Windows 10: Windows 10 to grab 7 GB of your storage so big updates don't fail.

From ZDNet, 1/18/2019:

In the next major release of Windows 10, Microsoft will reserve 7GB of your device's storage to resolve a Windows 10 bug thrown up by Windows Update not checking whether a PC has enough storage space before launching after big updates.

As Microsoft warned ahead of the Windows 10 October 2018 Update, systems that don't have enough space to install Microsoft's 'quality updates' or new versions of the OS will see an error message explaining there is insufficient storage space. That happens because Windows doesn't check if a device has enough space before initializing. Microsoft's current solution is for users to manually delete unnecessary temporary files and temporarily move important files like photos and videos to external storage devices to make enough space for the update. This problem is more acute for devices with little storage capacity, such as many of the cheap 32GB flash-drive PCs on the market today. In Windows 10 19H1, or version 1903 when it's released this year, Microsoft is introducing 'reserved storage', which will keep around 7GB of disk space -- but possibly more -- available purely so that updates can be installed smoothly.

Reserved storage won't be unused though. It'll be a dumping ground for temporary files that users would have to remove anyway if they've got insufficient space at the time of an update. Temporary files are automatically placed in reserved storage. It also automates the procedures that currently require users to manually resolve errors caused by Windows not checking for available space.

The temporary files in reserved storage will not consume free user space and will be less likely to do so as temporary files increase in number, so long as the reserve isn't full, according to Microsoft.

There will be some intelligent management of reserved storage and free user disk space thanks to the already released Windows 10 Storage Sense storage-management utility. "Since disk space has been set aside for this purpose, your device will function more reliably. Storage Sense will automatically remove unneeded temporary files, but if for some reason your reserve area fills up, Windows will continue to operate as expected while temporarily consuming some disk space outside the reserve if it is temporarily full," Microsoft explains.

The feature is enabled automatically on devices that ship with Windows 10 version 1903 and on clean installs of 1903. Users won't be able to remove reserved storage, but they can adjust the amount that is reserved, as explained below. On devices with reserved storage Windows Update will delete temporary and unneeded files in reserved storage and then use reserved space first for downloading updates.

Microsoft believes this will allow "most PCs" to install updates without users having to free up space. And if Windows Update needs more space than is reserved, it will automatically use other available free space.

If that fails, users need revert to manual processes, such as dumping files on external storage, such as using a USB stick.

Microsoft estimates that reserved storage will start at about 7GB, but notes it could need more depending on how a device is used.
While reserved storage can't be removed, Microsoft classes it as an 'optional feature', which can be viewed in Settings > Apps > Apps & Features > Manage optional features.

"You can reduce the amount of space required for reserved storage on your device by uninstalling optional features you are not using," explains Microsoft.
However it doesn't say by how much. Windows Insiders on the 19H1 preview build 18298 or newer should be able to see how much 'uninstalling' the optional feature changes reserved storage.

Users can check the size of reserved storage on their system by clicking Start > Search for 'Storage settings' > then Click 'Show more categories' > Click 'System & reserved' > and looking at the
'Reserved storage' size.





Reserved Storage will take around 7GB of your device's disk space so Windows can update.

Original article link -

Microsoft: Windows 10 to grab 7GB of your storage so big updates don't fail | ZDNet

*really


:)

 

Windows 10 fails to update


When you finish testing the Avast suggestion, make sure that you restart your machine.

Then if the issue persists, please return to the trouble shooting list in post# 89

I think there are three steps that remain; the WU troubleshooter, reset WU components, and manual WU reset.

 

Windows Updates failed to instal

I just did step one and they have just all installed.... thank you so much.... it was quite frustrating having that update window pop up every 5 minutes and failing to instal every time

Thanks mate

 

Windows Updates failed to instal

I'm not sure how differant XP media center Edition is but you could clear the history \ cache if these folders are there.

Step 1 Register DLL files.

=================

By trying this step, we can check if the update engines are working properly.



1. Close all instances of Internet Explorer.

2. Click Start and Run, type "Regsvr32 atl.dll" (without quotes) in the Open box and click OK.



Note: There is a space between regsvr32 and atl.dll



3. Similarly, one by one, register the files listed below:



Regsvr32 msxml3.dll

Regsvr32 wuapi.dll

Regsvr32 wuaueng.dll

Regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll

Regsvr32 wups2.dll

Regsvr32 wucltui.dll

Regsvr32 wups.dll

Regsvr32 wuweb.dll

Regsvr32 qmgr.dll

Regsvr32 qmgrprxy.dll

Regsvr32 jscript.dll



Note: If you encounter errors while registering any of these files then skip that file and continue with the next one.



If the issue persists, let's move on to the steps below to verify Windows Update services and temporary folders.



Step 2 Verify the relevant Windows Update services.

=========================================

1. Click Start->Run, type "services.msc" (without quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.

2. Double click the service "Automatic Updates".

3. Click on the Log On tab, please ensure the option "Local System account" is selected and the option "Allow service to interact with desktop" is unchecked.

4. Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile. If not, please click the Enable button to enable it.

5. Click on the tab "General "; make sure the "Startup Type" is "Automatic" or "Manual". Then please click the button "Stop" under "Service Status" to stop the service.

6. Then please click the button "Start" under "Service Status" to start the service.

7. Please repeat the above steps with the other services:



Background Intelligent Transfer Service

Event Log

Remote Procedure Call (RPC)



Note: Event log service is enabled on all of the hardware profiles; this service does not have an option to enable or disable on certain hardware profile.



If it still does not help, let's proceed to step 3.



Step 3 Reload the Update temporary folders.

===================================

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update is containing corrupted files. Let's erase all the files there to get the system clean.



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 to Sdold.

4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.



Net start WuAuServ



Please test the Windows Update website and let me know the result. If the issue persists, to clarify the issue and provide more accurate troubleshooting steps, please assist me in collecting the following information.