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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  2. Anonymous
    2014-01-04T19:56:40+00:00

    I got the same error and I'm pretty sure it's because I have relocated my user folder to a data drive using symbolic link (got the same error for another update before but finally could got around by creating another symbolic linked temporary folder)

     

    I'm quite disappointed that Microsoft still haven't addressed the issue that Windows doesn't officially allowing the user folders in non-system drive. Just allowing relocating "library" folders don't help because applications are still storing huge data into the user's application data folders. It isn't going well when using relatively small SSD as system drive which has become very popular for computer builders.

     

    Because of that, many of us were forced to use symbolic links to move user folder out of the system drive. And now they screwed us up again not supporting us to upgrade to 8.1 seamlessly if we have the user folder relocated.

     

    Microsoft does have a solution - KB 2876597.

    After backing-up my data to an external drive (with the exception of several files that appeared to be Store application configuration files that had file names that were too long) and removing my symbolic-links and moving files back to the user folder on C: I was able to complete the upgrade.  (KB 2876597 does tell what to do If you don't have room for all of your user data on C: and how to move your data to another drive in a method that is compatible with Windows 8 updates)

    An unfortunate side effect is that a number of store applications no longer work in spite of uninstalling and reinstalling them.

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  3. 0x00000000 40,810 Reputation points
    2014-01-02T18:17:44+00:00

    Hello, Sridharan!

    All the same.

    Look for  C:$Windows.~BT\Sources\Panther\setuperr.log

    Copy that file to this thread or upload to SkyDrive and share it.

    You have had the error at 87%, аnd I want to look at your log.

    Thank You!

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  4. Anonymous
    2014-01-02T01:45:08+00:00

    I had this problem on my new laptop when i tried to upgrade from 8 to 8.1 , and after 2 try and waiting for about 3.5 GB (upgrade size) and failed , the only thing work with me is disable all Norton feature on Laptop while upgrade and after finish re-enable , in this way it works and already upgraded to 8.1 , hope this will help anyone .... Thanks

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