Problem description:
Updates failed to be installed after being downloaded, Windows Installer has been installed successfully and the computer is a member of WSUS 3.0 server.
This error is most likely caused by one of the following conditions:
1. The Windows Update Temporary folder is corrupted.
2. The Windows Update Agent 3.0 is not installed properly.
3. The Windows Installer 3.1 is corrupted.
Solution:
Perform the following steps to get the issue resolved. After trying each suggestion, please go to the Windows Update site to check the issue.
NOTE: Some third party programs can also affect the Windows Update service. If you are running any third party applications such as Spyblocker, Internet or web accelerators (programs designed to boost the speed of the Internet connection), security or anti-virus programs (Norton, McAfee, etc.), it is recommended to temporarily disable or shut them down and then try accessing the Windows Update site. Please be sure to enable them again when completing the update process.
Suggestion 1: Clean up Windows Update temporary folder
===========================================
1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.Net stop WuAuServ
2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.
3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution or even delete it.
4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window. Net start WuAuServ
If the issue still persists, please move on to suggestion 2.
Suggestion 2: Reinstall Windows Update Agent 3.0
===========================================
1. Please download the file from the following link:
http://download.windowsupdate.com/v7/windowsupdate/redist/standalone/WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe
2. Save the file to C: drive.
3. Click Start->Run, type: “C:\WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe /wuforce” (without quotations) and then press Enter to install the Windows Update engine.
There is a space between “C:\WindowsUpdateAgent30-x86.exe” and “/wuforce”
Note: If you are using Windows Vista, please save the downloaded file to the D: drive (assuming you have an additional partition and its letter is D), because the file cannot be launched directly from the C: root directory.
If it still does not work, please proceed to suggestion 3 to reinstall Windows Installer 3.1.
Suggestion 3: Register / Reinstall Windows Installer 3.1
==================================
1. To register the Windows Installer engine Press Start and choose Run.
2. Type in “cmd” (without quotation marks) and press OK.
3. In the command line, type in the following command and press Enter:
MSIexec /unregister
4. Then, type in the following command and press Enter:
MSIexec /regserver
After finishing the above steps, please check the result again. If the issue persists, please click Start, click Control Panel, and click Add/Remove Programs to check if Windows Installer 3.1 has been installed. If it has, please highlight and remove it. After that, please reinstall Windows Installer 3.1 from the following link.
Windows Installer 3.1 Redistributable (v2)

2 responses so far ↓
anthony // February 20, 2008 at 9:42 am |
When I input the command: 2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.
Only the Main Windows folder opens. There is no specific folder to delete or rename Software Distribution.
Also, Please could you help me with this:
I have installed some Microsoft updates which are shown as installed in the Add or Remove Programs list and also shown as installed by the Belarc Advisor. The installation wizard also said that the updates had been successfully installed In addition, the updates appear in the registry.
However, if you look at the updates log file it seems to me that the update may not have installed. Particularly where it says:
KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct
[KB885835.log]
5.093: ================================================================================
5.093: 2008/02/18 17:24:01.078 (local)
5.093: c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\update.exe (version 5.5.33.0)
5.125: Service Pack started with following command line:
10.265: DoInstallation: CleanPFR failed: 0×2
10.297: SetProductTypes: InfProductBuildType=BuildType.Sel
10.297: SetAltOsLoaderPath: No section uses DirId 65701; done.
10.390: DoInstallation: FetchSourceURL for c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\update_SP2GDR.inf failed
10.453: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
11.343: BuildCabinetManifest: update.url absent
11.359: Starting AnalyzeComponents
11.359: AnalyzePhaseZero used 0 ticks
11.375: No c:\windows\INF\updtblk.inf file.
11.375: OEM file scan used 0 ticks
11.640: AnalyzePhaseOne: used 281 ticks
11.640: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatch analysis disabled; skipping.
11.640: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatching is disabled.
11.640: FindFirstFile c:\windows\$hf_mig$\*.*
11.718: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
11.765: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
11.843: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
11.843: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
11.922: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.031: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.031: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.062: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.109: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.156: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.172: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.203: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.203: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.312: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.312: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.328: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.343: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.406: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.406: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.656: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.672: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.687: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.687: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.703: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.703: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.703: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.703: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.734: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.734: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.734: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.734: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.765: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.812: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.812: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.906: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.922: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.922: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.922: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
12.984: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.031: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.031: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.047: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.047: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.078: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.093: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.125: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.125: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.125: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.125: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
13.359: AnalyzeForBranching used 203 ticks.
13.359: AnalyzePhaseTwo used 0 ticks
13.359: AnalyzePhaseThree used 0 ticks
13.359: AnalyzePhaseFive used 0 ticks
13.359: AnalyzePhaseSix used 0 ticks
16.984: AnalyzeComponents used 5625 ticks
16.984: Downloading 0 files
16.984: bPatchMode = FALSE
16.984: Inventory complete: ReturnStatus=0, 6578 ticks
18.078: CreateUninstall = 1,Directory = C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB885835$
18.078: Num Ticks for invent : 7688
26.500: Allocation size of drive C: is 4096 bytes, free space = 149010522112 bytes
26.562: AnalyzeDiskUsage: Skipping EstimateDiskUsageForUninstall.
26.562: Drive C: free 142107MB req: 7MB w/uninstall: NOT CALCULATED.
26.562: CabinetBuild complete
26.562: Num Ticks for Cabinet build : 8484
26.578: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
28.406: Num Ticks for Backup : 1844
28.515: Num Ticks for creating uninst inf : 109
28.531: Registering Uninstall Program for -> KB885835, KB885835 , 0×0
28.531: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
34.906: System Restore Point set.
35.062: PFE2: Not avoiding Per File Exceptions.
36.093: GetCatVersion: Failed to retrieve version information from C:\WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\KB885835.cat with error 0×57
36.875: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\update_SP2QFE.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update_SP2QFE.inf.
36.906: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\spuninst.exe -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\spuninst.exe.
37.000: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\spmsg.dll -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\spmsg.dll.
37.015: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\spcustom.dll -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\spcustom.dll.
37.047: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\KB885835.CAT -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\KB885835.CAT.
37.093: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\update.exe -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update.exe.
37.187: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\update.ver -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update.ver.
37.203: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\updatebr.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\updatebr.inf.
37.218: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\eula.txt -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\eula.txt.
37.250: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:\47ecd30740aeffc5e49b9bd32f2bb7f1\update\branches.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\branches.inf.
37.797: Copied file: C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386\mrxsmb.sys
38.015: Num Ticks for Copying files : 9500
38.031: Num Ticks for Reg update and deleting 0 size files : 16
43.234: UpdateSpUpdSvcInf: Source [ProcessesToRunAfterReboot] section is empty; nothing to do.
47.218: RebootNecessary = 0,WizardInput = 0 , DontReboot = 1, ForceRestart = 0
2.016: ================================================================================
2.016: 2008/02/18 19:33:28.484 (local)
2.016: c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\update.exe (version 5.5.33.0)
2.032: Service Pack started with following command line:
3.813: DoInstallation: CleanPFR failed: 0×2
3.813: SetProductTypes: InfProductBuildType=BuildType.Sel
3.813: SetAltOsLoaderPath: No section uses DirId 65701; done.
3.860: DoInstallation: FetchSourceURL for c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\update_SP2GDR.inf failed
3.860: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
4.000: BuildCabinetManifest: update.url absent
4.016: Starting AnalyzeComponents
4.016: AnalyzePhaseZero used 0 ticks
4.016: No c:\windows\INF\updtblk.inf file.
4.016: OEM file scan used 0 ticks
4.157: AnalyzePhaseOne: used 141 ticks
4.157: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatch analysis disabled; skipping.
4.157: AnalyzeComponents: Hotpatching is disabled.
