# Serious windows 8 bug



## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

Hi

I work for one of the biggest PC retailers in the UK, everyday i setup counltess laptop and towers, these include pre-set up ones that are ready to use when the customer buys and also software setups for customers (such as personlisation, backup to usb, install all updates, create user names and email addresses, install office and anti-virus and register them)

now on most of the laptops (and it only happens on windows 8) is that when its installed all updates in windows then it needs restarting, what happens is it gets to 99% (on the boot screen) and then states "failure to configure updates. reversing changes please wait! - this is not within windows but during boot)










this can take as long as 1 hour, sometimes more - the strange thing is though is AFTER its happened 9/10 if you retry it and download and install all the updates it will work..its rare it doesn't on the 2nd try

Now this seems to happen more on ASUS LENOVO and SONY laptops and some HP's - the rest like COMAPQ, PACKARD BELL and ACER seen to be ok...as far as i can recall, i only work part-time but its all I do and have done so for 9 months, at xmas 2013 I setup some 400 laptops, and probably do about 30 per week currently, these are all fresh from manufacturers and need setting up.

to me it seems to be some bug in the windows 8 software - MS have confirmed this happens but their only advice is to use system restore or reset...thats passing the buck rather than finding a fix as Im alsmost certain its a fault in windows8
*
# can anyone help shine some light on this issue>?*

when I look online there are litterally hundreds of users with same problem...not too mention customers who didnt buy a setup and brought it back later with the same fault.

Iam looking to get too the bottom of this and wondered if some TSG experts could help?

many thanks


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

You're still getting new PCs with Windows 8 instead of 8.1?


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

TerryNet said:


> You're still getting new PCs with Windows 8 instead of 8.1?


some come with 8 but must are coming with 8.1 now - it doesnt matter which OS it is it still happens and the web is trawling the same issue with it, other users getting the same issue...someone on OCuk Says it onsy seems to happen wih OEM's -ive notice it happen more with SONY and ASUS devices...

its PIA as we have a tight schedule and each one knocks us back at leat 1 hour

not too mention customers bringing them back with the same issue when they went with self install


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I have no ideas on the problem.

Do you know if your employer has "officially" given this feedback to Microsoft, Sony and Asus?


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

I believe the problem is that several OEMs, (include Dell in your list), have no, or the wrong network adapter drivers. When the computer says it is configuring updates, it has got to the stage when it is trying to access the web and download the updates. Obviously here it is stuck for a solution!
I now make sure that I have configured the install, to the end, as much as possible, to not automatically update. I then log myself, or anyone I am assisting, in a local user, load the network drivers manually, (I have them on CDs, gathered from makers sites) and then, log in, where appropriate, with a live account.
At this point, the OS ask if you wish to switch to that account.


I cannot explain your following para though.


"the strange thing is though is AFTER its happened 9/10 if you retry it and download and install all the updates it will work..its rare it doesn't on the 2nd try"


How do you download the updates at that stage?


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

sorry maybe im not clear - this is not within windows itself... but AFTER its installed updates over wifi OR LAN (so has nothing to do with wifi drivers as one done it yesterday...an HP tower over LAN) - this is when it reboots and starts to install updates that need installing during reboot but ends up getting to 99% saying:










I have not told the manager but maybe we should contact microsoft

to answer you question... yeah it seems to work if we re-try.... its just we dont have the time to wait 2-3 hours for it too update then revert just to start again on the amount of units we need to put through per day...

thanks again


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

i have seen the same thing on a few PCs in the last couple of months ( dont do many W8/8.1 updates just 2 or 3 )

thinking about it - its been on all the 8/8.1 pcs i have rebuilt


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Most OEM computers come with a free trial of an anti-virus - usually AVG, McAfee or Norton
When you set the computer up, does that setup include the activation of the free trial.
If so I would try disabling the AV while updates are downloaded and installed.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

And I removed all the trailware - first thing I do - is get all that stuff off
then make a recovery DVD /USB 
then do all the updates - thats when it would have had the issue
then add - various anti-spyware, free AV , then thunderbird as a client


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

first off...just want too say thanks for the help guys...really appreciate it..nice to see i have the TSG experts on board 

yeah they all come with McAfee Live Safe on (mostly) or Norton IS and I can't say for sure if it happens with one or the other - we sell and install McAfee so I always leave it on so I can just log into it with the customers details as its much quicker... mind if it WAS McAfee (or Norton) I have no issues removing it as it only takes minutes to reinstall - suppose its all trial and error, also would the Anti-Virus affect the install during boot up (where it fails) ..suppose it could affect one installed within windows which makes it fail afterwards during boot.

I have been onto Microsoft Answers where an MS employee on there simply says try a factory reset - these are the instructions we were given from MS too our store, this is MS passing the buck, they need to find out whats wrong and fix it... he also said check the 'Failed Install' lists and report back...which I will but im sure when ive checked it shows no updates (other than ones that came on the machine) it literally removes them all


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

To be fair, whilst Microsoft may have been a little short, perhaps your complaint would be better addressed to Mcafee or Norton. Mcafee I know little about, but Norton has been giving problems since Windows 7. As they are senior partners, it is time they got their act together.


