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

Incidentally, my start screen does show the new power button and magnifying glass - so am I updated or not?  The update always tells me it's failed and keeps trying.

That's why I ask about diagnostics.  It sounds like you're almost there but something is missing.  So what is it? 

Look at the DISM warning and error messages in this post.  I'm not sure which DISM command it was supposed to be associated with.  It says  "Operation: Detect only"  so I would guess that may mean it was only a ScanHealth or AnalyzeComponentStore?

http://www.eightforums.com/windows-updates-activation/45441-update-kb2919355-finally-successful-after-multiple-fails.html

However, doing more speculation about those modules being listed as "corrupt" makes me wonder if they could have been "customized" by an OEM?  If so, I imagine that could explain the symptom.  Then I think I would try to do something about avoiding that, going so far as, if necessary, disabling Touch support, although hopefully there would be something much less invasive (perhaps using W8.0 level /source:? ) that could accomplish the same objective.

HTH

Robert

Good luck NH905.  I have done chats and Remote Desktop sessions with both level 1 and level 2 MS support staff.  They were all very kind people but they had no idea how to fix the issue.  They kept trying everything that we already have.

My last try will be to backup my files, do a factory reset on my Lenovo laptop which will bring me to Win 8.0, do the updates and upgrade to 8.1.  If it goes OK, reinstall all the software and copy my files.  If it does not work, I'll probably get a MacBook Air!

spent 3 days trying to sort this out and have got nowwhere,  have tried various fixes found on forums sorting dism out installing,  cleaning up windowws updates etc,  making system reserved bigger etc no luck,  i'm so fed up now i am disabling windows updates as i can not wait 20mins for shutdown while it installs the update,  and 20mins for boot up while it undoes the changes.

no error messages in event logs etc. 

yet another microsoft screw up, while installing updates,  so glad we have not rolled out Win8.1 to the organisation.

Even if I had Win 8.1 install media, it was not clear from the last call with Microsoft Support whether I would run into conflicts between the upgrade software and the upgraded OEM Windows 8 install, or whether the retail product key would overwrite the OEM key. 

What about 8.0 install media as /source:  and no /limitaccess?   Would that be enough to let your key be recognized and still get your free updates?   I.e.  with no /limitaccess supposedly WU would find the right stuff to give you instead of the old stuff that you were pointing to.   <eg>

Just got an email from Microsoft. They are collecting system data to try and fix this issue. Here's the email:

Dear Greg,

We have identified a diagnostic package that may help us to resolve your issue more quickly. This diagnostic package will gather information from the systems you choose, and check for certain known problems. After the diagnostic has run you will have an opportunity to view the resulting report, and can elect to upload the collected information to Microsoft.

From a computer that is connected to the Internet:

1. Click on the link below.

http://support.microsoft.com/sdp/0B1B55AB33323336373730373232ED

2. Click on the Run button (recommended) to start the diagnostic process.
3. Follow the onscreen instructions to run the diagnostic on this computer, or on a different computer.

Please note that you can submit diagnostics results back to Microsoft 5 time(s) until: 2014-05-28.

For frequently asked questions about diagnostic data collection and uploading tools click the link below:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2598970