Windows 8.1 Update Error Code: 0x80240031

I got the download to finish finally, but, like every other user, I have no explanation for why.  I just clicked download for probably the twelfth time and it arbitrarily worked. 

The fact that Microsoft seems content to leave us with "keep trying and it might work" as the best course of action is pretty disappointing.  What's worse is that my download also failed to install once the computer rebooted.

I have never seen this level of incompetence from any other company before.  I couldn't even see the download without deleting some updates and reinstalling them, then the download continuously failed, and now it can't even boot when the download finally works. 

This is the update that's supposed to fix Windows 8?  It can't even begin to download or install itself correctly.   I don't even care if it installs at this point, I have no faith it will be any better.

Regarding an 8.1 ISO download, not sure where I found this link (possibly earlier in this thread or twitter?), but here are some instructions that claim to work for downloading an ISO (disclosure - I've not yet attempted to do this so I can't confirm this works):

http://www.cyberfreewishes.com/2/post/2013/10/how-to-download-official-windows-81-iso-without-opening-store.html?sh_link_click_pro#.UmSmdRBFor5

First, yes, it would be nice for us who are struggling how to download an ISO version. I hope the poster can reply.

Second, I'm going to start another thread. I've now got the download on my laptop. That was an original problem. But now it won't install.

That's the next problem:

Error: 0x8007025D - 0x2000C. There's very little explanation of these errors.

Microsoft professionals seem to be conspicuous by their absence to solve these problems.

If some Microsoft 'expert' replies about, re-booting, clean re-boot, scannow, store clean, dism, whatever!, I don't know what I'll be tempted to do.

For most of us we bought a service (Win 8) and now we want to take the update that's offered. Why should that be so hard? Somebody must know the answers.

Can I have Win 3.1 back please?

Regarding  your clean install and the persistence of the problem, make sure you have done all updates even on a clean install.  One of my two successes was after a clean Windows 8 install over a Windows 8.1 Preview Version.  Even with a clean install of Windows 8, I had to perform 73 Windows Updates on the clean version of Windows 8 before the download would begin and complete.  The update KB 2871389 was the last manual update I had to perform (it did not update from the automatic update links) and the download began from the Windows Store after it was installed.

Hey Everybody,

Just thought I should let you know that I managed to get it to work. I downloaded the ISO version and then installed from my desktop. Don't exactly know why it worked, must have been a connection issue but w/e. 

Very frustrating process

so... how do you download the iso version?