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. 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 . Tap or click Change PC settings , and then Update and recovery . 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.

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

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" 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

@ 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: open an Admin command shell ( http://www.howtogeek.com/194041/how-to-open-the-command-prompt-as-administrator-in-windows-8.1/ ) type powershell make sure you are in c:\windows paste Robert's command into the window ( LS -Re -Fi dism.exe | sort LastWriteTime | ft Length, FullName -AutoSize ) 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...

@ 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?

The error codes I was asked to copy for comment have never been in a cmd window. So I do not need to copy from the cmd black box. Then it would have been helpful if you had pointed out my error then instead of implying that you didn't know what I meant. Why is this so difficult and why do people trying to answer here seem so intent on cryptic (and subtly critical) partial clues, instead of straight-forward answers? Because often there are no straight-forward answers, because hints and tips often suffice, and because this is supposed to be a community of peers helping each other. If you want more complete one-on-one help you can call Microsoft but they may ask you to pay for it. BTW I still think it would help if you would try that PowerShell pipeline I mentioned (or the pseudo /version command in the link I gave) because last week someone actually did have another instance of the problem that was found in that thread . For your convenience here it is again PS C:\Windows> **LS -Re -Fi dism.exe sort LastWriteTime ft Length, FullName -AutoSize** Note that you need to do this from an elevated PowerShell window (aka Administrator Windows PowerShell) and you need to navigate to that directory level. However, if you would like you could alternatively start at the root. The point is that the recursion needs to be started at least at the Windows level. And then, if you do do that you will need to know how to capture output from a shell command window. <eg> FYI Robert

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

Anonymous

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.

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.
Tap or click Change PC settings, and then Update and recovery.
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.

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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998 answers

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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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" 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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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:
- open an Admin command shell (http://www.howtogeek.com/194041/how-to-open-the-command-prompt-as-administrator-in-windows-8.1/)
- type powershell
- make sure you are in c:\windows
- paste Robert's command into the window (LS -Re -Fi dism.exe | sort LastWriteTime | ft Length, FullName -AutoSize)
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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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?
Was this answer helpful?

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Anonymous

2015-03-02T16:03:39+00:00

The error codes I was asked to copy for comment have never been in a cmd window. So I do not need to copy from the cmd black box.

Then it would have been helpful if you had pointed out my error then instead of implying that you didn't know what I meant.

Why is this so difficult and why do people trying to answer here seem so intent on cryptic (and subtly critical) partial clues, instead of straight-forward answers?

Because often there are no straight-forward answers, because hints and tips often suffice, and because this is supposed to be a community of peers helping each other. If you want more complete one-on-one help you can call Microsoft but they may ask you to pay for it.

BTW I still think it would help if you would try that PowerShell pipeline I mentioned (or the pseudo /version command in the link I gave) because last week someone actually did have another instance of the problem that was found in that thread.

For your convenience here it is again

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

Note that you need to do this from an elevated PowerShell window (aka Administrator Windows PowerShell) and you need to navigate to that directory level. However, if you would like you could alternatively start at the root. The point is that the recursion needs to be started at least at the Windows level.

And then, if you do do that you will need to know how to capture output from a shell command window. <eg>

FYI

Robert
Was this answer helpful?

0 comments No comments