Windows Update 20H2 Refuses to Install

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I am getting nagged by Microsoft to Update to Version 20H2, saying that my version will soon not be supported.  (I have installed 1909.)  When I try to install 20H2, it refuses to install.  I run the troubleshooter, and then get a message saying that the troubleshooter cannot fix the problem.

I am running a modern Dell desktop, and I have maintained everything well.

Any suggestions?

 

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You might check with Dell for driver / BIOS updates.

Win 11 home - 24H2
Attitude is a choice...Choose wisely

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Kenneth Stephens

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I do not have a Conexant audio driver.  I have:  Intel Display Audio, NVIDIA High Definition Audio, NVIDIA Virtual Audio Device (Wave Extensible WDM), and RealTek Audio.  None of the drivers seem to have any sort of connection with Conexant.

I get a message from Microsoft saying that my version will no longer be supported.  (I have updated through 1908.)  When I try to install the automatic update for 20H2, it churns away as the percent slowly climbs for about 45 minutes.  Then, I get the error message saying the update failed.  When I run the update troubleshooter, it says that it could not solve the problem.

There is nothing unusual about my machine, a Dell Inspiron.  The Dell Customer Support people in India are of no help. (I am in the USA.)

 

Any ideas?

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Make an image backup.

Download the 20H1 or 20H2 ISO to your machine.
Double click on the ISO to mount it as a new drive.
Run setup.exe from the new drive and select to install over the top, keeping programs and data.

Good luck.

cheers, Paul

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doriel

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I was updated through Windows 10 1909.  Today, I downloaded an ISO of 20H2 from the Microsoft site.  I followed all instructions carefully and installed it on top (keeping apps and my files).

The installation began as expected, went through all the right motions, and an hour and a half later, I got an error message saying “Windows installation has failed.”  My machine is back where it was with 1909.

Do you have any ideas as to what is keeping me from installing properly?

Ken

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Can you find the installation logs and post them here?
Log files that are created when you upgrade to a new version of Windows (microsoft.com)

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens

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Great idea!  I will check the logs.

Ken

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Paul,

Thank you for any help you can provide. I am about at my wits end.

I have been unable to find the logs you listed.  Attached is the material I gleaned from the event viewer.

Timewise I started at 3:00 pm, and around 4:30 got an error message saying that the installation had failed.  The failure was just before the second restart would have begun.  I got the “restart will begin soon” message, and then the failure message.  The attached event viewer logs show the times of the error messages.

Ken

Log Name: Application
Source: ESENT
Date: 6/4/2021 4:15:12 PM
Event ID: 455
Task Category: Logging/Recovery
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: DESKTOP-OULK2P2
Description:
svchost (12896,R,98) TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: Error -1023 (0xfffffc01) occurred while opening logfile C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="ESENT" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">455</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>3</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2021-06-04T20:15:12.241789600Z" />
<EventRecordID>36336</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-OULK2P2</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>svchost</Data>
<Data>12896,R,98</Data>
<Data>TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: </Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log</Data>
<Data>-1023 (0xfffffc01)</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Log Name: Application
Source: ESENT
Date: 6/4/2021 3:32:35 PM
Event ID: 455
Task Category: Logging/Recovery
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: DESKTOP-OULK2P2
Description:
svchost (9076,R,98) TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: Error -1023 (0xfffffc01) occurred while opening logfile C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="ESENT" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">455</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>3</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2021-06-04T19:32:35.992841200Z" />
<EventRecordID>36327</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-OULK2P2</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>svchost</Data>
<Data>9076,R,98</Data>
<Data>TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: </Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log</Data>
<Data>-1023 (0xfffffc01)</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Log Name: Application
Source: ESENT
Date: 6/4/2021 3:09:33 PM
Event ID: 455
Task Category: Logging/Recovery
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: DESKTOP-OULK2P2
Description:
svchost (8476,R,98) TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: Error -1023 (0xfffffc01) occurred while opening logfile C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="ESENT" />
<EventID Qualifiers="0">455</EventID>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>3</Task>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2021-06-04T19:09:33.399231700Z" />
<EventRecordID>36318</EventRecordID>
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-OULK2P2</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data>svchost</Data>
<Data>8476,R,98</Data>
<Data>TILEREPOSITORYS-1-5-18: </Data>
<Data>C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\TileDataLayer\Database\EDB.log</Data>
<Data>-1023 (0xfffffc01)</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

