Issue with installing updates on Windows 8.1.

This is as far as I've got, to no avail, The update still fails.

I removed all Windows updates back to the end of Feb 2014

Then I did:

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

Reboot

sfc /scannow

Reboot

net stop wuauserv

rmdir /s /q C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

rmdir /s /q C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

net start wuauserv

Reboot

(dism and sfc were both happy, no errors reported)

However, the update diagnostic now tells me:

InformationalSFC Output 

Output: There is a system repair pending which requires reboot to complete. Restart Windows and run sfc again. 

But when I do this and run sfc it tells me there are no problems.

I am sick and tired of trying to fix this problem.

Anyone got any other ideas? I really don't want to have to reformat my system disk and start from scratch.

Hi,

Follow the steps from these methods and check if it helps:

Method 1:

Try renaming Software Distribution folder in C:\Windows folder and check if the issue persists.

a. Press Windows Key + X key and click Command Prompt (Admin).

b. Stop the BITS service and the Windows Update service. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

c. Go to Start screen and click on Windows Explorer.

d. Go to the location: C:\Windows

e. Rename the folder: Software Distribution to Software Distribution.old.

f. Restart the BITS service and the Windows Update service. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press ENTER after you type each command.

net start bits

net start wuauserv

g. Restart the computer and check for updates and check if the issue persists.

Method 2:

Rename the Windows Update Softwaredistribution folder

That is what I got when searched around for error 0x80248015

This problem may occur if the Windows Update, Software distribution folder has been corrupted.

We can refer to the following steps to rename this folder.

Please note that the folder will be re-created the next time we visit the Windows Update site.

a. Close all the open windows.

b. Click the "Start" Button, click "All programs", and click "Accessories".

c. Right-click "Command Prompt" and click "Run as administrator".

d. In "Administrator: Command Prompt" window, type in " net stop WuAuServ " (without the quotes) and press Enter.

Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was successfully stopped before we try to rename the folder.

e. Click the "Start" Button, in the "Start Search" box, type in " %windir% " (without the quotes) and press Enter.

f. In the opened folder, look for the folder named "SoftwareDistribution".

g. Right-click on the folder, select "Rename" and type " Sdold " (without the quotes) to rename this folder.

h. Still in "Administrator: Command Prompt" window, type the command " net start WuAuServ " (without the quotes) in the opened window to restart the Windows Updates service.

Note: Please look at the cmd window and make sure it says that it was successfully started.

Note: If the issue is resolved and you can successfully download and install updates, you can safely delete the SoftwareDistribution.old directory to recover disk space.

Hope the information is helpful.

Hi John

Thanks for trying to help, I really appreciate it, but I've done all that and it makes no difference.

Here's what I've tried so far:

Remove all USB devices except keyboard & mouse

Disable all startup processes except Microsoft's

Uninstall all protection software (Spybot, System Mechanic, BitDefender, WinPatrol etc)

Created & run the following batch files:

net stop wuauserv

rmdir /s /q C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

rmdir /s /q C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

net start wuauserv

pause

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

net stop appidsvc

net stop cryptsvc

Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"

Ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak

Ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

cd /d %windir%\system32

regsvr32.exe atl.dll

regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll

regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll

regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll

regsvr32.exe browseui.dll

regsvr32.exe jscript.dll

regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll

regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll

regsvr32.exe msxml.dll

regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll

regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll

regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe softpub.dll

regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll

regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll

regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll

regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll

regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll

regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll

regsvr32.exe ole32.dll

regsvr32.exe shell32.dll

regsvr32.exe initpki.dll

regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll

regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll

regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll

regsvr32.exe wups.dll

regsvr32.exe wups2.dll

regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll

regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll

regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll

regsvr32.exe muweb.dll

regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll

netsh winsock reset

netsh winhttp reset proxy

net start bits

net start wuauserv

net start appidsvc

net start cryptsvc

pause

dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB2919355~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.14

pause

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

pause

(I put a pause at the end of each so I can review the results)

Some updates installed after all that, but not the infamous and necessary KB2919355. 

I've run sfc /scannow plenty of times and it reports no problems. Dism runs OK and again reports no problems.

So I've given up and reinstalled all my software. Unless anyone comes up with something I've not tried I'll just have to wait for MS to sort out this debacle, or Windows 8.2 comes along (better still Windows 9). But I am now seriously considering a Unix-based OS instead - I can do without this aggravation.