SOLVED Error 0x8e5e0408 but NOT in Windows Store

Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Regular update for Windows 10 (cumulative update). Gets 90% through then throws this error code. Does not clear up on retry.

How to clear it and get the update installed?

[BTW - the complexity of the fix for the Windows Store instance of this error is pretty amazing - surely there has to be a much easier way to fix THAT instance then what is published here (like registry editting, for example)...but that's simply an aside that doesn't address THIS instance of the error...I think]

Anyway, any help appreciated.
 

Regedit32

Moderator
Joined
Mar 4, 2016
Messages
3,617
Reaction score
1,139
Have you tried running the built in troubleshoot tool for Windows Update Service?
  • Press Windows key and S key together to give focus to Search box
  • In the search box type Troubleshooting then press Enter key
  • In the left pane of window that opens click View all
  • In the window that will take a moment to populate with trouble shoot tools, click Windows update

If that does not find or fix problem then:

  • Press Windows key and R key together to open Run dialog
  • In the Run dialog type msconfig then click OK
  • In the System Configuration window that opens select the Boot tab
  • Check the box next to Safe boot then click OK to restart computer.
  • When computer reboots to Safe Mode enter password to log in.
  • Next, open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows
  • In the Windows folder scroll down and right-click on the SoftwareDistribution folder and select rename
  • Enter SoftwareDistribution.bak for name then click OK
  • Close File Explorer
  • Press windows key and R key together to open Run dialog
  • In the Run dialog type msconfig then click OK
  • In the System Configuration window that opens select the Boot tab
  • Remove check next to Safe boot then click OK to reboot computer back to lockscreen/login page
  • Sign-in and run Windows Update again.

Regards,

Regedit32
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Thanks for the fast reply. Unfortunately, I tried both suggestions out but they did not work.

However, while trying to find out if there was any further information on why this update broke a week or so ago, I noticed the Event Log was filled with Error messages that were MUCH more numerous than usual (the massive update a month or so ago totally started Error events and more - things like lost network connectivity, lost Bluetooth, etc, etc ad nauseam).

Because of the sheer number of Error (and Warning) messages in the logs, I've decided to actually do what I had sworn to eventually do anyway but dreaded - complete wipe of this laptop and reinstall of Windows 10 Home and all three users and their environments as well as numerous nonMicrosoft pieces of software.

Anyway, thanks again for the help (attempt); it is always appreciated regardless result.

[The reason for my login ID on this very useful website rears its ugly head...]
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
So, okay, here's a summary followup to this problem.

As noted above, a Windows 10 (Home) system was getting an error but NOT in the Windows Store that was disallowing a standard cumulative update to be installed. There didn't seem to be any internet search hits on this particular problem (all hits had to do with Windows Store). I tried the above-suggested two methods, neither of which resolved the problem; still got the error. While pursuing the problem I saw the event logs were full of errors that suggested a simply failing OS so I decided to "reset" Windows 10 to get back to a supposedly-fresh copy that would fix these new errors as well as the update install error.

I saved minimal user files for three users of this machine on a backup disk, then reset Windows 10 with the "Don't save personal files" option.

During the process the new install asked for an email address of a Windows Account so I gave the one I use on both this and another machine, continuing the install (I now think =this= was a mistake, BTW - should have used a "local" account first even though Microsoft says the recommended account is online).

After installation completed I had the one account - strangely, the home folder of the account on the machine was named "C:\Users\parto" instead of "C:\Users\John Doe" as I was expecting and as I had prior to the Windows reset - the email address I'd given was "(e-mail address removed)" (fake for this post).

But the update that had been failing did indeed automatically install shortly thereafter.

============

But the Windows Store was gone and almost any app on the Start menu flashes a brief window then exits immediately. Using the lower-left search field for "store" turns up nothing interesting.

The event logs now have numerous app-like errors mentioning deep folder locations in, for example,, AppData.

============

This was supposed to be a painful reset of the operating system with a virgin WORKING system resulting.

It is not.

Essentially right after the reset, the Windows Store was broken. Since this doesn't necessarily make sense from a virgin-install POV, I have to believe Microsoft has "carried across" something broken from using a Microsoft Account install rather than a local install (that is, a 1st user with a Microsoft Account rather than a 1st user that does not have a Microsoft Account).

Yesterday was a total waste and today I'll redo the reset, this time telling the reset to remove all the personal files again but to instantiate a LOCAL account. I will then rebuild that local account with the saved personal files and see if the Windows Store has reappeared and is working.

[The reason for my login ID on this very useful website continues to rear its ugly head...when Microsoft switches over to a Linux-based OS I will breathe a long sigh of relief]
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2016
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
And a final followup followup...

The error noted in the original post Subject is long gone so I will be marking this problem "solved" even though nothing at all was solved, I simply threw out the old and got a new OS (and that for sure is not a "solution"!).

To end this particular set of problems I decided to create a Windows 10 Install DVD and use that for the next attempt at reset. The creation of that DVD was straight-forward so no more about that. When I ran the install off that DVD I chose to "install" over, not "repair", the current OS. The installation went smoothly and I chose to use a local user, not a Microsoft Account user, to finalize whatever needed finalizing.

When I got to the point of the installation where Windows says "Let's get started" (or something like that) it displayed a normal logged-in screen with the "John Doe" logged in AND the Store icon actually appearing in the tray where it belongs (Yay!). Checking out the event logs showed numerous error entries related mostly to apps that I've simply chosen to ignore; I assume most are due to the newness of the installation and will clear up (somewhat) after the installation has time to self-update.

One problem with the install was an incorrect timezone (Pacific) being defaulted to rather than my Eastern - there was no installation opportunity to change that timezone so I did it after all was said and done. One side effect of this were events in the event logs having bad timestamps and, with the Admin ones at least, thus being sorted incorrectly when displayed.

Anyway, considerable putzing around suggests this most-recent "reset" has created a healthier instantiation of the OS than has been on this laptop for quite some time. I tried out a few store apps, including installing the Reader app, and all worked as they should. I recreated one of the other two users of this laptop and restored all her documents and downloads from the backup expansion drive - that went smoothly and she is able to log in, etc. However, the event logs filled up with a gajillion app errors once again - not sure why (nor care at this point) but assume they will clear up eventually - maybe after a few more logins by that user. I have one more user to recreate and will do so as with the prior two - no Microsoft Account stuff at all (in fact, I have zero clue what the Microsoft Account stuff buys us; I believe none of us have ever used same for anything overt).

Oh...one anomaly...the "install" saves the old Windows in Windows.old. That old Windows had, of course, saved the PRIOR older Windows, too, during the broken first attempt at an in-place reset, so there were two files, one "Windows.old" the other "Windows.old.0". I was able to remove "Windows.old.0" (right click delete) but got an error while trying to remove "Windows.old" saying I had to get System's permission to do that. Right now I'm simply not willing to figure out how to do that so am just going to leave that large junk folder sitting there...
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Top