Windows 8.1 Update Error Code: 0x80240031

I haven't had any similar problems since making a breakthrough, completing the upgrade, and now (five months on) I can't remember what helped.  The guy who sold me my laptop had already done a complete install and upgrade, and he said it worked first go for him.

I think, but can't prove, that the original get-to-50%-and-crash might be related to my internet connection - very high speed cable, but with a serious ISP-induced DSN resolution problem.  I eventually made that problem go away.  A lot of things work better and faster now.

Because the network fixes were done after getting to 8.1, the only way to prove that the original problem was network-related would be to go back and reinstall Win8 from scratch and then repeat the upgrade process.  Given that my system is stable, that doesn't have a lot of appeal.

On balance, my guess is that the likely culprit is some combination of a bad network connection (ie: a local user problem), and poor ungraceful error recovery in the download process (ie: a Microsoft coding problem).  

What's completely culpable is the error message which is totally accurate, but doesn't tell you anything useful or helpful.

John

Me too having the same problem, when the download bar reaches to 50% error code 0x80240031 appears. I have already installed all the windows updates as on date.I tried Refreshing the OS but still I dont understand whats the exact problem?

1 I tried SFC /Scannow Command

2 i tried netsh winsock reset catalogcommand also

3 i tried refrehing windows too

any of the above didnt solve my issue.

I cannot get this to download!!

This is so annoying!! Its Oct 4,2014 and I still cannot download 8.1

Any suggestions??

this doesn't work for me, I have just bought a brand new laptop with Windows 8, I fully updated it, removed nortons, checked defender was off, disabled firewall, ran the netsh commands, and it still gets the same error code.  I also tried plugging it into wired LAN as I updated my desktop to Windows 8.1 with 0 issues over the LAN, worked first time, so I'm sure it's nothing to do with my connection.  I also disabled the power options so it's always on, no dimming of screen etc.

I have a year old laptop as well that hasn't even been able to be updated for a year or so, did that restart got to 15% and then reverted everytime you tried to update it, but today it finally updated so I could get the store link, and guess what, same friggin error trying to get to Win 8.1

this is ridiculous, this thread is nearly a year old and Microsoft still hasn't fixed it and they could save people having to download 3.5GB each time by providing a download link we can save to our desktop and keep trying until it works

update to this, the year old laptop has finally updated, took about 10 attempts @3.5GB per attempts, the new laptop is on about attempt 20 and still giving the same stupid error, the fact that one has finally updated rules out the Internet Connection

FIX THIS!!!!

Oh well I woke up the other morning and my laptop was in setup mode, I thought it had reset itself but after I went through everything it started in 8.1, weird it did it all by itself in the middle of the night like that, but I'm glad it's updated, added a restore point so I won't have to go through this again.