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

davehc said:


> To be fair, whilst Microsoft may have been a little short, perhaps your complaint would be better addressed to Mcafee or Norton. Mcafee I know little about, but Norton has been giving problems since Windows 7. As they are senior partners, it is time they got their act together.


I can't take it up with McAfee when it seems to happen on computers with both installed which indicates a possible issue with windows itself

what I will do (and it will take a while) is remove McAfee on every computer before I update it and see what happens...if its still the same then it will be pointless removing Norton and prove its a windows issue.

I personally dont like McAfee, is a *major *system hog..especially on cheap AMD laptops, theres something about McAfee (badly coded?) and AMD mobile CPU's that just dont seem to work well - Norton laptops are fine and McAfee + Intel arent too bad, but McAfee + AMD systems can be the cause of a lot of returns due to "slowness" - we need to change the deal we have with McAfee to someone like Kaspersky _(which has been proven to be extremely good and extremely light on the system)_ - a lot of PUPs _(Potentially Unwanted programs)_ tend to get past McAfee as we get loads of returns with PUPs on McAfee systems

I just think MS need to get more involved in addressing the issue because there is definitley something wrong with windows 8 updating.

thaks again


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

Well this is not entirely true



> I just think MS need to get more involved in addressing the issue because there is definitley something wrong with windows 8 updating.


My computer - self build triple boot 8.1 (upgrade from 8) Professional, Windows 7 Pro and XP
NOT ONE problem with Windows updates

AV - Windows Defender


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

I also have not yet had a Windows 8 or 8.1 update problem. Over the years almost all the XP/Vista/7/8/8.1 problems whose causes were found seem to be the occasional Microsoft goof and, much more often, corruption (of the user's system) or a security suite.


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## davehc (Oct 4, 2006)

Ditto the last two posts. I have my computer(s) set to notify me if there are any updates, and I choose when to install them. But I don't believe this should make any difference to the overall operation.


I have installed Windows 8/8.1 on several computers, for friends and family. I swear that, to date, none have complained of an update problem.


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

TerryNet said:


> I also have not yet had a Windows 8 or 8.1 update problem. Over the years almost all the XP/Vista/7/8/8.1 problems whose causes were found seem to be the occasional Microsoft goof and, much more often, corruption (of the user's system) or a security suite.


but are these all brand new ASUS, SONY or HP (and sometime any other brands) laptops FRESH out the box that you have updated on>? and im talking *hundreds *since Nov13 cos thats when it started happening - hundreds ive done and about 30% do the above problem, as i say we get customers buying them flat (un setup) and bringing them back later with same issue...

sorry if ive not replied to other questions but iam too busy working ATM


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

just had the same issue with an ACER yesterday - had not done any updates since purchased in FEB 
This was all over the phone, so could not get into to much detail

run the update , got the error, "failure to configure updates. reversing changes please wait.
she re-run the updates and now it worked OK


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## TerryNet (Mar 23, 2005)

> but are these all brand new ASUS, SONY or HP (and sometime any other brands) laptops FRESH out the box that you have updated on>?


No, but my not-expressed thought was that I do not agree with "there is definitley something wrong with windows 8 updating." Your experience says to me that there is a problem with certain brands--maybe the motherboards or maybe certain driver(s) or maybe even some bloat (preinstalled junk).


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## Macboatmaster (Jan 15, 2010)

I think in view of this



> and im talking hundreds since Nov13


is it not a matter to raise with your manager and him to raise it with the OEMS and Microsoft.


> have not told the manager but maybe we should contact microsoft


I concur with my good colleague TerryNet - as I said earlier I have never had ONE problem in updating 8, upgrading to 8.1 - installing 8.1.1. and updates since

It just has to be something other than Windows updates - but as you say there are hundreds - clearly it is matter of concern.

I am sure Microsoft once they were aware of the scale of the problem would be very keen to work towards finding the cause.

However you decide to progress it - good luck with it - you must be at the stage of total exasperation at times


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## paulb100 (Mar 17, 2005)

guess what...it happened on a Windows 7 computer yesterday that belong to a cmr that we were updating...think it was after a reset.. so it must be an update thats related too both OS's or our bloody network..BUT as we all know its widespread - but this was the first time i saw it happen on a windows 7 machine...ever..

we did contact MS who said.

"we are aware of this problem where it says "update is reverting issue" if this happens try the following:

1 system restore

2 system reset

so basically - its not us is what they are saying... this is an email they sent too us which provided a link to a page with the above info!!

thanks again guys...

p.s. someone elsewhere mentioned OOBE to preinstall updates before continue with setup? viable?

edit: it HAS to be a pre-requisite update because obviously SOME updates must get installed because on all 2nd attempts (1-2 hours later) it works...something is being installed in wrong order or something...i dunno my heads battered...


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