Windows 10: Windows Update when run is corrupting the MBR and laptop will not Boot

Thanks, you read my mind as I was thinking the same thing as I wrote the last reply, but could not get the 'What comes next' under the image!

As I have currently 'Disabled' Windows Update in Local Services the laptop is behaving itself and starting up exceedingly well and keeping the Blood Pressure down!

Having said that I have Macrium V7.1 and used it on the last 2 Images I made of all the partitions (Except 'D') of the hard drive and that lot goes on an Ext HDD.
The 'D' which is my Data and is backed up separately also to the Ext HDD but to a separate partition.

Interestingly however I did try the 'Fix Start Up' feature of Macrium V7.1 after I used the Boot Up DVD to start the program and it failed to repair/fix the boot/start up, and that was when I thought 'bugger it' and restored the last image I made which was as the laptop started and just before Windows Update commenced identifying, downloading and installing all the files it identified as 'required' for the update.

Little bit nervous at the moment to reset Windows Update back to Manual or Automatic as I am a believer of 'If it ain't broke then don't fix it' and in this case more than likely for me 'screw it up again'!

But I still hope that a solution can be found that can repair this GUID GPT quickly to get back up and running with all the updates in place even though a number of them are not welcomed.

Cheers

 

Your HP Laptop came with Windows installed and the disk layout was customized by the HP manufacturer which included 3 Recovery Partitions, the first has the Recovery Environment, the second contains HP Diagnostic Tools and the one marked as OEM contains the Factory Windows Image. The EFI System partition (260MB) also contains special code for Push Button to enable you to restore the Laptop back to Factory, code for HP Diagnostic.

A fresh Windows Install will only have 4 partitions: 500MB Recovery partition, 100MB EFI System Partition, 16MB MSR partition and C drive.

Since You've already made the backup image using Macrium, you might want to re-arrange the partitions as shown above then try to update again. Note that by doing this, you will lose the ability to recover the factory image, however, I doubt if you ever need it unless you decide to sell the Laptop and want to put it back to the way it was which you can restore from the backup image.

FYI,

To use this 'Fix Start Up' feature. Since your Windows was installed using GPT disk layout, you MUST boot up the Rescue Disk with "UEFI mode"
look at the title of the screen shot, it should show what mode was used to boot.

 

After spending about 6 hours today trying to carry out a Windows Update BUT before I did I made an Image of the EFI Partition using Macrium.
It failed to fix when reinstalled the start up of the laptop which repeatedly failed after Windows Update had spent a rather long time in downloading and installing the 18 Files it identified as being required.

 

Hi,
While I understand some of your reply, I must admit that my technical competence is not good enough to understand it all. however......
I did try using the Macrium Boot Up Disk for version 7.1 in UEFI Mode to 'Fix Start Up' but it didn't work after I spent the best part of today running Windows Update when 18 Updates were identified, downloaded and installed, but it took two attempts to get them, while the laptop would NOT start up after being 'Reconfigured'.

I only got going again by using 'System Restore' from the Advanced Recovery option which then deleted the 18 Updates from Windows.

So now 'Local Services' and 'Windows Update' has been reset to 'Disabled' as this has been a waste of a total day.
Sorry.

 

what version of Windows are you running now ? Just open Admin Command prompt and look at

 

Not quite the same 'display' but it's there below:

Windows 10.0.14393

 

1) What were the error messages and codes when you had attempted to upgrade from Windows 1607 to 1703 or Windows 1607 to 1709?

2) Open file explorer > this PC > C: > in the right upper corner search for:
a) supererr.log
b) setupact.log
This by default may be hidden so when using file explore you may need to click on view > check hidden items
3) Post the files into the thread using one drive or drop box share links

4) Run the beta version of the log collector and post a zip into this thread:
log collector v2-beta08.zip
(extract > open)

5) Please complete the steps in post #3

 

Just tried both searches with 'hidden items' checked and got no results.

I think the reason for that is due to the laptop failing to start and when using 'System Restore' to get back up and running or an Image that was made in Macrium, there is subsequently no evidence or record of any update being run as the laptop goes back to a date before Windows Update was run.

 

Meanwhile.........Looking at the Registry..........

After some further delving around on the Internet I found that Windows Update is also ‘activated/controlled’ from the Registry and following this line/link after opening up the ‘regedit’ command:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Update

In looking at the ‘settings’ it looks like there is nothing there for Windows Update which made me think that this might be the cause of the Updates failing?

So if anyone who is running a Win10 Home Version could also have a look please and get back to me if there is a difference between what you can see and what is shown in the attached picture, then it might just solve the update problem.

Thanks

 

Are you not able to perform steps 4 and 5 in post #20?

 

Step 4 has been completed, however the results in the zipped log file are being reviewed from a security aspect point of view as it seems there is quite a lot of personal & private information contained in some of the reports which I am sorry to advise will not be sent.
While Step 5 refers to post #3 which was not considered as I use Macrium for creating and restoring images of the HDD's in this laptop.

 

There should be no personal files in the log collector.
The log collector collects: msinfo32, dxdiag, mini dumps, hosts, uninstall, install, services, event viewer logs, etc.
There is a BSOD forum in Ten Forums and you can view the log files in the forum.

 

Mine is the same except for an AU subkey added by me.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate][HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU]"NoAutoUpdate"=dword:00000001


additionally on a 64bit machine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

 

Sorry, I never mentioned 'files' I did however say 'personal & private information' which is in the files.

 

Thanks for that.
The fact that there is nothing extra in that location means the Update should work and not cause any 'problems'

So it's 'Hey Ho' and back to the drawing board.