[SOLVED] Computer cannot update

[javiermaggio]

I have had a windows update that will not install for several months now. Every time I choose to update, it says that it's getting things ready, restarts, then goes to a black screen with a never ending spinning dots "loading" symbol. It will sit there for over 10 minutes until my screen shuts off and sometime after that, the dots will freeze as well as the rest of the computer and I have to hold the power button to turn it off. When I turn it back on, its says it failed to update and it's undoing changes. I have no idea what's causing this but a little bit of background info that might be useful is this "windows key" was from original computer. I have a completely new computer that I built. I only kept the old hardrive with the OS on it. After a year or so, the original ssd burned up and quit working. So I bought a new ssd and reinstalled windows from a flashdrive last year. It ran fine and updated all the way up until December of 2020/January of 2021. It has been doing this for a while and I keep trying again every month or so and it still won't update. I don't want this to go on any longer as it's been 5 months or so and I've tried updating 7 times or so. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this issue?

 

[RARRAF]

if we are talking windows 10 then click on the update assistant top one on this page https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10
you cant just move hard drives about and expect to keep your licence for windows 10 there are other places to get a key e.g. ebay

 

[javiermaggio]

I used the key from the original case. I was on the side of the case and I just reused when I reinstalled. I don't have a "activate windows" anywhere. I had it updating regularly for about 8 month before it kept freezing after "update restarting."

 

[Colif]

I have had a windows update that will not install for several months now. Every time I choose to update, it says that it's getting things ready, restarts, then goes to a black screen with a never ending spinning dots "loading" symbol. It will sit there for over 10 minutes until my screen shuts off and sometime after that, the dots will freeze as well as the rest of the computer and I have to hold the power button to turn it off. When I turn it back on, its says it failed to update and it's undoing changes. I have no idea what's causing this but a little bit of background info that might be useful is this "windows key" was from original computer. I have a completely new computer that I built. I only kept the old hardrive with the OS on it. After a year or so, the original ssd burned up and quit working. So I bought a new ssd and reinstalled windows from a flashdrive last year. It ran fine and updated all the way up until December of 2020/January of 2021. It has been doing this for a while and I keep trying again every month or so and it still won't update. I don't want this to go on any longer as it's been 5 months or so and I've tried updating 7 times or so. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this issue?

try this
right click start button
choose powershell (admin)
type SFC /scannow and press enter
once its completed, copy/paste this command into same window:

Repair-WindowsImage -Online -RestoreHealth
and press enter

SFC fixes system files, second command cleans image files, re run SFC if it failed to fix all files and restart PC

then try updating

if it still fails,
On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB

when you have made USB, go to PC that won't update and while in windows, put USB in drive
navigate for file exploder (win + E key)
find the USB in file explorer and run setup
this will offer to upgrade PC
accept, it will restart and install 21H1.

if it still fails to work, you might want to try a clean install. At least you have the installer.. Its main reason I get you to make USB really, if you use media creation tool to update PC and it fails, you would have to download it all again. USB saves time.

At least if you know you need to clean install you can make sure to copy everything off C before you start, all you lose is time.
follow this guide: https://forums.tomshardware.com/faq/how-to-do-a-clean-installation-of-windows-10.3170366/