I have two windows 8 Pro PCs, which were upgraded from Windows 7, and then upgraded to Windows 8.1.
A custom build desktop that installed the 8 April update, but by accident. My first attempts failed, but on 9 April I had to replace a SATA cable. I then used an image and restored to 6 April. I then updated again using Windows Update and it updated without
error.
An Acer laptop that refused all attempts at the update. I have tried all the suggestions on these threads, without success, until I tried again after I saw a post from
Marek Kusmierski. I did not do the same as Marek, but it gave me an idea. So thanks to Marek, and now my wife and I can happily continue with Windows 8.1, until the next update!
If it helps someone, here is what I did:
- System Restore to before 8 April (in my case 3 April).
- Download off-line installers: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42335
- Fix Windows Update: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/
- Scan (and repair) Windows system components: sfc /scannow
- Restart computer
- Run off-line installer: Windows8.1-KB2919355-x64.msu
- Restart Computer
- Install the remaining updates
- Restart Computer
The other post suggested these steps:
- Download offline installers: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42335
- Fix Windows Update: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058/
- Scan Windows system components: sfc /scannow
- Remove KB2919355 package:
dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB2919355~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.14
5. Clean up the WinSxS folder: dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup /resetbase
6. Clean up disk with system files remove: cleanmgr.exe
7. Restart computer
8. Run offline installer: Windows8.1-KB2919355-x64.msu
For me, none of the other approaches worked, but I had a restore that I could execute to bring my system back to the state BEFORE April 8, 2014.
There was no package by any name KB2919355 either before or after restore.
However, just to make sure my system was clean, I ran:
dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
Then I did changed my automatic update to NOT automatically install updates.
Next, I scanned for available updates and from the list I only allowed KB2939087 to install because this one has been suggested by MS and others as a preliminary update. If you don't see it, I wouldn't worry as I cannot validate that it was necessary.
Finally, I installed the KB2919355 from offline installer package as well as KB2932046, then KB2937592, then KB2938439, and finally KB2934018. And in the order recommended with a reboot between each one.
LAST STEP: Loaded windows update and scanned for updates and installed whatever was recommended. In my cased just 3 more updates were recommended. They were an update to Flash, the Malicious software removal kit, and some Windows 8.1 security thing.
Anyway, my system is fully working and we LOST NOTHING in the process. I had Classic Shell working before the update and it continued to function without a problem afterwards.
CONCLUSION: There is something in the list of updates on April 8, 2014 that is messing up many of our installations. I think it may be an Internet Explorer v11 update patch, but I cannot be certain. Nevertheless, restoring your machine to an earlier point
to April 8 should work. Thankfully, I had a restore point from some software installed on April 5, but it appears that windows update did not create its own restore point before doing the messy update on April 8.
Hope this review helps some of those frustrated with this problem.
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