Solving problems with Windows Update. Solving problems with Windows Update Windows 8.1 Update Tool

Use the free Windows 8.1 Updater to check if you can update your Windows operating system to the latest, most current version.

Microsoft recently introduced another new version of its operating system - Windows 8.1 update. It has not received any significant changes in functionality; its main difference from the mother version is the improved interface.

Windows 8.1 was originally designed for installation on tablets, but the tiled interface borrowed from the mobile version of Windows Phone OS also appealed to many PC users. Most developers have already updated their products to support Windows 8/8.1, so there is a wide variety of software for this system. Compatibility with Windows 8/8.1 applies only to those products for which technical support and release of new versions have not yet been discontinued.

It is quite possible to download Windows 8.1 onto your computer for free in Russian; all you need to do is find a suitable distribution. But downloading Windows 8.1 x64 rus without will require a lot of patience, since the installation package takes up almost 3 Gb.

Key Features of Windows 8.1:

new tiled interface. Microsoft is the first to release a system that is suitable for both tablets and desktop PCs, so tiles are now an integral part of Windows 8.1.
customizing the main tile screen. The necessary applications can be pinned to the start screen, and using the “Down” button that appears, go to the list of installed programs. You can determine the size of the tile at your discretion; a larger title will display more additional information.
returning the Start button to its original location. Using the Aero shell, you can work in the old Explorer, but when you click the “Start” button, the set of applications installed on the system will always appear in the form of tiles. You cannot use standard functionality to return to the previous Start menu structure; third-party developments, for example, the Classic Shell utility, are suitable for this.
two options for Internet Explorer built into the system. One is called by clicking the corresponding tile of the “Start” button - IE 11 with UI Metro, the other with the graphic design previously used in the “seven”. Unlike previous versions, it has become noticeably faster, and also received a number of cosmetic changes: attaching sites to the taskbar, improved processing of web scripts, the ability to view in compatibility mode, etc.
Snap View technology for widescreen screens. The essence of this technology is to use a multi-window interface, when you can place several application windows side by side, and for each of the programs used, set different aspect ratios of the displayed window. The “Snap View” mode is relevant for wide-screen displays.
integration with cloud storage "One Drive". Now you can work with the cloud service directly, like with a regular disk: drag and drop files to copy, move and delete.
DirectX 11 support. Buying a high-quality video card that supports the full set of the latest version of the API will allow you to enjoy stunning graphics and special effects in games.

Depending on the hardware configuration of your computer, installing Windows 8.1 takes from ten minutes to half an hour. During the installation procedure, the computer will reboot several times, don't let this be a surprise. In the latest versions of the Microsoft system, “end-to-end” authentication is carried out through an email address.

The undoubted advantage of version 8.1 is the ability to synchronize work between a tablet with a pre-installed system and a personal computer when logging in with the same account, however, with the release of version 8.1, the hardware requirements have increased.

We offer a free download of the Windows 8 version updater - don’t forget to activate it and use it only at home. It is important to remember that the operating system is the result of the painstaking work of many specialists; one installation of a pirated version will be enough to erase it.

Threats to computer security when using the Internet, incorrect operation, driver and software failures are just some of the possible problems when refusing Windows system updates. However, those who consciously take such a step as disabling Windows updates probably know what they are doing and why. In cases where system updates are not installed due to unwanted reasons beyond the user's control, it is certainly necessary to look for troubleshooting methods. Below we will consider those for the operating system Windows 8.1.

Finding the causes and ways to eliminate them for any problem in the operating system is in any case a risk. And, naturally, this applies to cases when updates are not installed on Windows 8.1. Even having found the right solution, on the way to a successful result we may accidentally make unwanted changes to system settings. Therefore, before carrying out troubleshooting operations with updates, it is not a bad idea to worry about the possibility of rolling back Windows changes. For these purposes you can create:

Any of the above options for system rollback, or creating a backup not using AOMEI Backupper Standard, but using any other third-party backup programs for Windows, will also prevent problems with system updates in the future. These, however, as well as the instability of Windows in general, can be a consequence of the activity of malware. Viruses, network worms and other malware can damage the integrity of system files. An antivirus cannot always cope with the recovery of infected files, therefore, if the cause of problems with Windows 8.1 updates is the activity of malware, the easiest way is to roll back the operating system - to the state of a restore point or backup copy. Ideally, to prevent problems with Windows 8.1 updates, it is advisable to add the presence of a good antivirus in the system with regularly updated databases.

