"Couldn't update to Windows 8.1 - 0xC1900101 - 0x40017"

Anonymous
2013-10-17T13:29:23+00:00

I have downloaded the Windows 8.1 update from the store but cannot get it to install. Each time I try, I get to the point where it is "getting my devices ready", then the PC restarts to a blue screen with error message. It then tries to recover the installation, fails, then restores Windows 8. When the system boots up after this, I get a message saying:

"Couldn't update to Windows 8.1

Sorry, we couldn't complete the update to Windows 8.1. We've restored your previous version of Windows to this PC.

0xC1900101 - 0x40017"

There is n o explanation as to why the update could be completed. Any ideas how to resolve this?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-23T09:42:18+00:00

    I somehow doubt Microsoft are skilled enough to execute such a dastardly plan. It's probably more just poor luck and poor QA that has left us all stranded (I'm in the same boat as you - cheap upgrade - now no luck upgrading to 8.1 after 4 attempts).

    Luckily... I'm writing this on my imac that updated beautifully to osx mavericks today without a hitch. If Win 8 hadn't forced me to buy a mac I'd be really pissed at the **** upgrade to 8.1 fiasco.

    MS will eventually figure it out but until they do they'll keep people guessing and let them try to install to no avail.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-23T09:36:12+00:00

    I took that cheap upgrade path. This 40017 error is killing me. Tried 10 times to install. Did all mentioned here, and some things took me further but in the and windows 8.1 update failed. I did noticed one thing. During updating devices part it stops at 96%, and at same moment my USB mouse turns on. So this could mean some USB problem. Also there is new intel drivers update so will try one more time today. My platform is: ASUS rampage IV formula with ATI 5850 card and samsung 470 128GB SSD.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-23T09:05:56+00:00

    Yeh, I got the cheap 8 upgrade from 7, is it *really* that which is broken? Surely not everyone here took that path?

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-23T08:41:41+00:00

    This problem 0xc1900101 -0x20017 is caused when you purchased this cheap upgrade 

    from windows 7 to windows 8  some time ago. I installed this upgrade on a pre-installed

    windows 8 laptop and it works without a problem!However on my own laptop (installed with

    this cheap windows 7 to windows 8 upgrade)i tried it 6 times and it still does not work!

    Somehow MS wants you to buy the full version of windows 8 before upgrading to 8.1.....

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  5. Anonymous
    2013-10-23T07:21:37+00:00

    After trying multiple times and always ending up with the error, even after I updated all my apps and nVidia drivers, my fix was simple!

    - Remove Steelseries drivers (I was using a mouse by them)

    Worked fine after removing this, no problems at all with the update.

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