Feature update 1803 blues - downloading, installing and failing on loop for months

[hatthewmartley]

Hello all. I have been having an absolute nightmare with this "Feature update to Windows 10, version 1803", for months and months now.

Summary: the update downloads and installs itself, then prompts me to restart so that the update can go ahead. Computer restarts multiple times. On the fourth/fifth restart, it takes me to a Windows splash screen with the words "Restoring previous version of Windows". Then it takes me to my desktop and tells me that the update failed, along with the message "0xC1900101 - 0x4001E The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during PRE_OOBE operation". My update history says "Feature update to Windows 10, version 1803 (12), Last failed install attempt on ‎07/‎10/‎18 - 0xc1900101".

I have tried every solution I have managed to find online relating to these error codes, including running Windows 10 Update Assistant, updating from Windows 10 installation media (both USB drive and a DVD), deleting/renaming the SoftwareDistribution folder, running the update with all USB peripherals unplugged, running the update with all unessential drives unplugged, disabling my firewall and antivirus, disconnecting from the internet, uninstalling video drivers and a few other things that I can't remember. I don't know what else to try. This update has been constantly downloading, installing and failing on loop for months now.

I'm willing to try anything to get this resolved but really want to avoid a fresh install if I can help it.

Thanks in advance!

SPECS:

MSI 990XA-GD55 (MS-7640)
AMD FX-6200 3.8GHz
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
DDR3 16GB 1600
Windows 10 Home 64-bit build 16299
RM1000 1000 Watt 80 PLUS Gold Certified Fully Modular PSU

 

[karenjoly]

You definitely have to consider a reinstall given that the drive is now irretrievably hosed. BUT hold off until the latest fun fair, ver 1809, is re-released. ,

 

[Karadjgne]

1803 was the April biannual Creators update. 1809 is the October update. Both are available.
Try this.

You should upgrade to 1803 manually. 

1. Right click on Windows Start > Windows Powershell (Admin) 
Type following (or copy and paste following) one by one and Enter 

net stop wuauserv 
net stop cryptSvc 
net stop bits 
net stop msiserver 
Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old 
Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old 
net start wuauserv 
net start cryptSvc 
net start bits 
net start msiserver 

2. Type following in Windows Start Search box and hit Enter %systemroot%\Logs\CBS > Rename CBS.Log to something else. 
If it doesn't allow you to rename - Type services in Windows Start Search box > Click Services > Scroll down to find the Windows Modules Installer service and double-click on it > Set its startup type to Manual > Reboot your computer 
Go to C:\Windows\Logs\CBS > Rename CBS.Log > Reboot your computer > Then go back into the Services App and set Windows Modules Installer Service back to Automatic Startup (Note CBS log files contain information about windows update, SFC etc) 

(Source - https://partnersupport.microsoft.com/en-us/par_...) 

3. You can go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-downlo... 

3.1 Click Update now to update to 1803 through Upgrade Assistant. 
OR 
3.2 You can download the latest Windows 10 package from this link (media creation tool) and follow the instructions there to upgrade. Use the very simple instructions given under Using this tool to upgrade this PC to Windows 10.

 

[karenjoly]

1809 is not available.
\https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/4464619/windows-10-update-history

 

[hatthewmartley]

Thank you both for responding. I have tried what you suggested around a month ago, Karadjgne. Forgot to list that one! However, that gave the exact same result.

Windows is still trying to download and install 1803. The version in the Upgrade Assistant is also 1803. Is there anywhere I could grab version 1809 and see how that goes, or would I need to go through 1803 first?

I'm just going to try the media creation tool once again to see which version that suggests upgrading to, now that 1809 is available.

edit: just saw that 1809 has been pulled temporarily?

 

[USAFRet]

edit: just saw that 1809 has been pulled temporarily?

Yes, 1809 has been pulled, until they fix some issues.

 

[karenjoly]

I have 1809 installed and have seen complaints that files are missing from the pre-installed user/username/documents, etc folders.However I don't use those folders. I make my own folders on different paths so am unaffected.

 

[hatthewmartley]

Just an update - I found a solution! Whist scouring the net for even more obscure "fixes", I found this recent blog post that goes a little in to detail as to why this particular update wasn't working. I am so grateful I found it. If this didn't work I was about to do a clean install.

So anyone who might be reading this who has tried every single "fix" they can find online, try this before clean install. It does involve messing around in regedit so read the page carefully.

https://jukkakohtala.blogspot.com/2018/08/windows-1709-upgrade-to-windows-1803.html?showComment=1539251032844#c3776308964111360298

 

[Colif]

1809 has been re released, as for whether problem is fixed...