Windows 8.1 installation error 0x80004005

Anonymous
2013-10-17T19:35:19+00:00

I tried to update my Win8 Pro via the Win8 Store and it downloaded, proceeded to Applying Changes > Gathering info > Preparing to restart

and than : error 0x80004005; install cancelled.

No explanation why it did not do the restart. I tried it several times because initially I started everything while continuing work in a desktop application. Than I tried it with a restart w/o desktop. Same result.

So I am stuck with Win8 until there is a solution that does not require a clean install where I have to re-install all my software again. No way...

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T12:35:57+00:00

    Just to finalize my experience:

    After 63 downloads and installation of Win8 updates the store finally showed the 8.1 upgrade. The whole process of downloading and installing to 8.1 took about 3 hours but now I am running 8.1

    For me setting the win8 partition to Active did the trick but I had to start from scratch.

    Now the long road of re-installing all my software again begins. At least I get rid of some accumulated clutter :-)

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T08:36:24+00:00

    Carrying on from my earlier entries.

    My system uses Win 8 and Win 7 Dual Boot.

    Both partitions are on the same disk.

    Win8 is the first partition on the drive and is the master boot partition, but I still had error code 0x80004005.

    I copied the Win8 partition to another disk and removed dual boot.

    I downloaded Win8.1 from scratch but still got the 0x80004005 error.

    I think I am going to give up on Win8.1 unless Microsoft can come up with a fix.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T07:00:43+00:00

    Same happened to me - 0x80004005 numerous times after downloading from the app store. I even tried to update from the original Win8.1 Installation disk, the same happened again! Something smells fishy here...

    In your post I found the first hint this could be related to RAID Operation? I have two Systems running Windows 8, one is RAIDed (RAID 0), the other not - but both use SSD disks. On the non-RAID System upgrade from the app store ran smooth, the RAID System crashed as explained. Could this be the Problem?

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T05:30:34+00:00

    But, despite all I have said above (and still might say) Once it is up and running, it is such a pleasureable environment for the next few years with all my systems (even the Samsung Smart TV) chatting away to each other...

    So, biting the bullit, this shall soon pass!

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T05:13:37+00:00

    Don't want to spoil your hopes but...

    • I have a PC which was originally clean installed in W8, no windows Old nor anything
    • I have an SSD (Old Intel 160GB) + HDD (1TB), tried to remove the HDD (as well as any other non-essential device) just in case, and no luck.
    • My PC has really nothing more than the strictly necessary for my work:
    • Windows Essentials 2012
    • VLC
    • Notepad++
    • Firefox
    • Visual Studio 2010 with Intel Fortran Compiler
    • Skydrive
    • Silverlight
    • Office 365 (through pro subscription)
    • Adobe Acrobat XI Standard
    • 7-zip
    • CPU-Z
    • McAfee VirusScan Enterprise

    And I keep getting that error, having tried so far everything that has been suggested here.

    If I get time I will try to update after a clean W8 install, just to see if it's HW related.

    The most frustrating being the fact that Microsoft provides no clear guidance for the error they provide...

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