Unusual Files in C Drive After FAILED Windows Update Attempts!

Anonymous
2025-05-12T21:05:39+00:00

Windows 10

Just wanted to give it a fair go one more time by trying to fix problems myself, but still a major failure with Windows Updates.

Also, there doesn't seem to be any issues with the PC itself that I can find using what is available - it really does seem to be corrupt Window Updates.

Error Code: 0x80070057

Reset was done back in February, but didn't work. The only Antivirus third party programs on it before then was Kaspersky and AVG.

AVG was removed in the last part of 2024 and then reintroduced after the reset then removed again when told to remove everything by Microsoft Support.

Current Anti-virus is disabled.

Over the last 48 hours:

a: Scannow came back clean.

b: Chkdsk found nothing.

c: DISM also didn't resolve any issues as none found.

d: Ample storage in C Drive like 500 GBs.

e: Managed to rename SoftwareDistribution folders after the net stop ... net start steps, but made no difference.

f: Troubleshooter had pending restart at first, but since then troubleshooter detects no issues.

g: Have manually downloaded the updates from February and April (can't find anything for March) only these won't install either.

h: With Windows Update ERROR ENCOUNTERED does come up and Troubleshooter still detects nothing.

i: No malware or anything as that was checked prior via someone in the Microsoft Community and I still do checks myself.

j: Under RegEdit after exporting changed the values to 0 for Window Update Ux like:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsUpdate\UX]

"IsConvergedUpdateStackEnabled"=dword:00000000

h: Diskcheckup found no issues.

On checking C Drive about the storage space as I was wondering if maybe I was missing something**,** just in case, I discovered these folders or files and was wondering if my PC is now compromised or these are a tell tale sign of Windows Update being corrupted or Other as these have only appeared in the last 6 hours or so.

NOTE: Will be doing a clean install at some point, but not just yet as need to copy some stuff over that I want to keep and as it may take several hours...

There is one or two others like below as well and all dated the same.

Thanks in advance!

![](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/1dd5b0e5-3eb0-45a8-b043-631470329b6c?platform=QnA

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Files, folders, and storage

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.

0 comments

96 answers

Sort by: Newest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2025-05-19T08:24:32+00:00

    When you say REPLY WINDOW is that here?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,515 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-05-19T08:00:07+00:00

    The PcaSvc.dll error can be stopped by turning off a scheduled task.

    From admin Command Prompt, run:

    schtasks /Change /TN "Microsoft–Windows–Application Experience-PcaWallpaperAppDetect" /Disable

    The setup logs can be removed.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  3. Anonymous
    2025-05-19T07:55:40+00:00

    Will do the above in the next hour or three in case what is below has some impact. Would think not, but who knows?

    Just turned the PC on and this popped up straight away.

    Also, is it fine to remove Panther and Admin folders?

    Image

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  4. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,515 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-05-18T11:55:56+00:00

    Thanks for the logs. The last setup was successful; however, according to the logs, dynamic updates weren't applied due to a network connectivity issue, so it ended up with an older OS build.

    1. Reset the Windows Update cache using this batch file to see if that fixes the issue:

    https://gist.github.com/winhelponline/af9296c10...

    Download the zip file and extract the batch file to the desktop.

    Right-click on the batch file, click Properties, click "Unblock" (if present), and OK.

    Double-click the batch file to run it.

    After it completes execution, don't close it yet.

    Right-click on that Command Prompt window, click "Edit" and click "Select all"

    Right-click on that Command Prompt window, click "Edit" and click "Copy"

    (This copies the output to the clipboard.)

    Paste the info (Ctrl + V) into your reply window.

    1. Run these commands from admin Command Prompt: dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

    (Post the output.)

    After the commands are executed, share the latest CBS log (C:\Windows\logs\CBS.log). No need for the other logs in that folder.

    Standard Disclaimer: There is a link to a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to provide accurate, safe information.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  5. Anonymous
    2025-05-18T11:24:44+00:00

    Hi Min,

    Got the logs. Yes, you can remove them.

    1. Please share "C:\Windows\Panther" as well.

    Panther

    https://1drv.ms/u/c/6d760=1QS5dD

    1. Export the "Administrative Events" log from the Windows Event Viewer. To do so, open Event Viewer, navigate to Custom Views, and then select Administrative Events. Right-click on the "Administrative Events" entry and choose "Save All Events As..." to save the log as a .evtx file.

    Admin Events Log

    https://1drv.ms/u/c/6d760abda5be=xxu3KJ

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments