Windows 8.1 installation error 0x80004005

I'm pro-Microsoft but this upgrade is just too much effort / complexity / annoyance for too little benefit. 

Best wishes

John

Hi Gestam!

I dont think it is anything as complicated as that!  Me thinks it is purely bad service and planning (Lack of-)

They have never been  famous for service although I have had a few surprises in period from when I first saw "MICROSOFT" on the screen of a Radio Shack Model 100 (±1980)

This too will blow over!

Regards

Erich in Cape Town

BTW: Wondered the story behind "vinegar15"'s name? My dad made Grape (and other) Vinegars all his life!

I want to thank you all for the provided solutions. Unfortunately nothing helped me.

Facts:

1. I had purchsased Windows 8 before January 31st, upgrading Windows XP in a Microsoft's special promotion offer (29.90 euros).
2. I installed on Samsung SSD 128GB and almost all my installed programs worked fine.

I tried EVERYTHING posted here and more "solutions" found elsewhere. I tried to install Windows 8.1 more than ten times. Nothing helped.

A friend purchased Windows 8 after the offer about 100 euros and installed on a Seagate hard disk (Barracuda 1TB). Then he installed other programs.

My friend upgraded without problems.

I conclude: Two things may be true.

1. Microsoft regretted selling cheap till January and tries to make us buy the new Windows 8.1  (and reinstall everything)
2. Microsoft cannot handle SSD special features and installations on SSD fail.

Microsoft cannot explain to us what does this 0x80004005 mean. OK but who made this error message if not somebody from Microsoft programmers team? Someone else? Can we have his name and e-mail address please so we can ask him?

I have purchased a lot of Microsoft programs during last 15 years so I think I deserve a better support but I was disappointed. I will not buy Windows 8.1.

I did 2 of my machines through "The Store" and they retained ± everything they had on them.

My other "Working" PC refused to upgrade any of all the suggested ways to do it and I ended up installing a raw 8.0, upgraded it with a SPK Key (as the upgrade refuses to work with your valid key and then changed the key to the valid ket once I was up in 8.1.

But I had to install everything I had functional and non "The Store" onto the system again.

UAC is still a **** IF you want to use any of the Store programs (they dont run without UAC) but they are a lot of weird (need to get used to) programs anyway so I have UAC switched off in the registry.

Good luck!

My general advice to all is : If it upgrade first shot - Great, if not, don't waste time, stay on 8 or 7.

Hello friend

You wrote:

-Refreshing Windows 8 from its ISO disc (and consequently losing all my programs and apps) prior to update to 8.1 through the Store.

You lost only the programs and apps downaded through the Store

or all your installed programs and apps (Office, Firefox, Winzip etc.)  ?

Thanks