Windows 8 updates won't install

Hi Everyone,

Sorry to hear I am not the only one suffering with update issues on Windows 8. I wasted far too many hours following the suggestions on this forum but to no avail.

Finally, solved this issue by performing a Windows 8 PC refresh. Slide your mouse down (or swipe from) the left hand desktop edge to access the 'Settings' charm; click 'Change PC settings' (bottom option); select the 'General' heading under 'PC settings', scroll down and click the 'Get started' button under the 'Refresh your PC without affecting your files' heading.

NB This option will uninstall all you 'old' windows style applications (which you will need to re-install manually afterwards) but it does preserve all your user files and settings.

After performing this procedure I was able to install all current Windows 8 updates from the Windows Update console. Now I just need to re-install all my old Windows applications and hopefully that will be me sorted.

Best Regards & Good Luck,

Dr Nick

PS I am not sure why the Windows support guys on this forum haven't suggested this option as it's far easier than messing around with boot options and it actually resolves the issue!

OK, an update. I figured it out. Guess you have to have a degree in computing science or something to run Windows 8. Shutting down non-MS services alone did NOTHING, however I figured out a way to install the updates that WILL install anyway. Go into Control Panel, System and Security, Windows Update, and UNCHECK them all. Then check each one by one and install them all manually one at a time. I've also changed the update preferences to inform me when there's new ones, not just try to automatically download & install them. I had 9 "important" updates that would not install before, now 8 of them are done and I weeded out the bad one: Update for Windows 8 for x64-based Systems (KB2770917). I've read in other threads that I may have to uninstall & reinstall BOTH my video and audio drivers to stop this one from getting hung up. I think I'm going to start a movement to keep Windows XP alive, petitions, Facebook page, the whole deal. I don't like how 7 is antisocial to XP (can't access my 3 DELL PCs on my home network with a laptop with 7, my friend has one), I absolutely HATE 8 with this dumb "app" foolishness and it's troublesome updating, and let's face it, Vista is just like ME, a mistake that MS would probably like to sweep under the rug and forget about. Thanks to everyone here for your help.

msconfig.exe cleared it right up for me...i had windows 8 64-bit updates (forgot to take notes on serial no's but were released 08 Dec 2012) and this cleared it right up.  much simpler than i thought it would be - thanks!!

Thanks for the reply. However in my previous attempts, by stopping all non MS services would that not have also stopped the Nalpeiron Licensing Service?

The update that will not install for me is KB2756872. I don't know if it makes any difference though. I will try the suggestion of only stopping the Nalpeiron Licensing Service by its self. At this point I don't have much faith in it but one never knows until one try's. The MS tech's couldn't make it work. I will have tried this before their second level support calls me back this morning. Either it will work or it won't and I will give them more "what I have tried" info. Unless I can tell them I found the answer online. :)

I confirm that Nalpeiron Licensing Service is the culprit for the KB2770917 Windows update installation failure.

You don't need to stop all services (as mentioned before). Just stop the Nalpeiron Licensing Service.

The amended recipee:

1. Hit windows key + R to open Run command.
2. Type in msconfig.exe and hit enter
3. go to the Services tab on the top
4. Uncheck the "Nalpeiron Licensing Service (Nalpeiron Ltd.)
5. Click Apply
6. Restart the computer
7. Install the KB2770917 update

You can optionally restart the Nalpeiron Licensing Service (what is this stuff anyway?) afterwards.