Error 0x80070002 Trying to install SP1 on Windows 7

[TheDavidFactor]

I've got a friend's laptop I'm working on, I'm going to try to give you all the details on the problem:

He also had a virus that he had a local computer support person remove. Since then he said about every other time he shuts down it tried to install windows updates and fails. He asked me to take a look at it. I saw that windows update only showed one update, SP1 so I downloaded the full SP1 installer and tried to install it manually. It gets almost to the end of the progress bar (takes about an hour) before throwing an error:

Installation was not successful

... run the "Check for System Update Readiness" ...

If the "Check for System Update Readiness" tool doesn't fix the problem, visit the Microsoft website for more information (Details)

Error: ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND(0x80070002)

The microsoft website says if SUR fails I have to reinstall Windows 7. I'm hoping to avoid that. In addition to running SUR I also ran sfc /scannow. I've linked to the compressed CBS folder, so you'll probably see this, but both SUR and sfc /scannow said they fixed problems and on a second running of each said they didn't find any problems.

I tried to attach this, but I think it was to large, because it never showed up, I used dropbox to share it here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/olsqc9pp3ppcwpi/CBS.zip

Also when I tried to compress the CBS folder, it wouldn't copy or compress the CBS.log file. I got an error "File not found or no read permission." but I was able to copy it to a temp folder and compress it from there.

Can you give me pointers on what to try next?

 

[TheDavidFactor]

I know I'm shooting in the dark a little bit, but I'm reading other threads and seeing what has caused problems for other users. I read that memory problems can cause corruption that can lead to this error message, so I ran the Windows memory test and it passed so I guess that's not a problem in this case.

 

[niemiro]

Hello, and welcome to Sysnative!

I'm really sorry for the delay here.

First, open an Elevated Command Prompt: Open an Elevated Command Prompt Window (Windows Vista/7)

then paste in and press enter after:

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
ren %SystemRoot%\SoftwareDistribution *.bak
net start bits
net start wuauserv

Next, open up your C:\ drive, and delete any folders with names of ~16 random characters, e.g. C:\f1c0229c31db9ef58deb. Unlikely to be that exact name, but anything similar to.

Then re-try Windows Update. It will take up to half an hour, and may have to redownload SP1 entirely. The above will delete lots of precached data. All of this must be regenerated in one go --> a slow first search, but it must be done.


If it still doesn't work, download the standalone installer from here: Download Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (KB976932) from Official Microsoft Download Centre

and try that. Download file "windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe" from the bottom of the list when you click "Download".

The SURT has already fixed your root cause, we're now just trying to kickstart Windows Update after it's got itself into a little mess with the previous failures.

Thank you.

Richard

 

[TheDavidFactor]

Oh, wow, thanks for the quick reply!

I already downloaded Windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe, can I try that before re-trying Windows Update, but after I followed all steps including deleting the randomly named folders?

 

[TheDavidFactor]

No Go :-(

I first tried your steps:

C:\Windows\system32>net stop bits
The Background Intelligent Transfer Service service is stopping..
The Background Intelligent Transfer Service service was stopped successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>net stop wuauserv
The Windows Update service is stopping.
The Windows Update service was stopped successfully.

C:\Windows\system32>ren %SystemRoot%\SoftwareDistribution *.bak
The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.

C:\Windows\system32>net start bits
The requested service has already been started.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 2182.

C:\Windows\system32>net start wuauserv
The Windows Update service is starting.
The Windows Update service was started successfully.

Then deleted the randomly named directory in the root of C, there was only one
Then tried installing windows6.1-KB976932-X64.exe, which ended with the same error as before

Since that failed, I also tried the following:

I stopped bits and wuauserv, opened %SystemRoot%\SoftwareDistribution and zipped up everything in the folder and deleted it. I then started bits and wuauserv and tried windows update, after running for a while it found one update, SP1, which I tried to install. That attempt ended with the error 8024200D

 

[tom982]

Hi TheDavidFactor,

For any 0x8024200D error you are experiencing, download the update from the Microsoft website and install it manually.

Tom

 

[TheDavidFactor]

Tom,

Thanks for the response. As mentioned in the previous post, I've got SP1 downloaded already and it's giving the ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND(0x80070002) error. I tried running it again just for kicks and it's still giving the same error.