Well, now let’s directly begin to consider the causes of problems with Windows 8.1 updates and how to fix them.

1. Enable the update service

The risk of problems with system updates is especially high when using 8.1. These are often pre-installed, at best, with the Update Center disabled, and at worst, with the Center system service stopped. In such cases, accordingly, the Update Center must be enabled and the system service must be started.

Let's check that Windows Update is enabled. Press the keys Win+X and in the menu that appears in the lower left corner of the screen, select “Control Panel”.

In the search field in the upper right corner of the control panel window, enter the key query “Update Center” and launch it.

The update center must be turned on - that is, configured to automatically download and install, download only, or at least just search for updates. If the only problem is that the system has the “Do not check for updates” option preset, there is nothing easier than changing this. Click “Settings parameters”.

And we install the appropriate option.

If the Update Center is enabled, the search for updates cannot be carried out due to the disabled service; therefore, you need to start the latest one. Press the Win+R keys to start the “Run” service and in its window enter:

services.msc

Click “Ok” or Enter.

The system services section window will open. At the very bottom of the list we find a service called “Windows Update”. Double-click to open its properties window.

Using the “Run” button, we start the service.

2. Troubleshooting using the standard Update Center recovery tool

A disabled Update service, along with other potential sources of update problems, can be identified as part of the standard Windows Update 8.1 repair tool. This tool diagnoses the system and automatically fixes problems. To launch it, go to the control panel again (keys Win+X and selecting the “Control Panel” menu item) and in the search field enter the key query “Troubleshooting”. In the search results, click the “Troubleshooting” section.

In the window that opens, in the “System and Security” section, click the link option “Troubleshoot using Windows Update.”

In the welcome window that launches the troubleshooting wizard, click “Next”.

Run as administrator.

After this, the automatic process of detecting problems with the Update Center will begin.

Once completed, the troubleshooting wizard will display a progress report. Detected problems, if any, will be corrected automatically. We will see which of the Update Center problems may have interfered with its full operation in the “Detected problems” column.

Now all that remains is to manually start searching for and installing updates again. You may need to restart your computer.

3. Windows Update Troubleshooter on Microsoft Site

If the standard Update recovery tool does not solve problems with Windows updates, you need to resort to another troubleshooting tool - an additional utility downloaded from the Microsoft website. The software giant for Windows 8.1 has developed something like a universal solution to problems with system updates, in particular, if errors 0x80240016 and 0x80240016 are indicated when trying to install them. When launched, the utility checks all possible causes and automatically corrects problems.

Let's launch it.

We are waiting for the problem detection process to complete.

As with the standard troubleshooter, at the end of the problem detection process, we will see a final window where the problems found will be indicated and a note about their automatic correction.

That’s it – now we manually start searching for and installing updates. If problems arise again, repeat the search and installation of updates after restarting the computer.

4. Solving problems with updates when your computer is infected with viruses

Problems with system updates may be the result of viruses, network worms and other malicious programs. In particular, Windows Update errors such as 0x80240016, WindowsUpdate_8024401C, 0x8024401C, 0x80070490, in most cases arise precisely because of damage to the integrity of system files caused by malware. If malware was detected on your computer and after that Windows 8.1 updates are not installed, the first step is, of course, to neutralize the source of the problem. The malware may have entered the system because the antivirus license has expired. In this case, you need to renew your license and run a global scan of your computer. A proven and reliable virus removal tool is the free one. It can be used in parallel with the antivirus installed on the system.

After neutralizing the malware, the next step is to restart the computer and determine whether important system files are damaged (or even destroyed). To diagnose and restore system files, we will use the standard Windows utility “sfc.exe” launched on the command line. The process of its work is described in detail in the article. The process of restoring the integrity of system files is also possible if Windows 8.1 does not boot after being infected by viruses. In this case it will help.

If problems with Windows 8.1 updates persist after restoring the integrity of system files, you can try running the Windows Update troubleshooter downloaded from the Microsoft website, as indicated in step 3 of this article.

5. Restart the update service and remove the update distribution

If none of the methods suggested above for solving problems with Windows 8.1 updates helped, restarting the update service and uninstalling the update distribution package may fix the situation. Update installation files downloaded with errors are not overwritten when downloaded again, and in order for the installation files to be downloaded again, their storage folder must be cleared. But first, let's stop the update service.

