tony Barrett

    05 February, 2019 - 3:22 pm

    <p>Well, it's not an answer you maybe want to hear, but it's just Windows 10 – and it's a dog. So many, many problems, inconsistencies, bugs etc. Huge problems with Windows update, bi-annual feature updates breaking entire installations, store apps not updating etc. Windows has gone beyond the realms of complex into the unmanageable. You can re-install, but it may all just happen again – for no obvious reason. The real answer is, change your OS, or go back to an older version of Windows – with a 3rd party Start Menu, 8.1 is actually a good choice – and it's what I'm using right now. No app store, cortana, Edge, forced updates, ads, promoted apps, insane telemetry collection – it's all a lot less painful.</p>

    • bill_russell

      05 February, 2019 - 5:39 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#402881">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Win 8 and 10 did help to give me a bit more motivation to explore alternate options. So by now I have a primary kubuntu machine and I keep a remote desktop window open to the windows 10 machine. But somtimes days go by and I realize I haven't been over to windows. This has been since mostly using Outlook online and Gdocs, where it used to be all native Office. Also more and more development tools are being refreshed and target Mac/Linux or web as well now – that also helps. </p><p><br></p>

    • Hoomgar

      07 February, 2019 - 3:39 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#402881">In reply to ghostrider:</a></em></blockquote><p>See that is what I am saying basically I guess?&nbsp; This is the same thinking I have been having (like Bill R. said too) and it is actually frustrating because I've come to a place in my career that I would like to be able to just install the dang OS and use it and not have to worry about 'not being able to install anything from the store ever again' simply because a dang update broke it and now nothing will install.&nbsp; Not even an update that may address the very issue I am having.</p><p><br></p><p>The rat race is starting to win guys.&nbsp; I tire…</p>

  • AnOldAmigaUser

    Premium Member
    05 February, 2019 - 3:58 pm

    <p>Found this <a style="color: rgb(0, 102, 204); background-color: transparent;" href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-update-problems-fixed-now-but-heres-what-went-wrong-says-microsoft/&quot; target="_blank"><strong>article on ZDNet</strong></a>&nbsp; regarding the issue with updates. Apparently it was a <span style="color: rgb(8, 14, 20); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">global outage at an unnamed external DNS service provider on January 29.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(8, 14, 20); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Supposedly, it got better.</span></p>

    • Hoomgar

      07 February, 2019 - 3:43 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#402884"><em>In reply to AnOldAmigaUser:</em></a><em>&nbsp; I saw that but it is not related to this.&nbsp; This is a known and wide-spread issue that has plagued Win10 since the second major update was released years ago.&nbsp; There are so many people with this issue and their choices are really just one of three things:</em></blockquote><ol><li><em>Re-install… AGAIN!</em></li><li><em>Ignore and just use it broken = you will never be able to install anything new from the store ever again.</em></li><li><em>Switch to something else for an OS</em></li></ol><p><em>I'm just stubborn and pissed off enough that I choose 4.&nbsp; Piss, moan and whine and bitch and cry and then finally, years from now, I may do something about it.</em></p><p><br></p><p><em>LOL!</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><br></p>

  • Rycott

    Premium Member
    05 February, 2019 - 4:48 pm

    <p>https://www.tweaking.com/content/page/windows_repair_all_in_one.html</p><p><br></p><p>Use the button to have the program boot you to safe mode then run all the repairs. If this doesn't fix the issue then nothing short of a reinstall of Windows will.</p><p><br></p><p>Use it a work all the time and it is amazing for sorting out Windows issue.</p><p><br></p><p>It's also totally free with no junk or any such nonsense. Just grab the portable version.</p>

    • Hoomgar

      07 February, 2019 - 3:45 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#402895"><em>In reply to Rycott:</em></a><em>&nbsp; Tried it before.&nbsp; No joy.&nbsp; I may backup and try one more time before reloading.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

  • Hoomgar

    07 February, 2019 - 4:03 pm

    <p>I appreciate everyone's feedback.&nbsp; I guess I knew there isn't a real tried and true fix for this although I was hoping.&nbsp; What this thread did do for me however was to help confirm that the tech community I rub elbows with basically thinks the same as I have been forced to do.&nbsp; Either deal with it and use it as is, or do something about it yourself. &nbsp;It is obvious MS screwed the pooch on this one and is not going to and has no intention to fix or address this problem at any level.</p><p><br></p><p>I've been an MS supporter since day one MS, and they are really trying as hard as they can to break me of that.</p>

  • Hoomgar

    26 February, 2019 - 2:50 pm

    <p>So an update.&nbsp; I made a DVD from the ISO and installed it two different ways.&nbsp; From within Windows-running and then from boot.&nbsp; Both worked for the install.&nbsp; It actually installed so whatever the issue was with previous builds they seem to have fixed it.</p><p><br></p><p>Alas!&nbsp; It has major bugs in networking due to hardware compatibility.&nbsp; I had to roll back from both attempts and am therefor still sitting on my previous build.</p><p><br></p><p>Maybe the next one?</p>

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