Can't do any Windows 8 update (error code 800F081F)

Anonymous
2012-10-27T09:23:06+00:00

I just update my Windows 7 laptop to windows 8 pro and found that I couldn't install any update due to this error 800F081F. It seems that MS had a solution, "System Update Readiness Tool", for all other windows version from vista to server 2008; but anyone know any solution for windows 8?

Some attemps I did:

I've tried troubleshooting to fix Windows update automatically but it doesn't help (Funny thing is that when troubleshooting has complete it actually tells me "Potential Windows Update Database error detected 0x800f081f -- fixed");

I've tried a MS tool called "Fix it" but the problem is still there;

I even uninstalled my anti-virus software and use Windows Defender instead; I also tried to restart Windows Update services several times.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

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Anonymous
2012-11-19T01:36:18+00:00

Just wanted to share with anyone else who was having this issue what it was that I did to resolve it. First off some quick background, this is a brand new HP laptop so was no update over windows 7.

I first had issue updating due to a device issue with an installed HP codec that conflicted with a Windows Codec update, I resolved that and manually updated that single update. Then Windows update failed again. I tried doing the DSIM w/ Restorehealth option as suggested previously in this post, but to no avail.

Some more research led me to the following folder "C:\Windows\servicing\Packages" in this folder I did a quick search for some of the failing updates KB numbers.. (KB2727528 for example) and sure enough found the following...

Package_for_KB2727528~<blahblah>~6.2.1.0 cat and mum files

Package_1_for_KB2727528~<blahblah>~6.2.1.0 cat and mum files

Package_for_KB2727528_RTM~<blahblah>~6.2.1.0 cat and mum files

Using the following command (note that trying to remove the _1_ or _RTM results in a package not found!):

dism /online /NoRestart /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB2727528~<blahblah>~6.2.1.0

and recieved a 100% package removed! No way! Installed just that update and booyaah success, restarting it seemed to stall at 15% but then kept going after a few mins and success.

I then wrote out a batch file to execute the above command for any found package namefor anything that had a KB code in the the Windows Update list and viola all were removed. Windows update then completed successfully!

As my wife pointed out.. what do people who don't know computers/software as well as me do, and I told her they probably take them back for a refund, and she replied this is why people use Macs LOL! Probably true. I hope this helps someone else.

After 20+ years you'd think MS would've finally stopped releasing broken Windows software *sigh*

Doc.

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  1. Anonymous
    2012-11-18T21:50:11+00:00

    The updates that were failing have been discovered to be for the RT version of Windows 8.  I have a desktop without a touch screen but a Wacom tablet hooked up. Maybe the tablet drivers are causing the o.s. to think I have a touch screen. Go figure. Microsoft support suggested I just hide updates related to the RT version. One other weird thing that hasn't been solved is while in Photoshop using the touch ring to decrease the brush size, the start screen launches. Go figure again. Still trying to resolve that and waiting on Microsoft for an answer.

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  2. Anonymous
    2012-11-18T21:34:27+00:00

    Refresh does indeed solve the problem...for awhile. Microsoft just released new updates yesterday and (surprise, surprise) now the new updates are failing. I'm sorry, but Microsoft is just releasing ****. It is no wonder Apple is gaining significant ground in the laptop/desktop market. At least Apple's products work. Waste of my time and Microsoft is literally no help whatsoever. Simply unacceptable!

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  3. Anonymous
    2012-11-16T12:29:19+00:00

    I just performed a Refresh too, this did indeed solve the problem with updates failing to install.

    Next will try to install Media Center... Hope this works as well.  I'll let you all know how it goes!

    (:

    Fudai

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  4. Anonymous
    2012-11-15T22:40:16+00:00

    I'm equally disappointed. Win 8 has some great features to it and I was really excited to be able to link my Xbox, phone and PC. But... I spent the day today reverting to Windows 7. My laptop is only 18 months old, but the graphics card was rendered almost ineffective by Win 8, and so I couldn't play one of my favourite games (because the new driver was OpenCL and some of my games require OpenGL.)

    I will just wait until I get my next laptop to go to Win 8. Unfortunately, that's going to be at least 2 years, consider my laptop is less than two years old now.

    Very, very disappointed in the whole experience, and now I have to listen to the snickers of my friends who told me not to do the upgrade to begin with because they thought Windows 8 was going to be a load of ####.

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