Error 0xC1900101 – 0x40017 when installing Windows 8.1

Anonymous
2013-10-24T00:28:08+00:00

Hello everyone,

We would like to thank all those who have helped us to collect data by sending us logs.  The cause for error 0xC1900101 – 0x40017 is known to be faulty drivers, however it can be difficult to identify exactly which drivers are creating the error.

Note: Please double-check the error code before reading further.  There are many variations of error 0xC1900101, each with a different location code -- the error extension, located after the dash.  The information in this thread is intended only for location code 0x40017.  If you are receiving a different location code, these steps are unlikely to resolve your issue.

There have been reports of a USB driver causing this error.  Until a specific USB driver can be determined as a root cause, if you receive this error, we recommend you unplug all USB devices (other than your mouse and keyboard) as a troubleshooting step and try the upgrade again.  If the upgrade is then successful, you can plug the devices back in and they should function normally.

We have identified a few drivers associated with the following hardware or software that could be causing this problem:

1.  SteelSeries – Mouse and keyboard manufacture.  The SteelSeries Engine is currently not supported on Windows 8.1.  Please see their FAQ for more info and updates.

2.  NVIDIA -- Video card manufacture.    Check to make sure you’ve upgraded to the latest video drivers.

3.  ESET - Antivirus and security-related products.  Please see the ESET Knowledgebase to learn how to safely upgrade to Windows 8.1 with ESET Smart Security or ESET NOD32 Antivirus installed.

4. Trusteer Rapport -- Credit card fraud protection software.  Trusteer recommends installing the latest update for Windows 8.1 compatibility.

If you have any of these programs installed, please let us know if disabling, uninstalling, or upgrading the software or drivers allowed you to install Windows 8.1 successfully.

We are sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate your help and understanding while we continue to investigate this issue.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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Anonymous
2014-01-07T21:10:26+00:00

Hello,

Microsoft is aware some customers are unable to install Windows 8.1 due to error 0xC1900101 -0x40017. 

This error indicates a failure to boot Windows 8.1 occurred during the final parts of the update, causing the system to roll back to Windows 8.  The most likely cause of this error is an incompatible driver or hardware defect. Unfortunately, due to the timing of this failure, there are often no logs, crash dumps or other diagnostic information available to investigate the issue easily, which makes it difficult to determine which, if any, of the drivers or system components are causing the update to fail.

We are currently working with the companies that develop these drivers to help them update their problematic drivers whenever they are identified.  Some of the identified drivers have been listed in the original post, however due to the sheer number of drivers constantly being created by other companies all over the world, this is a daunting task.  We understand that the inability to easily identify the incompatible driver can be incredibly frustrating and we are sorry for the inconvenience. 

Make sure you’ve installed all the latest Windows Updates and latest drivers from your hardware and software manufacturers.  You can also try uninstalling any unnecessary hardware or software prior to updating to Windows 8.1.

If your hardware and software manufacturers do not have updated drivers and you are experiencing this error, the best method for upgrading to Windows 8.1 is to clean install Windows 8, and then update to Windows 8.1 before allowing any additional drivers or software to install.

To do this:

  1. Back up all of your personal documents and data to an external drive.
  2. Disconnect your computer from the Internet.
  3. Perform a clean install of Windows 8 using Windows 8 installation media (DVD or USB).  For help performing a clean install of Windows, see How to perform a clean install of Windows.

Note:  If you do not have media and Windows 8 was pre-installed on your PC, please contact your PC manufacturer for assistance.  Otherwise to get help obtaining installation media, contact Microsoft Support. 4. Once you’ve reinstalled Windows 8, change your hardware settings so that you do not automatically install driver updates.      

**>>**From the Start screen, type “System”, and then click on “View advanced system settings” in the search results.  This will open the System Properties dialog.      

**>>**Click on the Hardware tab, and then click Device Installation Settings.      

**>>**When the Device Installation Settings window appears, click the “No, let me choose what to” button, and then “Never install driver software from Windows Update”.  Click Save Changes to save the setting. 5. Reconnect your computer to the Internet. 6. Install Windows Updates.  Restart the computer when prompted. 7. Open Windows Store and install Windows 8.1. 8. Afterwards, be sure to restore your hardware settings so that your device drivers once again install automatically.  (Repeat Step 4, but restore this setting to “**Yes, do this automatically (recommended)”**and Save changes.)

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-11-18T04:04:59+00:00

    Hi and thanks for replying!

    I've tried your workarounds, updated all drivers, and installed the optional update, but I'm still not able to upgrade. This time, I got a blue screen with a :( (last time the screen remained black) and a new error code:

    0xC1900101 - 0x30018

    It's very frustrating...

    Connect an Ethernet cable and turn off your wireless device in the BIOS.  Do the upgrade, install the latest driver and then turn the wireless back on in the BIOS.  At least this is what it looks like.  Just guessing on the hardware because you provided no detailed specs concerning your system.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-18T04:00:51+00:00

    Hi and thanks for replying!

    I've tried your workarounds, updated all drivers, and installed the optional update, but I'm still not able to upgrade. This time, I got a blue screen with a :( (last time the screen remained black) and a new error code:

    0xC1900101 - 0x30018

    It's very frustrating...

    Have you tried downloading the ISO and booting up with the DVD you made from ISO? This error is a memory management error caused by a driver issue.  If you are booting from the DVD you made you might be able to escape this error altogether.  That is, unless your system BIOS has an incompatibility with Windows 8.1

    HP and ASUS computers are having a number of problems now due to incompatibilities in the BIOS with Windows 8.1.  BIOS upgrades are to be made available pretty soon.  Watch for them and upgrade your BIOS when they become available.

    As an aside, everybody having this issue should provide detailed information regarding their hardware configurations and the make and model of their computers.  Omitting that information makes things that much harder to track down and fix.  That is very frustrating to those who are trying to track down and fix any potential problems in the upgrade process.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-18T03:55:21+00:00

    I don't have any system utility like Start8. I've also installed all of the updates - critical and optional and I don't have a lot of ASUS software, because I removed it one day after buying a laptop - I just don't need them.

    I have all of the drivers and they're updated - also for Bluetooth device, but still nothing - the same error after 2 hours of the update process.

    Did you turn off the Bluetooth device and go to a standard USB keyboard for the upgrade? Are you using an ASUS based wireless? If so, connect using a cable and turn off the wireless.  Those two kinds of devices are causing problems sometimes independently of the drivers.

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