The Windows 10 that was forced on me is so bloated it has no performance and updates will not work - can I get 8?

Anonymous

I am using Asus T200A which is a lightweight PC/Tablet

Windows is 10.0.16299 Build 16299

There are too many problems to list

The system has got so slow and bloated with Windows software with less tha a Gig left on my C: drive, that when I want to open a new application, I have to close down the application I am using, clean everything possible out of system and then sometimes restart (20 minutes +)

Screen rotation has disappeared

The final straw is that for the last few weeks every time I try to restart my PC it tries to install KB4338825

This is the process :-

RESTARTING

after around 90 seconds “Getting Windows Ready Don’t turn off your computer”

after around 10 minutes “Restarting”

after a few minutes I can select Windows 10

“Scanning and repairung drive (:c)”

after another 5 minutes

PC restarts

“Getting Windows ready Don’t turn off you computer”

When Windows starts again

Windows Update states “Update status - Your device is up to date”

BUT if I select check for updates I get -

Updates are available

‘”2018-07 Cumaltive Update for Windows 10 Version 1709 for x86-based Systems (KB4338825)”

Status: Installing [ starts at 0 reaches 100% ]

then Status: awaiting restart

If I select ‘resart’ then the whole process starts over - another 20 minutes or so

Update History reports 0x80073712 - file needed by Windows Update is damaged or missing

Ran Troubleshooter - results Potential Windows Update Database error detected

Ran sfc /scannow - Windows Protection did not find any integrity violations

:\WINDOWS\system32>DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.492

[===========================83.7%================ ]

Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.

Use the "Source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature. For more information on specifying a source location, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243077.

The DISM log file can be found at C:\WINDOWS\Logs\DISM\dism.log

and then ……

C:\WINDOWS\system32>DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:\RepairSource\Windows /LimitAccess

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Version: 10.0.16299.15

Image Version: 10.0.16299.492

[===========================83.7%================ ]

Error: 0x800f081f

The source files could not be found.

The T200A has 32 Gig C: drive, a 500 Gig iwhen attached to base station and any numer of external usb drives from 14 gig t0 10Tb

Even with everything possible moved off the C: drive there is only around 800 Mb to 1.5 Gig left

I have spent too many hours trying to get windows 10 to work on this PC

I would have loaded Linux in preference to this useless system BUT there are programmes I need to run that will only work under windows

Is there

1) a way to use another drive for the system

or 2) A light version of windows 10

or 3) a way of deleting all of the bloatware (X-Box, Microsoft Edge, Grove Music, Maps etc, etc) to free up space

If not, please give me instructions on how to return to Windows 8 that was working perfectly( I was forced onto Windows 10)

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43 answers

Anonymous

2018-08-17T12:31:09+00:00

Thanks Sarah and Dave. I am very grateful to you. my apologies for taking some time to respond

Rather than going back to 8 and having to load everything that needs to be loaded (drivers, app software etc), my preference would be to resolve the update problem and get rid of the stuff I dont need.

For example, I disabled Cortana but it keeps coming back, using memory, CPU and disk space and I can find no way to get rid of Edge or the Xbox software. My Program Files folder is full of useless apps like Microsoft People, ZuneVideo. Windows Photos alone is 280 meg and hundreds of files. There are 12,747 files in WindowsApps. Can I just delete these?

I install everything that gives me a choice to my 64GB microSD card or the 500GB Disk in the base station (keyboard unit)

Other than LibreOffice and Avira anti virus (which must be located on C:) there is no non-Microsoft application bigger than 150 MB on C: It is mostly the Microsoft bloatware

As mentioned before I do not want, or need, any of these enforced Microsoft applications, I need an operating system in which I can chose which applications to run an install. Were it possible I would use Windows 7.

But back to the update problem. KB4023057, KB4295110, KB 4023814 KB4343902 have all installed successfully in the last couple of weeks. But KB4338825 refuses to install but insists on trying eevery few hours

A quick search on this problem reveals countless users seeing the same error for several months and still no fix from Microsoft. I have tried all of the suggestions (Windows Update Troubleshooter, sfc /scannow, DSIM) I even tried disabling pagefile.sys and swapfile.sys to give the update more disk space . The problem remains

Can nobody at Microsoft tell me how to get round the 0x80073712 error and install the update? This is getting really frustrating

My final option would be to make one of my Linux heavyweight machines (Core-I7, 8Gig, 2 TB) into a dual boot Linux/Windows. How do I transfer my license to a different machine?

I am hoping to hear from a MS representative as well as the very helpful Independants

Thanks
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DaveM121 936.3K Reputation points Independent Advisor

2018-08-16T18:00:34+00:00
Hi M1000P, it would seem your system is more suited to Windows 8 . . .

You can reinstall Windows 8.1 at any time, you will not need a product key and it will not cost you anything !

Since you previously had Windows 8.1 installed and activated on that PC during the installation process skip the steps which ask for a product key and select the option 'I am Reinstalling Windows 8.1 on this PC', and activation will not be an issue, your PC will have a digital entitlement stored on the Microsoft Activation Servers

Make sure you install the same Edition of Windows 8.1 (Home, Pro . . . etc.) you previously had installed to avoid Activation issues

Click this link:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo...

to download the Windows 8.1 ISO file

Then click this link to download a tool from Microsoft to create the Windows 8.1 Installation media on a DVD or USB flash Drive

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/detail...

Then, Boot your PC from the Installation Media you just created (change Boot Order in your BIOS) to begin installing Windows 8.1

If you have problems booting from a boot disc, you may have UEFI BIOS:

Insert the Bootable Installation Media, then go into your BIOS and make the following changes:
1. Disable Secure Boot
2. Enable Legacy Boot
3. If Available enable CSM
4. If Required enable USB Boot
5. Move the device with the bootable disc to the top of the boot order
6. Save BIOS changes, restart your System and it should boot from the Installation Media
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Anonymous

2018-08-16T17:47:14+00:00

First, very sorry for all the headaches you are experiencing but upgrades can go real bad sometimes, actually majority of the time.

So you have 2 options.

One do a clean install of Windows 10, see link by Greg below.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/for...

Two go back and install Windows 8.

Link below to download Windows 8.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/software-downlo...

Let me know if you need further help.
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