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

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  1. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,515 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-05-17T04:16:56+00:00

    Hi Min,

    1. Was the repair installation using the Media Creation Tool successful?
    2. What's your OS build number now? You can check that by running "winver.exe".
    3. Which updates are causing the errors 0x80070057 and 0x8007045b?

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  2. Anonymous
    2025-05-16T23:19:13+00:00

    Hi Min,

    Okay, let me know how it went. By the way, the detectionverification driver is available from Microsoft. If the repair installation doesn't automatically apply it, we can get the driver cab file from Microsoft.

    Regards,

    So...

    Hours and hours later of upgrading and installing followed by Windows Updates being tried again twice with a restart and partial success with a few updates making it all the way only not the cumulative ones.

    Error Code: 0x8007045b

    I did have the Antivirus disabled, but am now uninstalling it to do another retry attempt of the cumulative updates.

    Will return to update when I know what is what.

    On trying again:

    Error 0x80070057

    1: Successfully deleted SoftwareDistribution contents in the folder.

    After...

    2: I stopped Windows Updates and two other suggested services.

    3: As I didn't have anything in DNS with the reset or upgrade - added it.

    4: Troubleshooter shows everything being fine, but it isn't.

    5: Have done a few restarts and attempts, but that has made no difference.

    6: Antivirus was uninstalled and the PC was rebooted straight after.

    7: Initially (with the Antivirus disabled) it did seem like the cumulative updates were downloading to 100%, but after that they didn't take.

    8: Now it is back to the way it was before upgrading, and after the reset, although the updates have been an issue since last year.

    Did read with some that after upgrading and experiencing the same error code it resolved after a number of restarts by itself as in Windows Update finally updating.

    I just don't want to leave it too long as I do want to reinstall the Antivirus program.

    What would you suggest next?

    I did take some shots yesterday so will attach those - the first part of what you requested.

    I will see if I can get the current KB files directly from Microsoft to manually download them myself.

    Will also wait to hear your thoughts as maybe you might have different instructions.

    I need to get some much needed sleep.

    I think a full clean install is what is needed so will lean towards doing that soon, however, will see if manually downloading works or not first.

    ![Image](https://learn-attachment.microsoft.com/api/attachments/97603924-1fa8-40f8-9297-ca4d28d23d4e?platform=QnA

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  4. Anonymous
    2025-05-16T20:34:26+00:00

    Hi Min,

    Okay, let me know how it went. By the way, the detectionverification driver is available from Microsoft. If the repair installation doesn't automatically apply it, we can get the driver cab file from Microsoft.

    Regards,

    So...

    Hours and hours later of upgrading and installing followed by Windows Updates being tried again twice with a restart and partial success with a few updates making it all the way only not the cumulative ones.

    Error Code: 0x8007045b

    I did have the Antivirus disabled, but am now uninstalling it to do another retry attempt of the cumulative updates.

    Will return to update when I know what is what.

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  5. Ramesh Srinivasan 87,515 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-05-15T05:29:16+00:00

    Hi Min,

    Okay, let me know how it went. By the way, the detectionverification driver is available from Microsoft. If the repair installation doesn't automatically apply it, we can get the driver cab file from Microsoft.

    Regards,

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