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
    2013-11-15T14:31:34+00:00

    SSD with symlink of users.

    I find it very arrogant of Microsoft not to address this.

    I give up.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-11-07T15:23:19+00:00

    (Windows 8 Pro with Media Center  with a Symlink on Users).

    After my first post, MS asked me to run a diag program, which I did 2 weeks ago. But they never answered nor acknowledged after that. Great support !

    So I went on my own on the supposedly transparent and hassle free upgrade. I lost many many hours trying different solutions, none of which worked, the upgrade always stopped at 87%.

    I can confirm the problem is only related to the symlink on users folder. I was able to upgrade after simply removing the symlink.

    I first trimmed my User folder in order for it to fit on my ssd drive (moved the content of the music, images, video and documents folders to another location). 

    Then I booted to Dos, removed the symlink, copied D:\users to C:\Users.

    After that, the upgrade went fine. Once done, I set back the symlink, moved back all my files.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-11-01T13:57:33+00:00

    I too had the same error, it took me three days to figure out what went wrong. Surprisingly, Microsoft support team had no clues and  tried to mislead. In my case the problem occurred due to corrupted built-in administrator profile in c:\users folder.  Following solution worked fine for me.

    First, I created a new folder c:\users\administrator. After that I opened control panel >SYSTEM>ADVANCED SYSTEM SETTINGS>GO TO ADVANCED TAB>OPEN USER PROFILES SETTING.

    Next, I copied the default user profile to the newly created folder and gave permissions to administrator.

    All the above tasks were performed under "USER PROFILE SETTINGS TAB" only NOT with "WINDOWS EXPLORER". 

    I was able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 without any further hassles. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MICROSOFT OS AGAIN.  After this experience, I firmly decided to GO for Apple IPad5.  BYE BYE MICROSOFT.

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  4. Anonymous
    2013-10-31T12:40:45+00:00

    I did the WSreset.exe.

    I don't have antivirus program.

    But the problem still exist.

    I called the Microsoft Support but they cannot help me.

    Please help ASAP because I cannot use my computer. My account seems to be disappeared. In the start display there are only 3 icons, Desktop, Store, and IE.

    The Office icons are gone, but I can still open the Office files (Word and Excel).

    Thank you.

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