Windows 7 fails to configure updates "reverting changes"

Anonymous
2010-10-02T15:48:06+00:00

Hi

I keep getting this message after Windows trys to install updates at startup....."failure configuring windows updates reverting changes"

  1. After I get this message I do boot correctly into Windows and my system runs ok.
  2. Windows 7 ...64 bit ....latest service packs installed.

3.This was an upgrade from Vista 64 bit ..but has been running fine since 8-2010 when I installed Win7

  1. I've run sfc/scannow and it reports everything is ok

Any ideas ?

Thanks in advance

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2010-10-03T09:02:41+00:00

Hi,

As a first step of troubleshooting, I would suggest you to check the updates history to see if there are any updates that have a failed status and let me know the description of those updates.

Step 1: Check the update history

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/See-which-Windows-updates-are-installed

Let me know if the description of the updates that have failed status.

Step 2: Manually try installing the updates from Microsoft Download Center

a.    Go to the Microsoft download website, type the "KB" number of the update into the download search box, and then click Go.

b.    In the list of search results, click the Knowledge Base (KB) article link to go to the download page. If there's more than one listing, look for a link that goes to the Microsoft Download Center.

c.    If there are multiple versions on the download page, find the appropriate one for your computer. Click the Download button, and save the update to your desktop.

d.    When prompted, click   Open to install the update.

Step 3: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Open-the-Windows-Update-troubleshooter

Step 4: The update is not installed successfully, you receive a message, and the computer restarts when you try to install an update in Windows Vista and Windows 7

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358

Regards,

Gaurav Prakash - Microsoft Support

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Anonymous
2010-10-04T06:00:06+00:00

Thanks that worked for me although I did not need to go to the Microsoft download website.  I checked the update history and there were a few that had failed to update.  It said there that there were updates waited to be downloaded so I clicked on that and then selected the updates clicked down the bottom. I think it may have said next or download now.  It took me back to the update page where I selected to update.  That fixed the problem.  I did them one at a time incase there was a particular one that was causing problems but they all updated fine and my computer restarted normally

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-10-24T08:32:33+00:00

    The latest srvice update fails consistently to install.

    2017-10 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB4041681).

    How do I get this to stop as it's making switch on and off take too long

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-05-14T15:51:42+00:00

    Apparently MORE than 10 hours is sometimes required.  The changes were reverted and the system came up this morning. I turned off Windows Update and will begin reviewing the uninstalled updates -- or upgrade to Windows 10 and bypass the updates on Windows 7 Pro.  Should be interesting.

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-05-13T23:37:02+00:00

    You have to be very very patience for reverting changes to occur...it could take more than an hour or possibly two hours but eventually it will work.....as long as you have the screen that says "reverting changes" it is working the issue and will eventually finish. Then slowly go back and try to do just a few windows updates at a time. Good Luck !

    So is it normal for the "reverting changes" to run for over 10 hours and still keep running?

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