Windows 10 update stuck on endless "Retry"

Question

I am trying to install the latest Windows update

Upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, version 1511, 10586

... and I am stuck in an endless Retry loop.

Every time it tries to install this update, it fails with this message:

There were problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help:

(nothing printed here!)

Retry

I've rebooted and retried a bunch of times and get the same exact result over and over, stuck on Retry:

I have no idea what to try, or even how to get out of this endless update "problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later" retry loop. Suggestions welcome!

Disk partitions look like this, which I suspect may be the problem somehow:

Updates based on the answers and comments:

• This is a wired computer, no wifi, no battery
• Plenty of free space on the boot C:\ drive, almost 200GB
• There are no removable drives or USB keys attached
• Does have multiple drives (boot SSD and two large media HDDs)
• sfc /scannow reports good integrity
• Machine is Haswell based, 8GB RAM, built in mid 2013

Update! 11-28-2015! After grabbing the, uh, "fixed" version of this update, it did finally install fine on this machine. There was a little weirdness where I had to reboot it in the middle, but otherwise it definitely worked, 10586 is installed now.

I will hopefully be able to provide an answer with the full set of troubleshooting from someone at Microsoft who helpfully assisted me in case anyone else runs into this.

Answer 1

I had something similar. Eventually it told me that it needed 10GB of free space on C: (not Pro version)

Answer 2

If the download always fails, download the ISO from Microsoft, mount the ISO into a virtual DVD drive (double click on ISO). Now run setup.exe and select upgrade.

To troubleshoot what went wrong during the upgrade, you have to look at the setuperr.log from C:\$windows.~bt\sources\panther.

Gov Maharaj from Microsoft posted some known error codes/causes in his Defrag Show on channel9.msdn.com. There is no general answer, we need to check the log files for each user.

Answer 3

Usually in cases like this there might be several items in play:

1. The update was pulled.
2. The update is simply throttled and therefore temporarily unavailable.
3. There is a problem with the Windows Update configuration on your machine.

It looks like at some point your update did install fine, so option 1 and 2 are the most likely culprits.

If something like this happens, it's super helpful for us to look at Panther logs, that can be located in:

C:\windows\panther 

If that folder is empty, look at the logs here:

C:\$windows.~bt\sources\panther

The contents should be small enough to simply throw them in the ZIP and forward for analysis.

Now, there are also cases when there really is an issue with the OS configuration, and specifically with the Windows Update (WU) subsystem. In that case, it's worth trying the following:

1. Open Command Prompt (CMD) as admin.
2. Trigger the following commands sequentially:

Batch Code:

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc
del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"

bits is the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.

wuauserv is the Windows Update service.

appidsvc is the Application Identity service, used by AppLocker.

cryptsvc is the Cryptographic Services, responsible for confirming signatures for Windows Files.

3. Time for some RegSvr magic to re-register core DLLs:

Batch Code:

cd /d %windir%\system32
regsvr32.exe atl.dll
regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe wups.dll
regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll

4. Reset WinSock:

Batch Code:

netsh winsock reset

5. Reset the WinHTTP proxy:

Batch Code:

netsh winhttp reset proxy

6. Restore the previously disabled services:

Batch Code:

net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc

7. Reboot machine.
8. Check for updates once again.

All of the above can be wrapped in a single batch script to save time, but it's worth breaking them down 1-by-1.

Answer 4

I had the same issue on Windows 10 Build 10240. Here's what worked for me:

1. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/
2. Click on "Update Now"
3. This will download the upgrade tool, currently named 'Windows10Upgrade9252.exe'.
4. Run it as Adminitrator.

Windows 10 Update Tool

This upgraded this specific laptop to Windows 10 Build 10516 (currently the latest build) and from then on Windows Update worked as expected.

Answer 5

1. Give a try to FixWin 10 software. However you may have to redownload the whole update.

2. Go to Microsoft's official website and download directly from there. Search Google for "Download Windows 10". The page maybe is the first one or second one. There you will have to use Media Creation Tool. If you don't want to download it using Media Creation tool and want direct ISO, download "User Agent Switcher" extension available for Chrome like web browsers. Select Mac Or Linux. Then the website will provide you with direct ISO files.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

I had similar issue when i was trying to install update version 1511. At first it was showing storage issue and asked for external drive. I selected location for my D: and then it downloaded the update. It was asking me to free up space minimum 10 GB When it took only 4-5 GB of D:. And when i restarted my system to install update my update installation failed and asked to download again that update

Here's What i did to resolve problem

I downloaded new fresh ISO for version 1511 with Microsoft media creation tool. And easily upgraded it without any problems

You don't need to boot it simply run setup.exe and skip Downloading updates option

NOTE: When i used this tool about weeks ago it had bugs it was not showing different editions of Windows 10. It was just showing WINDOWS 10. If that happens with you choose different language from drop down and choose back the language you want then it will show you the options to choose between different editions of windows

You can also try to contact WINDOWS TECHNICAL TEAM via CONTACT SUPPORT app in Windows 10. Explain your problems they will definitely help you

I had problems with activation so i contacted them and they did solved my problem[I was not satisfied with there solution though]

Answer 7

First update to the latest Windows build by running the Windows Update Assistant at https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10/

Note: this may initially trash your devices (it did for me big-time: no ethernet, no wifi, display stuck in low res with driver error message!).

But: no worries, that was just a means to an end because we straight away go to Settings and choose the option to go back to the previous Windows build:

That's it! Back in your familiar build, Windows Update now works fine. (And any devices trashed by the update are back to normal, of course.)

Answer 8

I encountered a failed app installation on my Windows10 at work. In order to end the repeated retries to install, I opened up the STORE and clicked on the Downloads and Updates icon that is just left of the search box at the top. It basically looks like a downwards pointing arrow with a number beside it.

This lists all the apps that are queued for download and installation. You should see a list of apps that have errors during download or installation. To the far right of each item is a retry icon and an X icon. Click the X to CANCEL the installation of whatever items are chronically failing.

Answer 9

It seems like Windows really doesn't want to do the updates if the following services are disabled (maybe from some privacy tweaking tools or advice?)

Solution from windowsreport.com.

Here I copy the list of services:

citation:

Follow the instructions below to apply this workaround and hopefully resolve the issue at hand:

In the Search Windows bar, type services.msc and open Services. Confirm that the following services on the list are set to run Automatic:

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules
Server
Workstation
Automatic Updates OR Windows Update
Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Right-click on the each of these services and open Properties. Make sure that they are set to Automatic.

AFTER THAT:

download the MEDIA CREATION TOOL

when asked set it to keep apps and data...

then let it run...

after a while you will be back on a working windows with all recent updates installed !