Win7 error while searching for updates

DeeW

New member
Joined
Dec 10, 2013
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4
Location
USA
My Taskbar update icon has a red x next to it. I have Win7 set to automatically check for updates and then notify me, if there are any. I get the message that Windows could not search for new updates (Error 80073712). Troubleshooter and System Update Readiness Tool did not find the error. When I ran SFC, it said that Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation, so I have no idea how many files may be corrupt.
 

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Hello Dee, and welcome to Sysnative!

I'm so sorry that your thread slipped under the radar. Unfortunately, your corruption does not look too good. It appears that an entire branch of your registry may be corrupt, and in that case fixing things will be very difficult - our only hope would be if I can find some backup copy to use.

Please restart your machine to unload the registry hive (this trick isn't perfect, plan B available if needs be) then copy C:\Windows\System32\config\COMPONENTS file to your Desktop, right click on it > Send To > Compressed (zipped) folder, and upload that new file here.

Thank you!

Richard
 
Hi, Richard. I appreciate you taking on my problem. Ouch. Solving it sounds like it will be a hard journey. I was so hoping that wouldn't be the case.

Just curious. Did Corinne mention my thread being overlooked?

Dee
 

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Hi Dee,

I'm so sorry for the delay in responding. I'm here to help Richard and you out a bit. I hope you don't mind.

Thank you for attaching the Components.zip file, though I'm sorry to say that I have some bad news for you. The Components hive is damaged beyond repair. Under normal circumstances the file size should be roughly 48MB. As an example, the file on my Windows 7 is 44,800kb's. Yours is merely 988kb's. I'm not as good at the math as Richard and Tom are but at least 90% of the data that the file should contain are missing.

Unfortunately, the only way to fix this would be a clean install. The link below can help guide you on how to accomplish this.

Backup and Clean Install Window 7 or Windows Vista

If you do not have your Operating Systems discs, please let me know. There are other alternatives to accomplish this task.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to ask. I would be more than happy to help in any way I can.

Sincerely,
Donna :)
 
Thank you for attaching the Components.zip file, though I'm sorry to say that I have some bad news for you. The Components hive is damaged beyond repair. Under normal circumstances the file size should be roughly 48MB. As an example, the file on my Windows 7 is 44,800kb's. Yours is merely 988kb's. I'm not as good at the math as Richard and Tom are but at least 90% of the data that the file should contain are missing.

Donna, not meaning to be rude, but I don't think you noticed. The attached file is a shortcut to the components HIVE, hence why it is so small.

@DeeW - Please can you try uploading the hive again, but be sure to upload the hive itself, not a shortcut.

Stephen
 
Good eye Stephen! Thank you. :)

Dee, my apologies. Please try to do the following to upload the file to dropbox to ensure we are seeing the whole file. I'm not sure if the file will is too large or not to upload in a post. Let us know if you have any trouble.


  1. If you haven't already created a Dropbox account, please do so Here
  2. Although this procedure can be done directly through the website, it is much easier to do so via the Windows client which can be downloaded from the Dropbox website:

    https://www.dropbox.com/install
  3. After you have downloaded and installed that, you should now see Dropbox in your Favourites box in Windows Explorer. This is the folder that will be synchronised with the Dropbox servers, anything that you wish to back up online can be put in here, but today we will be using it to transfer files.

    Favourites%20list.PNG
  4. To access your Dropbox folder, just click on the link in the top left hand corner of Windows Explorer (accessible from any location - Documents etc.). Alternatively, you can double click on the icon
    icon.jpg
    found in your system tray (next to the time). If you are still having issues locating this folder, unless otherwise specified, it can be found under this location: C:\Users\{Your username}\Dropbox
  5. Copy all of the following files to the Public folder in your Dropbox:
    • C:\Windows\system32\config\components (it has no file extension)
  6. Select all files by pressing Ctrl+A then right-click and select Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder
  7. This will create a .zip
    zip_icon.png
    file in your Public folder.
  8. Right-click on this file and select Dropbox > Copy Public Link then Paste (Ctrl + V) this link into your next post for me please


Thank you,
Donna
 
Hi, Donna.

Sorry for the extremely long delay in getting back here. I badly broke my ankle, had to have surgery to repair it and am now in a rehab facility to get back to normal. I just got my computer, so thought I'd try and get ithe problem fixed.

I'm not computer tech savy, so bear with me. I think a five your old could get this done in a snap. Me, not so much.

I managed to get a Dropbox account and got it in Windows Explorer. I went through C:\Windows\system32\config\components, but the components file stymied me. You said to select all fines, but it is a file itself, not a folder, so how does it contain other files? Are you asking me to copy the config folder files? While I'm at it, when I open Dropbox, I get a blank page. Is that what you are calling the Public folder or is that something different?

you can tell this will be a very slow process for me, so I hope you don't regret jumping in.
 
Hi DeeW,

OMGoodness Dee! We were so worried about you. It's not like you to just up and disappear like that. I am so sorry to hear about your ankle. I certainly hope that you are being well tended to and recover with god speed. But no running just yet! That will come in time.

I had not viewed this thread in sometime. I believe that may be why I did not receive an email notification for your reply. I must personally thank Corrine for bringing your reply to my attention.

Please allow me a bit of time to review your thread to bring me up to date here. Just wanted to acknowledge your reply so you didn't get the feeling that you were being ignored..

Back as soon as I am able.

Thank you,
Donna :smile9:
 

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