Error: We couldn’t complete the updates, Undoing changes. Don’t turn off your computer.

Anonymous
2014-05-14T19:34:39+00:00

This error may appear anytime a Windows Update fails. To investigate possible solutions, we need to start with the specific error code.

We can do this by viewing your update history.

  1. Swipe in from the right edge of the screen (or, if you're using a mouse, pointing to the lower-right corner of the screen and moving the mouse pointer up), and tap or click Settings.
  2. Tap or click Change PC settings, and then Update and recovery.
  3. Tap or click View your update history.

View failed update error code.

Please post here with your error code, so that the Community can try to help guide you appropriately.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

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  1. Anonymous
    2015-03-02T16:53:19+00:00

    @alt1231, do you know what update is causing the problem?   It can be tedious watching Windows Update - a few times I have recorded the screen using a camera with video capabilities so I could actually see what was going on.  Also, it is hard to provide any suggestions without knowing your version of Windows.   For Windows 8.1, did it come pre-installed or did you upgraded from Windows 8?

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  2. Anonymous
    2015-03-02T17:34:49+00:00

    @Robert Aldwinckle on forums, have you considered submitted your code to Microsoft for inclusion into a FixIt that interprets the results and corrects any dism.exe problems?  A lot of people do not have the expertise to deal with this level of problem determination

    I just tried the command.  Step-by-step:

    For the record, here is what I got:

    PS E:\Norbert\Downloads> cd c:\windows

    PS C:\windows> LS -Re -Fi dism.exe | sort LastWriteTime | ft Length, FullName -AutoSize

    LS : Access to the path 'C:\windows\System32\LogFiles\WMI\RtBackup' is denied.

    At line:1 char:1

    • LS -Re -Fi dism.exe | sort LastWriteTime | ft Length, FullName -AutoSize 
    •

        + CategoryInfo          : PermissionDenied: (C:\windows\Syst...es\WMI\RtBa

       ckup:String) [Get-ChildItem], UnauthorizedAccessException

        + FullyQualifiedErrorId : DirUnauthorizedAccessError,Microsoft.PowerShell.

       Commands.GetChildItemCommand

    Length FullName

    211968 C:\windows\SysWOW64\Dism.exe

    211968 C:\windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf38...

    275456 C:\windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf...

    275456 C:\windows\System32\Dism.exe

     25734 C:\windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf...

     20293 C:\windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf38...

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  3. Anonymous
    2015-03-02T20:03:40+00:00

    For the record, here is what I got:

    Length FullName

    211968 C:\windows\SysWOW64\Dism.exe

    211968 C:\windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf38...

    275456 C:\windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf...

    275456 C:\windows\System32\Dism.exe

     25734 C:\windows\WinSxS\amd64_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf...

     20293 C:\windows\WinSxS\x86_microsoft-windows-d..ervicing-management_31bf38...

    So the implication is that what you have installed for 32-bit dism is 211968 and that probably corresponds to whatever version the FullName gave you.  (I forgot to re-mention that even though I use -AutoSize to try to show the full path of the FullName--in order to show the version information they imply--you need to make your window wide enough to let that full path show.)  Ditto for the 64-bit version.

    However, I just remembered that we recently found a simpler method of getting a lot of the information that we want to have from that--use  fsutil hardlink.   We don't even need to specify PowerShell for this and the syntax is easier but you still need to do it as an Administrator.  So here would be the syntax for that.

    fsutil  hardlink  list  "C:\Windows\System32\dism.exe"<br><br><br><br><br><br>fsutil  hardlink  list  "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\dism.exe"

    Unfortunately that doesn't show the length.  So for example, it would not have been as helpful for making us notice that the 32-bit version of  DISM  had somehow been put in the other poster's System32 directory but since it is easier and at least shows what WinSxS file is linked to the system file it is probably better.

    FYI

    Robert

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  4. Anonymous
    2015-03-03T00:41:41+00:00

    I can only copy one line at a time. I cannot find a way to copy the whole list, but here is the top one: 

    Security Update for Internet Explorer Flash Player for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB3021953)

    Installation date: ‎3/‎2/‎2015 12:50 AM

    Installation status: Failed

    Error details: Code 80073712

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  5. Anonymous
    2015-03-03T01:02:33+00:00

    these updates cannot be installed: 

    Security Update for Internet Explorer Flash Player for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB3021953)

    Download size: 17.7 MB

    Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB3000850)

    Download size: 723.9 MB

    Update for Windows 8.1 for x64-based Systems (KB3008242)

    Download size: 230 KB

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