Press the keys Win+R and in the “Run” service field enter:

services.msc

Click “Ok” or Enter. In the window of the system services section, as in the first paragraph of the article, we find the “Windows Update” service and double-click to open its properties window. But if in the first paragraph of the article we started the service, now it is necessary, on the contrary, to stop it.

Without closing the service properties window, let's start cleaning the folder where update installation files are stored. This is the folder located along the pathC:Windows/SoftwareDistribution/Download. The easiest way to get to it is to press the Win+R keys and enter the folder path in the “Run” command field.

We delete the contents of the folder.

That’s it – we can reboot and try to start searching for and installing updates.

6. Lack of free space on the system disk

An infrequent cause of problems with Windows 8.1 updates, however, and it can occur is a cluttered C drive. To be sure to exclude this from the list of possible causes, it is necessary that at least 5 GB of free space remain on the C drive.

7. Blocking access to Microsoft web resources with an antivirus or firewall

Another possible reason why updates are not installed on Windows 8.1, in particular, the endlessly long and fruitless process of searching for updates, is the operation of an antivirus or firewall. These, with certain settings, can block access to Microsoft web resources. The easiest way to get ahead of this moment is to disable your antivirus or firewall while searching for and downloading updates.

8. Troubleshooting update issues in Windows Clean Boot mode

If you have tried all the methods discussed above to eliminate the causes of problems with Windows 8.1 updates, and none of the solutions brought positive results, you can use something like a fallback option in the form of Windows 8.1 clean boot mode. You must perform a clean boot of the operating system, as indicated in the article.

Already in clean boot mode, you need to run the Windows Update troubleshooter downloaded from the Microsoft website and follow the same steps that were discussed in paragraph 3 of this article.

9. Also keep in mind that often the cause of Windows Update 8.1 not working correctly is damage to the system component store

You can restore a damaged component store very simply using the command Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth, .

Microsoft regularly releases updates for operating systems to improve security, as well as to fix bugs and various problems. Therefore, it is important to keep track of all additional files that the company releases and install them in a timely manner. In this article we will look at how to install the latest updates or how to upgrade from Windows 8 to 8.1.

As already mentioned, you will learn about two types of upgrades: moving from Windows 8 to its final version, as well as simply installing all the files necessary for work. All this is done using standard system tools and does not require any additional investments.

Installing the latest updates

Downloading and installing additional system files can happen without your intervention and you won’t even know about it. But if for some reason this does not happen, then most likely you have automatic updates disabled.

Updating from Windows 8 to 8.1

Just recently, Microsoft announced that support for the Windows 8 operating system is ending. Therefore, many users want to switch to the final version of the system - Windows 8.1. You don’t have to buy a license again or pay extra, because everything is done for free in the Store.

Attention!
When you migrate to a new system, you will retain your license, and all your personal data and applications will remain. Make sure you have enough space on your system disk (at least 4 GB) and have the latest updates installed.

After a few minutes of waiting and preparation, you will receive a brand new Windows 8.1.

Thus, we looked at how to install all the latest eight updates, as well as how to upgrade to the more convenient and sophisticated Windows 8.1. We hope we were able to help you, and if you have any problems, write in the comments, we will definitely answer.

Hello admin! I read your articles about Windows 10 cumulative updates, thank you, very interesting, but Windows 8.1 is installed on my computer. I read on your blog that for my operating system, the latest security-related updates: KB4038792 and KB4038793 were released on September 12, 2017 , but my operating system does not have such updates installed, see for yourself, the latest installed monthly set of security quality fixes KB4034681 dated August 8, 2017, but today is already September 20, 2017 This is despite the fact that my system has automatic updates enabled. Accordingly the question.Where on the official Microsoft website can I find out about the latest updates for Windows 8.1? And if they don't install automatically, how do I install them manually?

Hello friends! Windows 8.1 is not the latest in the Microsoft line, but nevertheless is installed on a huge number of computers and, in my opinion, is the most advanced OS at this moment, because it has been improved and is compatible with almost any computer hardware. In the spring of 2016, Microsoft introduced the practice of cumulative updates for this operating system, which confused many readers of our site and almost all of my friends. In today's article I will tell you what these updates are and how to install them on your system.

What are monthly update packages?

In the old days, all updates were released in small differential updates over a period of time, which led to severe fragmentation of the hard drive andWindows Update errors. Now, every month your operating system receives the entire set of updates in one monthly package, butIt is very important to know that there are two types of monthly update packages.