Log Name: System
Source: Microsoft-Windows-WinRM
Date: 6/4/2021 4:16:28 PM
Event ID: 10142
Task Category: None
Level: Error
Keywords: Classic
User: N/A
Computer: DESKTOP-OULK2P2
Description:
The WinRM service cannot migrate the listener with Address * and Transport HTTP. A listener that has the same Address and Transport configuration already exists.
Event Xml:
<Event xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event">
<System>
<Provider Name="Microsoft-Windows-WinRM" Guid="{A7975C8F-AC13-49F1-87DA-5A984A4AB417}" EventSourceName="WinRM" />
<EventID Qualifiers="7">10142</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>0</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x80000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2021-06-04T20:16:28.114143600Z" />
<EventRecordID>38248</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="0" ThreadID="0" />
<Channel>System</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-OULK2P2</Computer>
<Security />
</System>
<EventData>
<Data Name="param1">*</Data>
<Data Name="param2">HTTP</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

[Moderator edit] changed EV text so it can all be read

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The above “anonymous” post is really by me.  I thought I had logged in, but I had not.  I am having trouble remembering that in order to log in, I have to disable my VPN.  That makes me feel “naked,” but it is necessary to get into AskWoody.

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I realize you’ve already said that all drivers are up to date, but did this include the BIOS and chipset drivers??

Zig

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Kenneth Stephens

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The error seems to be related to cleanup issues early in Windows life.
See this thread for details on fixing it.
How to fix Event ID 455 ESENT error in Windows 10 V1903? – Microsoft Community

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens

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I followed the fix suggested in the link you provided.

When I tried to get to:  C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local\

I got an error message:  Windows cannot access the specified device, path, or file.  You may not have the appropriate permissions to access the item.

I am running as Administrator.  My Windows is the Home version.  Is the one of the things Microsoft has inhibited in Windows Home?  If so, is there a workaround?

Ken

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Open a Command Prompt as admin. (Press Win, type cmd, select Run as administrator)

The details are in the second post linked above.

cheers, Paul

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Paul, thank you for your efforts on my behalf.  Unfortunately, your suggestion above was not yet successful.

When I entered the CMD commands, I got the following error message:  “A subdirectory or file TileDataLayer already exists.

Nevertheless, I tried the installation once again.  I did not get the 445 error this time, but got another one.

I have attached the results of Event Viewer for the duration of my latest installation attempt, which started at about 1:30 pm EDT.

I tried to follow the link provided in the error message in the Event Viewer (http://schemas.microsoft.com…..), but got a message saying the item no longer exists or has been changed.

All this update involves my wife’s computer, and she is getting mad at me because I am hogging “her” computer.  “My” computer, and HP laptop, updated to 20H2 automatically.

Any ideas for next steps?

KenError-from-Event-Viewer-for-Sunday-June-6-Installation-Attempt

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I think you are at the stage where we need to use Susan’s “install over the top” method.

Download Windows 1909 ISO.
Double click the ISO to mount it as a new drive.
Run setup.exe from the new drive.
Choose to install, keeping all existing programs and data.

Windows older downloads with Heidoc

As always, make an image backup first.

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens

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Thank you, Paul.  I already have 1909 installed and running successfully.

I looked back at my first attempt (unsuccessful) to install the ISO of 20H2 recently.  It turns out that Microsoft appears to have given me the Media Creation Tool and the version of Windows beyond 20H2.  I don’t know whether I clicked on the wrong version, or Microsoft did it.

Should I try again to download the 20H2 version ISO again and let Microsoft do the installing, or get the ISO from some other source?  (I got the Heidoc ISO downloader.)

 

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You must re-install 1909 to fix the issues preventing you from updating.
Then let Windows Update do the rest.

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens

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I tried to install 1909 over the top from an ISO file, as you suggested.  Unfortunately, I had yet another update failure.

Everything proceeded normally, until after the lengthy process (indicated by percent completion) concluded, and the restart was announced.  Before restart could occur, I got the Update Failed message.

I ran SetupDiag.exe and examined the logs.  There was boot-code error 0x80004005 [gle-0x000000b7]  and error 0x80004005 – 0x50016, right before the failure message.  I believe they might indicate that either a third-party backup utility or antivirus program interfered with the installer, or that a file Windows Product Authorization (WPA) requires has been manually modified.

Before I started, I uninstalled MalwareBytes, unplugged the backup USB drive and my printer, and made sure no USB drives were plugged in.  I do not use any antivirus other than Windows Defender.

Suggestions?

Ken

PS  I have attached the logs as .doc files.

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That error seems to indicate file problems.
Can you open a Command Prompt as admin?
Type: sfc /scannow
Type: chkdsk c:

This will check for file issues.

cheers, Paul

p.s. please don’t send logs in a doc, just post them as is at the end of your post

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Kenneth Stephens

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Thank you for your continued patience.

