Windows 8.1 Update Error Code: 0x80240031

Carol, try Richard's suggestion.

Failing which, do like I did, find someone who has an ISO install file (such as those downloadable from MSDN). Use the Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool to ceate a bootable USB stick. You will need to use MSDN key for the install. Afterward you can then change back to your own legitimate key.

How legal this is I don't know, but I don't care. The method Microsoft chose to implement the delivery of this upgrade was flawed from the get go. The search engines and Microsoft community pages reflect hundreds, if not thousands, who have expereienced the same issue.

I am getting error code 0x80240031 during download of Windows 8.1 for 50% of Downloading. Can anybody help me fix this?

Fixed! By re-creating the SoftwareDistribution folder.

I had the same 0x80240031  and 50% issue multiple times on an Acer OEM Windows 8.0 laptop when trying to do a Windows Store upgrade to 8.1.

I tried a lot of suggestions but nothing worked. (Including downloading the ISO and editing ei.cfg, OOBE registry entries, using generic keys, etc etc. These worked for Retail 8.0 upgrades, but not OEM).

Also tried flushing the update cache and using wsreset.exe to reset the Windows store - did not work.

Finally got hold of a MS Australia tech support guy, "Neil A", who suggested renaming the folder c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution to something else (e.g. SoftwareDistribution.old) then creating a new one. (You might have to stop and start the windows update service before and after, e.g. "net stop wuauserv" and then "net start wuauserv" )

I retried the download from the Store and it got to 50% and then went through to complete ok. This was after 9 failures.

After a heap of frustration, inability to update from the laptop's supplied 8.0 OEM build, and a few weeks of downtime, the magic spell in Bryan1000's 19 Oct 2013 post fixed the problem for me*.   Thank you, thank you!

* or if it wasn't that, I can't tell the difference.  Before:  many failed attempts.  After: worked first go.  :-)

I ran the windows update trouble shooter.