Windows 7 windows update broken after disk clone

OK, this is what I did to fix the problem. _silentium_inspired me to try to use the esent.dll from the hotfix.

This works for me to fix the errors from wuaueng.dll concerning edb.log with error -546 (EventId 412). Event source ESENT:

1. Install the KB982018 hotfix on another working machine with the same architecture (in my case x64). This provides the updated esent.dll.

2 On the computer with the fix installed, check the version number ofWindows\Sytem32\esent.dll and Windows\SysWOW64\esent.dll. It was 6.1.7600.16592 in my case.

3. On the computer with no fix installed, check the version number ofWindows\Sytem32\esent.dll and Windows\SysWOW64\esent.dll. It was 6.1.7600.16385 in my case.
4. On the broken computer takeover the ownership of Windows\Sytem32\esent.dll andWindows\SysWOW64\esent.dll.
5. Then change the access rights of the two files so you can rename it (e.g. Users all rights).
6. Rename both files to esent.dll.001
7. Copy the Windows\System32\ esent.dll fromthe computer with the applied update to the computer where the update cannot be applied. Both files must be replaced:Windows\Sytem32\esent.dll and Windows\SysWOW64\esent.dll.
8. Reboot.
9. Install the KB982018 hotfix. This should be possible now. Hurray!
10. Reboot.

Windows Update repaired!

I am having the same issue.  But with an added twist - Windows thinks it is no longer genuine.  It wants to activate and cannot.  I tried installing 982018 manually or through the installer doesn't work.

Misery loves company, @Tom6455. My symptoms and scenarios are similar to most of the earlier reports: clone to new drive (750GB) on Intel 32bit Lenovo laptop. Windows declared "ungenuine" AND Windows Update no longer works. After about 3 hours (two calls) with Microsoft, I was issued another license code and they installed it.

Have also used two of the clone tools described before: Acronis "Clone disc" and Easus Partition Manager Clone Disk Wizard. Each produced bootable but defective systems. One curiosity: chkdskwithin Easus produced some file errors that did not occur with chkdsk running within CMD on Windows (No/ F) nor standalone (with /F)

I too tried following a KB article on fixing Windows Update, to no avail -- KB982018 returns "Installer encountered n error 0xc8000247".

Oh, and I thought I'd be clever and manually install the JET patch on a Virtualbox VM (which has a different -- also valid -- license) -- IT is "non-genuine" now too!

Any hope this will get fixed without disassembling .MSUs - in the imminent(?) Win 7 SP1?

I haven't seen which format KB982018 is in but, it should be an .msu, which you can expand,  then take ownership of esent.dll and replace it as described inzowie_abc's post.

You will need to set esent.dll's Permissions to the same Perms of the copy of esent.dll that you are replacing.

It's Owner is TrustedInstaller (Full Control). Administrators, SYSTEM, and Users have Read & execute Perms.

Then install the Hotfix, KB982018.

Expand for .msu files works in both Vista and Windows 7. This KB article explains the commands used to expand an .msu despite it's apparent contradictory title -

You cannot extract the contents of a Microsoft Update Standalone Package for Windows Vista

Take Ownership of file

MowGreen

Windows Expert IT Pro - Consumer Security

*-343-* FDNY

NEVER FORGOTTEN

MowGreen - I hadn't thought to put the permissions back after following inzowie's instructions.  So I tried.  TrustedInstaller isn't a valid user on my system.

For what it's worth, I used Windows 7's very own back up and restore tools to migrate to this system to a 750GB drive.