Monthly Rollup- it is precisely this that is accumulative or cumulative (gradually accumulated), for example, the latest September package will contain all the updates for previous months: August, July, June, etc. This package contains a set of important fixes that improve the overall reliability and stability of the OS, and it also contains bug fixes from the previous monthly update. In rare cases, a Monthly Rollup may be provided as an optional update in Windows Update.
Monthly package (Security-only Updates)- directly related to the security of the operating system and is not cumulative! Updates from this package include important security fixes and are always provided as required. You need to install every released package (Security-only Updates) on the OS, since it only contains new security updates released in the current month.

In simple words, there are 2 types of updates: Rollup and Security-only. The Rollup set contains something new and everything that came before it,and Security-only are separate updates and do not contain previous ones.

How to find out about the release of monthly update packages

You can find out about the release of a new update on the Microsoft update log page. For Windows 8.1 link

Monthly Rollup

As you can see, on September 19, 2017, the latest cumulative non-security update was released ( Rollup - KB4038774 , which includes various improvements, as well as fixes from the previous update KB4038792 dated September 12, 2017

This update is provided as an optional update in Windows Update (as long as you have it installed on your system). KB4038792). Optional updates often do not directly affect Microsoft products and many users do not install them. In this case, I advise you to read the update description. In our case, KB4038774 contains a fix for an error that in some cases occurs when backing up the OS, so you need to install it.

If in Windows Update for the operating system installed on your computerIf automatic receipt of updates is enabled, this update will be in the list of Optional updates.

Let's go back to the Microsoft update history and look at a couple more updates.

On September 12, 2017, Rollup cumulative update KB4038792 was released , containing fixes (including security) of the previous update KB4034663.

If in If the Windows Update operating system installed on your computer is set to automatically receive updates, this update will be installed automatically.

You can see it in the Windows update log.

The two previous updates we reviewed were related to Monthly Rollups.

Monthly packages (Security-only Updates)

The latest, as of the day this article was written (September 21, 2017), security update(Security-only Updates) KB4038793 was released on September 12, 2017 and it not cumulative. This update contains important security fixes and must be installed on your Windows 8.1.

If in If Windows Update is installed on your computer, automatic receipt of updates is enabled, then this update will be installed automatically.

You can also see it in the Windows update log.

How to install monthly update packages

If your system is configured to automatically receive updates, then everything monthly update packages required by your OS will be installed automatically. Go to Windows Update and select Customize Settings.

Set the installation method to "Install updates automatically (recommended)".

Return to the previous window and click "Search for updates".

As a result, all necessary cumulative packages will be downloaded and installed on your system automatically. To view installed updates, go to "Windows Update" and select "View update history"

As you can see, important update packages KB4038792 and KB4038793 for Windows 8.1 are installed in our OS.

What to do if monthly update packages are not installed automatically or you do not have Internet access. Or how to use the Microsoft Update Catalog

In this case, you need to download updates on another computer (which has Internet access) using the Microsoft Update Catalog and install them. You can do it like this.

Opening Microsoft update log. For Windows 8.1 link

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4009470

For example, let's select the most recent cumulative update.

http://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/home.aspx

Then open the Microsoft Update Catalog and enter the number of the latest cumulative update in the input field

My computer is running Windows 8.1 x64, so I will download the cumulative update for x64-based systems.

We install the downloaded cumulative update on our or some other computer,

where there is no internet.

Preparing the installation.

Installing the update.

Reboot now.

working with updates.

After the reboot, go to “Windows Update” and select “View update history.”

We see the installed cumulative package.

To study it, I immediately wanted to upgrade it to Windows 8.1. Now I will tell you how to do this and what problems may arise.

Now I will tell my story. For testing, I immediately downloaded Windows 8 enterprise, but no matter what I did, the new version did not appear in the store. As I understand it, in order to update corporate Windows, you need to pay money...

Enraged, because I spent 2 hours and decided to install the professional version.

Here's what I did to update Windows 8 to windows 8.1:

1. Download and install the KB 2871839 update. You can download it by selecting the required version.

2. After installation and restarting the computer, it is best to go to internet explorer and write in the address: ms-windows-store:WindowsUpgrade

A store will open where you can download it. See below.

What to do if Windows 8 does not appear in the store?

You may encounter that .

If the store still does not have Windows 8.1, then you may have an outdated cache; you can clear it by entering the WSReset.exe command in the Run command (Win + R) or by entering it in the search in the right pop-up panel.

And also try disabling antiviruses, firewalls and all programs that are not needed for a while.