The enigma continues.

I ran scannow and chkdisk.  Scannow said:  “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.”  Chkdsk said:  “0 bad file records” and “Windows has scanned the file system and has found no problems.  No further action required.”

Just to make sure I treated the ISO update attempt properly, here is what I did:

Got the file win 10_1909_English_x64.iso through the Heidoc downloader.  It downloaded to my Downloads folder.  I clicked on the ISO file and then on the setup.exe file.  Everything that happened appeared like a normal Windows update installation, until the failure message.  There is a point where the user is asked whether to include updates, drivers, etc. (recommended).  I used that option.

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I thought when I had trouble, that booting from a usb key with a burned bootable ISO (of the version I actually wanted, not 1909) and installing from there worked well.  I would not do this without an image backup of everything though.

Does your system have lots of free space?  40gb?

signed not an expert

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Kenneth Stephens

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The sequence went like this:  Microsoft said I needed to update, because my version would no longer be supported.  Seven failed update attempts later, I posted this thread on AskWoody.  Various people, most notably Paul T. have given me excellent suggestions.  The bottom line is this:  I cannot successfully install the latest updates.  I cannot successfully install an earlier update (1909), so that I could gently go through the update process.  I have 300 gb empty on the disk.

I am a believer in backups, and everything is backed up.  I would be perfectly happy with 1909, the latest “successful installation,” but I know that we all need security and other updates eventually.

 

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All my drivers and BIOS are up to date, even all the audio drivers.  And no, I do not have teh infamous Conexant driver.

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As far as I know, my BIOS and drivers are up to date.  I will confirm.

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Also make sure you don’t have a Conexant audio driver.

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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Kenneth Stephens

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How to upgrade with the Conexant driver.
#2365946

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens wrote:

What is the best way to do a “simple install over the top”?

Got a misbehaving Windows 10? reinstall

cheers, Paul

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Kenneth Stephens

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Thank you, Paul T.  That information is very helpful.  Although I have used ISO files on rare occasions, this is one instance in which I want to make sure I don’t inadverently do permant damage.  I especically appreciate the caveat in the link you provided.  That is a key point.

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Kenneth Stephens wrote:

There is a point where the user is asked whether to include updates, drivers, etc. (recommended).  I used that option.

You should have installed from ISO while disconnected from the Internet, so no updates during installation process.

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Paul T, Kenneth Stephens

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If I may add.
We started to roll 20H2 via WSUS and the result is awful. So far, from approx 30 PCs, on third of them, the changes were rolled back. Reason unknown. Its a set of Dell computers (OptiPlex 9020, 7010, 7050, Latitudes, …). It fails on different machines with different insides.
Time consuming .. nonsense I would say. I would like to use other word, but then it would be rant, or I would get deleted.
Solution is: Stop WU service, rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution, start WU service again and hope for the success.

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Don’t know if the problem has been solved by now, but I’ve had the same problem with a couple of machines at the office when I tried to update Windows 1909 to 20H2. It had something to do with updates for 1909 not installed. After running Windows Update, installing missing updates, the upgrade to 20H2 performed OK.

As for the advice to NOT include updates as recommended by the Setup program – it differs. While I normally install upgrades without the Update-setting checked, it doesn’t always work. I.e. after a good deal of time, the upgrade is rolled back. Enabling the Update-setting fixed this at least for a couple of machines.

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Kenneth Stephens

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The problem has been solved.  It took 21 attempts, but only #21 was successful.

It appears that my main problem was that (for reasons I do not understand) there was something corrupt in my boot sequence.  A deep dive into the numerous logs that are automatically generated by Windows when an update is accomplished (or attempted), showed that in every attempt, there was a boot problem right before Windows generated the “Update Failed” message.  That surprised me, because there had been zero boot problems during normal operation.

I use Macrium Reflect (free) to make backups.  PKCano alerted me to the fact that Macrium Reflect has an option to “Fix Boot Problems.”  I ran that one time and then tried an update.  (That was the successful attempt #21).

The computer in question, “my wife’s computer,”  is a three-yeard-old Dell Inspiron.  “My” computer is a six-year-old HP laptop.  It has automatically accomplished all the Windows Updates seamlessly.

One of the things PK had me do was update the 1909 Version of Windows that was on the computer experiencing update problems.  That was probably necessary in order to achieve success in the end.

My guess is that for a long time, there had been some sort of glitch with the Dell that had no observable problems until Windows tried the later updates.  The way Microsoft does it appears to stress everything.

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PKCano

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Try using Microsoft’s SetupDiag troubleshooter. It may help you find the problem.
Here is the MS page describing its use.

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