4.157: FindFirstFile c:\windows\$hf_mig$\*.*
4.172: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.172: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.188: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.188: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.204: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.219: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.219: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.235: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.235: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.250: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.250: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.266: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.266: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.297: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.313: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.313: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.344: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.360: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.375: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.375: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.375: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.375: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.391: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.391: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.391: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.422: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.422: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.422: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.422: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.438: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.438: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.438: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.454: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.469: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.469: KB885835 Setup encountered an error: The update.ver file is not correct.
4.688: AnalyzeForBranching used 219 ticks.
4.688: AnalyzePhaseTwo used 0 ticks
4.688: AnalyzePhaseThree used 0 ticks
4.688: AnalyzePhaseFive used 0 ticks
4.688: AnalyzePhaseSix used 0 ticks
6.125: AnalyzeComponents used 2109 ticks
6.125: Downloading 0 files
6.125: bPatchMode = FALSE
6.125: Inventory complete: ReturnStatus=0, 2265 ticks
7.188: CreateUninstall = 1,Directory = C:\WINDOWS\$NtUninstallKB885835$
7.188: Num Ticks for invent : 3328
14.688: Allocation size of drive C: is 4096 bytes, free space = 148856528896 bytes
14.735: AnalyzeDiskUsage: Skipping EstimateDiskUsageForUninstall.
14.735: Drive C: free 141960MB req: 13MB w/uninstall: NOT CALCULATED.
14.735: CabinetBuild complete
14.735: Num Ticks for Cabinet build : 7547
14.750: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
15.969: Num Ticks for Backup : 1234
16.047: Num Ticks for creating uninst inf : 78
16.063: Registering Uninstall Program for -> KB885835, KB885835 , 0×0
16.063: LoadFileQueues: SetupGetSourceFileLocation for halaacpi.dll failed: 0xe0000102
22.469: System Restore Point set.
22.547: PFE2: Not avoiding Per File Exceptions.
23.563: GetCatVersion: Failed to retrieve version information from C:\WINDOWS\system32\CatRoot\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\KB885835.cat with error 0×57
24.282: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\update_SP2QFE.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update_SP2QFE.inf.
24.329: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\spuninst.exe -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\spuninst.exe.
24.344: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\spmsg.dll -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\spmsg.dll.
24.375: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\spcustom.dll -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\spcustom.dll.
24.391: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\KB885835.CAT -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\KB885835.CAT.
24.454: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\update.exe -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update.exe.
24.485: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\update.ver -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\update.ver.
24.500: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\updatebr.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\updatebr.inf.
24.532: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\eula.txt -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\eula.txt.
24.547: ProcessSetupContentSection: PROCESS_SETUP_CONTENT_OP_INSTALL: Copied c:0ced1c46d5d142e92\update\branches.inf -> c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\update\branches.inf.
25.063: Copied file: C:\WINDOWS\Driver Cache\i386\mrxsmb.sys
25.250: Copied file: c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\SP2QFE\rdbss.sys
25.375: Copied file: c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\SP2QFE\lsasrv.dll
25.532: Copied file: c:\windows\$hf_mig$\KB885835\SP2QFE\mrxsmb.sys
25.704: Num Ticks for Copying files : 9657
25.735: Num Ticks for Reg update and deleting 0 size files : 31
30.797: UpdateSpUpdSvcInf: Source [ProcessesToRunAfterReboot] section is empty; nothing to do.
37.672: RebootNecessary = 0,WizardInput = 0 , DontReboot = 1, ForceRestart = 0
sbsisyphus // February 20, 2008 at 10:39 pm |
%windir% is an “Environmental Variable” in plain speech it merely is shorthand for a directory path. In this case to the Windows directory. Since the various flavors of Windows OS have diferrent Windows directory paths the variable is intended to unify and simplify this regardless of OS. That said if you are using Vista it would be C:\Windows\Software Distribution for instance (assuming the OS is installed on C:\).
For further help on this I would defer you to the link at the bottom of the post which goes direct to the originating KB. This blog post was historical since I used it myself. This is one of the purposes I created this blog – to fill the need for breadcrumbs of bye-gone days and repairs.