Windows Enterprise 7 - error message "Windows Update in Progress" followed by "Failed to update, reversing changes"

Hi,

Thank you for posting the query in Microsoft community forums.
From the problem description, I understand that you receive error "Failure configuring windows updates reverting changes" after windows update.

1. Which anti-virus software is installed on the computer?
2. Did you make any changes on the computer prior to the issue?

Try the suggestions to resolve the issue.

Method 1:
Run the fix it and check.
http://support.microsoft.com/mats/windows_update/

Method 2:
Place the computer in a clean boot and check if third party software is causing the update issue.
How to troubleshoot a problem by performing a clean boot in Windows Vista or in Windows 7
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/929135
Note: After trouble shooting put the computer to start as usual by performing step 7 from the above Knowledge Base article.

Method 3:
If the issue persists then, you may try the steps from the knowledge base article and check.

Error: Failure configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes. Do not turn off your computer when you try to install Windows Updates
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/949358

Note: It is strongly recommended you back up all of your personal files before performing Inplace. For information on how to back up your files, visit:http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Back-up-your-files

Important: If you perform the in place upgrade also known as a Repair install, I would suggest you to back up all the important.

Note: After performing In-Place Upgrade, your personal data and installed programs will not be removed but you may need to run Windows Update to install all the available updates for your system to update these system files to the current version.

In future if you come across any issues regarding Windows, please feel free to post your query here on Microsoft Community, we will be more than happy to assist you.

I have managed to fix the problem – but not in the way I wanted. I have disabled the Windows update – and this has stopped the message from appearing – though this means the operating system will never be updated.

To answer your questions –

Currently I do not have any anti-virus software installed. The issue is not caused by any malicious software. Most of the softwares that I have on my machine are Oracle related tools – downloaded from the OTN website. Like I said earlier – I had a genuine version of Vista, but eventually Windows Enterprise 7 was installed by a client of mine (around Feb 11) – as the softwares to be used in the project were not compatible with Vista. The project lasted for 8 months – there has not been any problem with the operating system during this time. Following that I completed another project and used my laptop there – but never encountered any problem.  

Maybe around mid-2012 I started getting this message. Please note that the messages appear even when I am not connected to the internet i.e. no update is actually happening, though the message says so.

I took the laptop to the nearby repair centre – they fixed the problem almost immediately. They told me it is caused due to the existence of some temporary files – and once these files are deleted the messages will no longer appear.

This indeed fixed the problem and the messages no longer appeared. But after about 4 weeks the messages started appearing again.

However I did not ask the repair centre to show me where the temporary files are located. So I would like to know if anyone knows the location of these files so I can delete the files myself.

There may be some problem however with the Windows Enterprise 7 that I have on my machine. E.g. I have had difficulty in installing Oracle OBIEE. Also when I run “systeminfo” from the command prompt I get the message “ERROR: Generic Failure”.

I have tried to fix the problem as per your suggestion. With “Method 1” i.e. running the “detect and fix” tool, I got the message “Troubleshooting cannot continue because an error has occurred.”

Method 2 and 3 I have not tried because it will require considerable resource – e.g. having to take backup first etc – and requires planning – whereas the problem may be possibly solved with something as simple as deleting some temp files.

Thanks

<Removed by Moderator for some reason>

Please answer each of the following [admittedly tedious] diagnostic questions in a correspondingly-numbered list in your very next reply, preferably without quoting my post:

1a. When (approx. date) was the computer purchased?

1b. Does the computer belong to you or your employer?

2. When (exact date, preferably) did you upgrade the Vista computer to Win7?

3a. You do not have an anti-virus application install on the Win7 Enterprise computer, is that correct?

3b. Was an anti-virus application installed when the computer was still running Vista?

4. Was the Vista computer fully-patched at Windows Update before it was upgraded to Win7?

5. Assuming Win7 (64-bit) SP1 with IE9 installed => Are ALL of the following updates listed in View installed updates (not Update History)?

    (a) KB2809289, KB2807986; KB2797052, KB2789645, KB2778344, KB2799494, KB2790655 & KB2790113;
    (b) KB2769369, KB2742599, KB2756921, KB2736422 & KB2757638 or possibly KB2758694.
    (c) KB2753842, KB2758857 & KB2727528;
    (d) KB2705219 & KB2712808;
    (e) KB2676562 & KB2644615.