Windows 7 SP1

[davidm71]

Look for your errors in %windir%\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. It is more verbose and can help you find something that doesn't show up in the System Update Readiness Tools log.

I can't really blame Microsoft on this one. From my experience it is third party tools, software, or drivers themselves that are deleting the critical files that the service pack install is looking for.

Well I put back every missing Ati driver file, double checked file permissions, got a clean bill of health from update readiness tool, uninstalled my antivirus, renamed distribution folder, ran sfc /scannow, removed firewalls, used msconfig to uncheck 3rd party services and startup apps, ran a virus scan, installed other prerequisite patches, studied the cbs log and still nothing. SP1 can go to hell. I dont care anymore. This Service pack is total bs!

 

[Reus]

SP1 can go to hell. I dont care anymore. This Service pack is total bs!

Amen to that. I have tried everything to get this thing installed and it still won't cooperate. I sure as hell am not going to re-install Windows just for this. I must say I never had any problems whatsoever with any of the countless service pack installs I did for Win2k/XP machines.

 

[Locutus]

I have a lappy Win7 64bit. Used for everything

HTPC used for torrents and watching TV.
There is nothing on the HTPC that is not on the lappy. Just less apps.

I installed SP1 on the lappy with no problem. On the HTPC i got every error listed in this thread, plus a few from other threads around the net. I aslo tried every fix except a clean install or an inplace upgrade. Did the inplace upgrade. It took over an hour BUT when it was done SP1 installed with no problem. All apps and drivers were left intact and it runs great

Cliffs:
1 SP1 would not install
2 tried all fixes listed, no worked
3 Did an inplace upgrade and all works great now

 

[jaygatsby9]

Silly question, but how do you do an in-place upgrade? I haven't been able to get SP1 to install either. Do all the files etc remain when you do an in-place upgrade? Thanks.

 

[Chimel]

The in-place upgrade (AKA repair installation) is basically reinstalling Windows 7 over Windows 7, just like you would do when upgrading Vista to Windows 7. You'll need the Windows DVD though, so this might not be an option on OEM machines that don't have one.
Just make sure to select the Upgrade option, not a new installation. It should work in the same way whether you run the setup.exe file on the DVD from Windows (if you can start it, that is) or if you boot from the Windows DVD.

The in-place upgrade keeps all your installed programs and settings, so it's pretty safe and has actually been recommended by MS Support for such Windows 7 SP1 installation issues.

 

[beowulf7]

I'll wait until next week before I install SP1.

 

[MrCrispy]

This is my 2c w.r.t Windows service packs - I always do a fresh install with an integrated iso. Yes it takes longer and you need to reinstall apps, but its guaranteed to work, gives you a cleaner (and usually smaller) system, and is a chance to update software, install newer versions or alternatives. Also if you have a separate OS and data partition then all the data stays intact - I just format c:\ as part of the reinstall.

 

[Unknown-One]

Are you guys doing the in-place upgrade with an original Windows 7 disc, or with an SP1 disc?

I already tried doing an in-place upgrade with an original Windows 7 disc, then updating to SP1, and I still had the same issues afterwords (bunch of apps would no longer open unless started as administrator after installing SP1)

 

[Chimel]

Also if you have a separate OS and data partition then all the data stays intact - I just format c:\ as part of the reinstall.

Since Vista, all the data stay intact even if you install on the existing Windows partition without reformatting. The system, program and user files get moved to the windows.old folder, where you can retrieve what you need at your leisure.

Even though, it can be easier to save your user settings and files with Windows Easy Transfer, so you can easily restore them after the new system is installed. I usually don't care much about the default options proposed, but you can use the Advanced option to select which AppData folders you want to include.
But I get you, I rarely use the transfer wizard myself and prefer to reinstall apps from scratch, restoring hundreds of megabytes of (possibly corrupted or obsolete) data seems to go contrary to the principle of a clean install. I customize Windows and apps as little as possible, and these few steps are written on Google docs so I can redo them at any time. The next step would be to store them as some executable so I can just reset my profile in one click...

 

[MrCrispy]

There's another advantage to doing a clean install - WinSxs never shrinks (by design) so doing a clean install usually results in a smaller OS install size, and even more if you use an iso with SP1 integrated.

I like to use as many portable apps as possible, and all of those are not on d:\ so they don't need to be reinstalled. All I need to do is redirect the profile folder and install apps/games again.

 

[Unknown-One]

There's another advantage to doing a clean install - WinSxs never shrinks (by design) so doing a clean install usually results in a smaller OS install size

Not entirely correct. The WinSxS folder does grow slightly, but not as much as you seem to think. Most items in the WinSxS folder are symlinks, not actual files. Checking the properties of a symlink (or a folder full of symlinks) will show the size of the files that the symlinks point at, but the symlinks DO NOT add to actual disk usage.

If you highlight all the files on your disk (including system and hidden files) and check their properties, then compare against the properties for the disk itself, you'll notice the file properties shows a substantially larger amount of space used than disk properties. The discrepancy there is due to those symlinks, as the original file's size is counted multiple times (one for each link).

The additional size from installing SP1 is the backup files, kept so you can uninstall SP1. If you want to make SP1 permanent, you can get rid of these backup files from the Disk Cleanup Wizard.

 

[Chimel]

Checking the properties of a symlink (or a folder full of symlinks) will show the size of the files that the symlinks point at, but the symlinks DO NOT add to actual disk usage.

If you highlight all the files on your disk (including system and hidden files) and check their properties, then compare against the properties for the disk itself, you'll notice the file properties shows a substantially larger amount of space used than disk properties.

That doesn't really work if you have a large disk, I wonder if there exists a simple utility that recognizes these hard links and can display the actual size of the folder.

You need to know the total size as well, for instance if you copy the winsxs folder to another drive, because all these pointers will be converted to physical files, but I think Windows Explorer or the 'dir' command should be able to display the real used size as well.

Symlinks, hard links, mklinks, that's a lot of names for the same thing...

 

[Acer_Sheep]

Installed it few days ago on both my laptops, on the first one it went ok, but second after a restart shown no picture on the screen, probably caused by GPU drivers or something. Solved by unstalling SP1

 

[jaygatsby9]

Silly question, but how do you do an in-place upgrade? I haven't been able to get SP1 to install either. Do all the files etc remain when you do an in-place upgrade? Thanks.

The in-place upgrade (AKA repair installation) is basically reinstalling Windows 7 over Windows 7, just like you would do when upgrading Vista to Windows 7. You'll need the Windows DVD though, so this might not be an option on OEM machines that don't have one.
Just make sure to select the Upgrade option, not a new installation. It should work in the same way whether you run the setup.exe file on the DVD from Windows (if you can start it, that is) or if you boot from the Windows DVD.

The in-place upgrade keeps all your installed programs and settings, so it's pretty safe and has actually been recommended by MS Support for such Windows 7 SP1 installation issues

Worked perfectly. Thanks.

 

[Unknown-One]

Again, are you guys doing the in-place upgrade with an original Windows 7 disc, then patching to SP1...or are you doing the in-place upgrade with a Windows 7 disc with SP1 integrated on the installation media?

 

[Chimel]

The original RTM release, but I believe it should work with the SP1 integrated media as well: It's the SP1 installer that's buggy, or too fragile, Windows Setup is more robust and apparently will restore missing or buggy files. Tell us if it works with the RTM+SP1 disc, but make sure it's the official one, several so-called integrated media images were released in the wild torrents or cyberlockers long before SP1 release.

 

[beowulf7]

Next week, I'll try the Windows Update method. Not sure if I'll do it before or after Patch Tues.

 

[jaygatsby9]

Again, are you guys doing the in-place upgrade with an original Windows 7 disc, then patching to SP1...or are you doing the in-place upgrade with a Windows 7 disc with SP1 integrated on the installation media?

I used the regular Win 7 disc. Then Windows Update to download all the updates. Then WU again to install SP1

 

[Unknown-One]

I used the regular Win 7 disc. Then Windows Update to download all the updates. Then WU again to install SP1

Ok, well, that didn't work for me.

Same issues as usual; SP1 appears to install fine, but then a bunch of apps refuse to start (they silently fail to launch) unless I explicitly launch them with Administrator access.

If using a Windows 7 disc with SP1 integrated for an in-place upgrade doesn't work, my only other option is a format... doesn't make any sense, the system operates perfectly until I install SP1.

 

[yossarian]

This is too funny. All attemps to install the SP1 patch have failed on one computer running Ultimate x64, including WU and using the SP1 file from Technet. So I decide to try the in place upgrade method others have said works. Running the Win 7 SP1 ISO from Technet from a USB drive. So install asks to upgrade or do custom install. I say upgrade. Then it reports I can't do an upgrade until I install the SP1 patch. Can I get the hammer out now?

I guess the only thing left to do is a fresh install. This sucks...

 

[Chimel]

my only other option is a format

Sorry to hear it didn't work, but reformat only if you don't have enough space for 2 systems. Otherwise try to install over the existing system without reformatting, this will move the previous files to a windows.old folder where you can retrieve stuff like your saved games and other user settings, and delete the folder afterwards.

@yossarian So you need an in-place downgrade? ^-^

 

[yossarian]

I suppose I could try the in place deal with regular Win 7 ISO, but it doesn't sound too hopeful either based on other's reports.

 

[beowulf7]

Judging by what many have posted here, I can't believe after all these versions of Windows, MS still can't release a reliable SP (in terms of installation).

 

[BigYoSpeck]

Installed on 4 systems.

Did my Phenom II X4, 4GB Ram, 9800GTX+ as a fresh install of Ultimate x64. Absolutely no issues, only difference I've noticed was it obviously didn't patch for as long after install and it does seem like it's using a couple of hundred meg more memory than pre-SP1.

Did my parents Athlon X2, 2GB Ram, onboard Geforce 6150, Ultimate x86 from Windows update. Installed without a hitch, haven't had word from them that there are any issues.

Did my netbook Windows 7 Starter x86 with 1gb of Ram as a fresh install from a disk modified to remove the efi.cfg file. No issues at all, install took about the same as pre-SP1, using 350mb ram at the idle desktop about the same as before.

And finally did a friends Laptop running Home Premium x86 with 2gb of Ram from Windows Update. This was incredibly slow to install even on the mains but once done ran without a hitch. Was using around 600mb at idle desktop.

 

[Cyberbeing]

Windows Readiness Tool listed ATI and NVIDIA files/folders missing.
Copied the missing files/folders from my Win7 DVD to winsxs.
Windows Readiness Tool no longer listed anything missing.

Tried to install Win7 SP1. FAILED (Component Missing)

Looked at my CBS.log. Install aborted because files/folders were missing in .../DriverStore/FileRepository/ which Windows Readiness Tool didn't detect.
Copied over the missing files/folders to .../DriverStore/FileRepository/

Tried to install Win7 SP1 again. SUCCESS.

Moral of the story. Windows Readiness Tool doesn't detect FileRepository problems, but Service Pack 1 installation will abort on FileRepository problems. Stupid oversight by Microsoft.
Note: This was basically the same ATI problem as others were having

 

[Snowknight26]

Hardly an oversight. Those files shouldn't be missing, so why check for them?

 

[heatlesssun]

Judging by what many have posted here, I can't believe after all these versions of Windows, MS still can't release a reliable SP (in terms of installation).

I've updated 12 systems of litterally all shapes and sizes and haven't had a SINGLE problem. There's over 300 million copies of Windows 7 out there, if it installed perfectly 99.7% of the time that would still be a million failures and I'm sure the problem rate is higher than that. Still the problem with updating Windows is just the sheer amount of systems and variables that are impossible to test completely. I'm amazed that there aren't more problems.

 

[Cyberbeing]

Hardly an oversight. Those files shouldn't be missing, so why check for them?

Service Pack 1 goes out of its way to check for those files and abort before installation even begins. It then directs you to this page telling you to do an in-place upgrade of Windows... That is a poor solution, which would not even be possible for some people. (OEM machine, no Win7 DVD, lack of HDD space for in-place upgrade, etc)

Optimally, the System Update Readiness Tool would have been using the same checks as Service Pack 1 itself. If it can check Winsxs for 'files shouldn't be missing', as you put it, why not check the FileRepository 'files shouldn't be missing' as well?

My preferred solution would have just been a prompt to insert your Windows 7 DVD when a non-critical missing file is detected (i.e. random hardware drivers which shipped on the Win7 DVD), and have the Service Pack 1 installer automatically copy any drivers it wants to update from the DVD to their proper locations, before proceeding with installation.

It's no big deal to me personally, as I troubleshooted the problem rather quickly.
I posted what I did because it appears there are a few others in this thread who didn't realize the System Update Readiness Tool doesn't list all missing components (notably those in the FileRepository), and after much frustration, gave-in and re-installed Win7 to so-so success. Problems with large updates, like a Service Pack, will always exists for the minority. The best thing anybody can do, is help people troubleshoot problems in the most painless way possible.

 

[Chimel]

Hardly an oversight. Those files shouldn't be missing, so why check for them?

Duh, then why does SP1 check for them? The fact is that SP1 setup is just not robust enough, we should not have to run readiness or other tools, these errors are detected during SP1 setup and extremely easy to fix by SP1 setup (just ask to insert the Windows DVD,) but near impossible to fix by normal users.

Furthermore, if those files shouldn't be missing, why doesn't Windows consistency checks detect their absence? It used to work this way in XP: If you deleted manually a core system file, it would be automatically restored from the dllcache folder (now winsxs\backup) which I remember was a pain when you wanted to debug things...

 

[GJSNeptune]

Keep getting the 80200053 error. I validated. I ran the FixIt thing. My antivirus is MSE.

Any other ideas?

 

[BigYoSpeck]

Keep getting the 80200053 error. I validated. I ran the FixIt thing. My antivirus is MSE.

Any other ideas?

Try disabling MSE's real time protection briefly (make sure to put it back once you're done) then run services.msc

Go down to 'Windows Installer' double click it and press start. Then try Windows Update again.

If that doesn't do it then the standalone installer is probably your best bet.

 

[yossarian]

Comparing the CBS file of my successful SP1 patch to the unsuccessful one (2 different computers both with Ultimate x64), the difference is there are hundreds of these lines in the unsuccessful one:

2011-02-23 20:28:39, Info CSI 0000000e Couldn't mark for pending delete: [ml:78{39},l:76{38}]"\SystemRoot\WinSxS\Temp\PendingDeletes"\[l:90{45}]"$$DeleteMe.actxprxy.dll.01cbd3a93c41a512.001b". Reason: [13]"Cannot Delete"

This happens on the install reboot. It gets to 100%, then says unsuccessful and reverts back. I wonder why the files cannot delete? This must be why it reverts back.

 

[Chimel]

@yoss, could it be files that were present even before you started installing SP1?
They could have weird permissions that prevent them from being deleted.
If they were created by SP1, then I don't see why the same program wouldn't be able to delete them.
I assume you are logging in with an administrator account.

If so, I would move these files to another folder so the winsxs\temp\pendingdeletes folder is clean for SP1 setup and you can still restore them from the other folder if needed.

 

[davidm71]

I finally was able to successfully install SP1! After messing around with permissions and trying to unsuccessfully copy over the winsxs folders back I turned to the DriverSweeper backup files that were posted on Driversweepers site for ATI win7 64. Funny thing was that Drivercleaner.net was what caused this glitch to take place. So I copied the backup folder into the driversweeper install folder and ran their restore routine, and was able to complete SP1 update!

Was a lot easier than trying to manage permissions all the way down the directory tree which just I couldn't figure out. I mean I can handle a single folder but it just got complicated. Anyone else still having issues I recommend you give this technique a try!

 

[beowulf7]

I've updated 12 systems of litterally all shapes and sizes and haven't had a SINGLE problem. There's over 300 million copies of Windows 7 out there, if it installed perfectly 99.7% of the time that would still be a million failures and I'm sure the problem rate is higher than that. Still the problem with updating Windows is just the sheer amount of systems and variables that are impossible to test completely. I'm amazed that there aren't more problems.

Understood, but just in this thread alone, there are many who've mentioned they ran into problems trying to install SP1.

I feel like installing SP1 just so the damn update window stops annoying me that an update is available. But I'll wait until later in the week.

 

[heatlesssun]

Any and every update has potential risk and problems. I do wonder though if sometimes more technically inclinde folks have more issues with updates because they do things that the vast majority of folks don't. I really try to keep things as simple as possible with my systems, I don't really tweak much, that sort of thing. With Windows 7 the number of odd things I've seen on my systems is at an all time low (knock on wood) and I do more with them than ever.

 

[davidm71]

Understood, but just in this thread alone, there are many who've mentioned they ran into problems trying to install SP1.

I feel like installing SP1 just so the damn update window stops annoying me that an update is available. But I'll wait until later in the week.

I think that a lot of us here have had issues because most of here probably have used driver cleaners which most other people probably don't play around with maybe...

 

[BigYoSpeck]

Understood, but just in this thread alone, there are many who've mentioned they ran into problems trying to install SP1.

I feel like installing SP1 just so the damn update window stops annoying me that an update is available. But I'll wait until later in the week.

People are most vocal when unhappy with things. Most of the people who have been successful have probably just not bothered posting their success.

Also among the failures mentioned I wonder how many have used a tweaking app or have are using tuned settings such as disabled services.

 

[PrincessFrosty]

Installed from windows update.

On reboot I get a memory error, the windows service for WMP network something-or-other crashes about 8 times before it gives up.

My sound control panel crashes

Vent now crashes unless I run it in admin mode

Wow...uninstalling.

 

[Chimel]

I do wonder though if sometimes more technically inclinde folks have more issues with updates because they do things that the vast majority of folks don't.

The language packs provided by Microsoft are enough to break service packs systematically.
But you're right, these errors reinforce my decision not to use third-party driver or registry cleaning or other performance tweaking tools.