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Windows 8 update not able to traverse symlinks

I'm getting really fed up of Windows update restarting my computer to install patches, then failing several times before giving up.

Windows is currently unable to install updates - every time it tries, it gets to about 15% of the configuration stage, and then reports 'Failed to configure updates - restarting'.

In the event viewer, I can find information events relating to the failures:

Package KB2862966 failed to be changed to the Installed state. Status: 0x80070011.

From a quick search, it seems to be because Windows updates cannot traverse symlinks across different drives. My Windows installation is indeed spread out over an SSD and an HDD. The SSD is too small for all the Windows files, so my Users folder (and originally my ProgramData folder before I moved it back when it was causing similar errors) are on a larger HDD, and linked via junctions.

Some people talk about the issue here http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-windows_install/0x80070011-when-trying-to-add-media-center-to/be3763b7-f0b6-4f3d-a013-e2294c344a3f

Does this really require a poor workaround? I don't even understand why updates can't see through the symlinks - aren't junctions all part of the NTFS driver?

Hi

 

The only supported way to move the User folders to a separate drive is using the Windows 8 ADK.

 

Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824947.aspx

 


Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) for Windows 8.1 Preview:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39306 

 

 

If you have any follow-up questions, please ask on the following forums.


Windows 8 IT Pro Category

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/w8itpro

 

 

Regards

MVP 1999 - Present
Windows Insider MVP

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Thanks, I'll give it a try when Windows 8.1 comes out of preview.

It mentions if you're new to deployment, you should use the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). Does this also have the same functionality for migrating the Users directory?

Also, looking through the guide, it shows that I'll need to edit answer files to get the effect I want. I've learned that answer files can be fulfilled using the Sysprep tool - can I just use that rather than the ADK?

Thanks

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Last updated March 24, 2018 Views 381 Applies to: