Windows 8.1 installation error 0x80070004

Anonymous
2013-10-17T12:56:28+00:00

I got the following message while updating Windows 8 to 8.1 from the Store (translated from hungarian):

An error had occured and the installation of Windows 8.1 was unsuccessful. Try again. Error code: 0x80070004

The event log shows the following:

"Telepítési hiba: A Windows 0x80070004 hiba miatt nem tudta telepíteni a következő frissítést: Hungarian ESD Bundle Parent."

In english: Installation error: Windows could not isntall the following update: Hungarian ESD Bundle Parent, with error 0x80070004.

What should I do?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Install and upgrade

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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Anonymous
2013-12-10T01:08:25+00:00

Hi,

If you receive error 0x80070004 when you install Windows 8.1, please first check the following:

1.      This error may occur if you are using symbolic links (via the mklink command) to redirect your user profile to another drive.  If so, you can resolve this by restoring your user profile to the system drive by following the steps in KB 2876597.

2.      This error may also occur if you have a corrupt user profile.  To check for this:

·         Open the System Properties (Type “System” at the Start screen, and then select “System”.)

·         Select Advanced system settings.

·         In the Advanced tab, under User Profiles, select Settings.

·         Try to log into any profiles you see listed here.  If you’re unable to log in, that profile may be corrupt.  Return to the User Profiles in Advanced system settings and delete the corrupt profile.  If you see any profiles listed as “Unknown” or that otherwise look corrupt, delete those profiles as well.

·         Try creating a new administrator profile and try installing Windows 8.1 from the new profile.  You can find steps for creating a new profile and copying the old profile to the new one at Fix a corrupted user profile.  (This was written for Vista, but the steps are similar.  You can find Folder Options for displaying hidden system files in the Control Panel, under Appearance and Personalization.)

If you’ve confirmed that you’ve tried all of these steps and you’re still receiving error 0x80070004 when installing Windows 8.1, we would like to collect more information to try to identify additional causes.  Please run this automated utility, which will collect log files and send them to Microsoft.  (You can also choose to save the information to your desktop.)  If you get a message that says the utility has already expired, that means we have already collected enough sample files. 

This log analysis may take some time.  We will post a fix or solution as soon as additional sources for this error are confirmed.  We appreciate your help in collecting this information.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T16:18:36+00:00

    Like I said, if you delete it from the user tool in Control Panel, before it deletes it will give you the option to keep or delete your files.

    You will need to log into another profile or create a second if you haven't already. Then go to User Accounts in control panel, then proceed to delete the corrupt profile, before it confirms deletion it will ask if you want to keep or delete your user files. If you keep them, it will save them to the desktop of the profile you are logged in with. You can then create a new profile and then paste the user files to the new profile's user folder.  It shouldn't matter if you create the new user before or after the 8.1 upgrade. I did it after.

    Not ideal, but it works.

    it worked - well the installation completed, then I got a black screen for a long time! Eventually I got "Restoring your previous version of Windows..." then lots of scanning and repairing of drives, then BAD_SYSTEM_CONFIG_ERROR and two blue screens of your "something went wrong" and I'm back where I started!

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T16:24:09+00:00

    You may have additional errors. I'd check the log again. I'd copy and paste the errors, someone else may be able to identify them.

    Unfortunately, Looks like you have multiple problems.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T16:56:06+00:00

    where do I find the log?

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-22T17:03:09+00:00

    Thank you! It worked. Just deleted my old admin account, and pressed upgrade.

    Now I have to restore half the Items, hardware and network i deleted or removed in all my attempts.

    On the other hand i have learned a few things.

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