1803 will not update, help needed!

[aarnav_dam]

Hey!

I have tried everything to get the update going :

1. Resetting the update software.
2. Media Creation Tools - also failed.

I only want to perform a fresh install as my last option. What are the other options i might have? This is really frustrating.

Laptop Alienware 17R4.

 

[Trouble]

First..... use the media creation tool to download the latest ISO (not to perform an in-place upgrade).
Save the ISO to a folder on your computer.
Then..... use the services console (services.msc) to stop the Windows Update Service as well as the Cryptographic Service.
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the contents, everything (you'll need to stop both services above in order to do this).
Then disconnect your machine from the network, even if you have to go into device manager and disable your network adapters.

Disconnect any peripheral devices, leaving only USB connected Keyboard, Mouse and of course your monitor.
Find the ISO you downloaded and saved above and double click it that will mount the ISO as a virtual drive.
Run Setup.exe from there

 

[aarnav_dam]

Thanks for taking your time to reply! Really appreciated.
I followed all the steps as you mentioned. It reached 81% then says the PC will restart in a few moments and then the pop-up windows 10 update has failed.

 

[hdhondt]

With Win10 updates I regularly find that just accepting Windows' own method of "install updates and shut down" does not work. In those instances the only way to install them is to go to Settings > Windows Updates and restart from there. I know it's happening again because "install updates and shut down" appears on repeated shut downs.

 

[Aputernut]

Did you try suspending all your anti virus, maleware etc. software for a period of time before you go for the update?

 

[Macs R We]

Thanks for taking your time to reply! Really appreciated.
I followed all the steps as you mentioned. It reached 81% then says the PC will restart in a few moments and then the pop-up windows 10 update has failed.

I had no end of grief trying to get around the 1803 installation. I suspect the system image the media creation tool was downloading (that had 1803 already in it) was faulty, to boot.

I finally beat the reaper by choosing the "one-language" variant of Windows 10 instead of the basic version -- that one installed all the way through with no hitches.

 

[aarnav_dam]

Did you try suspending all your anti virus, maleware etc. software for a period of time before you go for the update?

Yes i uninstalled it, still 8 failed attempts...

 

[aarnav_dam]

I had no end of grief trying to get around the 1803 installation. I suspect the system image the media creation tool was downloading (that had 1803 already in it) was faulty, to boot.

I finally beat the reaper by choosing the "one-language" variant of Windows 10 instead of the basic version -- that one installed all the way through with no hitches.

Could you elaborate on the solution. I still haven't had any success. 8 more failed attempts.

 

[Aputernut]

I did not say uninstall, suspend means temporarily turn off.. if all else fails do a restore to an earlier date before the update then after turning off anything that may interfer with the update, try once again to get the update.

 

[Raymond VanDervort]

First..... use the media creation tool to download the latest ISO (not to perform an in-place upgrade).
Save the ISO to a folder on your computer.
Then..... use the services console (services.msc) to stop the Windows Update Service as well as the Cryptographic Service.
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the contents, everything (you'll need to stop both services above in order to do this).
Then disconnect your machine from the network, even if you have to go into device manager and disable your network adapters.

Disconnect any peripheral devices, leaving only USB connected Keyboard, Mouse and of course your monitor.
Find the ISO you downloaded and saved above and double click it that will mount the ISO as a virtual drive.
Run Setup.exe from there

I had various updates fail in total sequence one after the other for over a month on the insider track with no option worked, nor did Microsoft offer an answer. THIS WORKED::::: take ALL protections in settings of, from hardware to bios firewall, etc. every single one, then allow an update to attempt to succeed. Then once suceeding, put normal protections in play.

 

[Macs R We]

Could you elaborate on the solution. I still haven't had any success. 8 more failed attempts.

I'm sorry, I never got notified this question was asked; I don't come here often and came today to research another problem.

When you are using the tool to the create the ISO file, you get asked what version of Windows 10 you want to put in the image. Instead of taking the obvious default version, dig a little and choose the much less popular but equivalent version that has "single language support only" or some such description. That one installed for me when the default version (with this upgrade in it) failed every time.

I assume this particular problem is long ago overcome. But maybe this trick will help a future someone get around a similar problem with the notoriously fragile Windows update mechanism.