I work on computers for local people. One of my customers was having strange issues with his laptop running Windows 7 Home Premium, so I took out his hard drive, connected it externally to my computer, and scanned it with Norton. Norton removed
a few (three?) detected viruses -- all but one. The one virus that could not be removed was detected in "services.exe". I put the drive back in and ran Norton Power Eraser, which removed the last virus.
On the surface, the computer is mostly functioning normally now. However, I discovered that two Windows updates cannot be installed. I have tried to install them multiple times, and have tried a number of things to correct the issue (as described below), but I still cannot get the updates to successfully install. A few weeks went by and some more Windows updates became available, and those WERE successfully installed -- it's just these two particular updates that can't be installed, for the time being.
The two failed updates themselves may not be especially important; I don't know. But I'm worried about the underlying issues causing this problem. I have tried everything I can think of to repair the corruption,short of a repair installation or clean installation of Windows and drivers. My customer has his own business and uses QuickBooks on the laptop, which contains a lot of very important records. I am not familiar with QuickBooks, so without knowing how to properly back up and restore all the QuickBooks data, I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize any of that data, or the system he has set up within QuickBooks. I have never done a repair installation of Windows before (only clean installations); my understanding is that it preserves all personal files, but I have no idea whether there is any chance of any QuickBooks data or settings being lost, or whether I would have to re-install QuickBooks. I don't want to do anything that might put his records or record-keeping system at risk.
I am hoping there is an alternative to a repair installation or clean installation of Windows. Below I will describe some of the things I have tried so far and the issues that were revealed, in the hopes that someone may be able to narrow down what is wrong and provide some advice. I assume these issues were caused by the virus(es) (or possibly by the virus removal process), though I can't say for sure whether they existed previously. If I remember right, Windows Update wouldn't even work at all while the computer was infected, I'm guessing because of the virus that had infected "services.exe".
The updates that cannot be installed are:
Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2749655)
Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2847927)
(Note that KB2749655 is old, from October 2012, whereas KB2847927 is more recent. I think I may have previously foundKB2749655 unchecked in the updates list, which is why it hadn't already been installed, but I'm not sure.)
Each time Windows Update fails to install the two updates, it reports the following errors:
Code 80070005 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.
Code 80073712 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.
What I have tried (Nothing worked):
-- I initially tried some automated repair tools I found online when searching for the Windows Update error codes, but I didn't take notes on that. While running further procedures tonight, I may have repeated some of those repair tools, but I don't know because I can't remember what I did before. I took better notes on what I did tonight (below).
-- I had Avast Antivirus' real-time shields disabled for some of the following procedures, but not all, just to rule out possible interference. But I assume Avast should not interfere with Windows or Windows Update anyway, or the procedures I ran.
-- chkdsk reports 0 KB in bad sectors, leading me to think that the hard drive is okay.
-- Startup Repair (run from my Windows 7 System Repair disc) says "Startup Repair could not detect a problem" and reports error code "0x0" for each test. It also says "Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully."
-- I ran "sfc /scannow" (System File Checker) from Command Prompt. The "verification phase" stops at 59% and says "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." I also tried running "sfc /scannow" while in Safe Mode with Networking, and also ran "sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows" from the Command Prompt that is accessed via the System Repair disc; both reported the same result.
-- No System Restore points were created prior to the virus infection/removal, so I don't think System Restore is an option.
-- I ran the troubleshooter for Windows Update found via "Troubleshooting" in Control Panel, and it says "The troubleshooter made some changes to your system. Try attempting the task you were trying to do before," and under "Problems found" it lists "Repair Windows Update components" and says "Fixed". When I click "View detailed information", it again shows that Windows Update components were "Fixed", and also says "Issue not present" in regards to "Repair default Windows Update locations". I think I attempted to run Windows Update again at this point, without success (as in there were still 2 failed updates and 2 error codes).
-- I tried downloading the installer .exe files for the two failed updates and manually installing them. Both installers reported that the updates failed. The installer for KB2847927 said "Installer encountered an error: 0x8024800c"
-- I ran a Microsoft "Fix it" from the support website called "Automatically diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update". It said "Changes have been made and you need to restart your PC [after finishing the 'Fix it']." After finishing, it listed the following problems:
Problems found
Some security settings are missing or have been changed Not fixed
Service registration is missing or corrupt Not fixed
Windows Update error 0x80073712(2013-08-12-T-09_38_09P) Not fixed
Problems installing recent updates Not fixed
Check for missing or corrupt files Detected
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
-- I ran the "Windows Update Automated Troubleshooter" from the support website, which appeared to be exactly the same as the above "Fix it". The results were a bit different this time around:
Problems found
Service registration is missing or corrupt Not fixed
Windows Update error 0x80073712(2013-08-12-T-09_57_12P) Not fixed
Problems installing recent updates Not fixed
Check for missing or corrupt files Detected
Some security settings are missing or have been changed Fixed
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
-- I ran the "System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB947821)" hotfix from the support site. I left for a while because the installation slowed down to a standstill when the progress bar was nearing the end. When I returned, the laptop was in sleep mode. I turned it back on, and the installer was displaying the message "Installation Complete".
-- At this point I tried running Windows Update again, and one error code was different this time - error code 80073712 was replaced by 80246007 - but I think this was a temporary error caused by the above Fix it / troubleshooter(s), because the original error code returned after I restarted the computer and ran Windows Update again.
So..... I've done everything I could possibly think of, other than a repair installation or clean installation, and nothing has fixed the problem. I'm hoping I have provided enough details that somebody may have some insight into the problem. Is it serious? What other problems may arise due to this corruption? Can my customer continue using the laptop as-is without any serious problems cropping up? Has anyone had any experience with a virus that infected "services.exe"? Should I be worried that the "sfc /scannow" procedure cannot be completed successfully? How can I repair these problems? I would appreciate ANY advice!
If a repair installation or clean installation of Windows is necessary and is the only solution that anyone can come up with, I'll have to tell my customer to consult with his QuickBooks expert about backing up his records and performing a repair/clean installation.
Thank you for taking the time to read all this !!!!
On the surface, the computer is mostly functioning normally now. However, I discovered that two Windows updates cannot be installed. I have tried to install them multiple times, and have tried a number of things to correct the issue (as described below), but I still cannot get the updates to successfully install. A few weeks went by and some more Windows updates became available, and those WERE successfully installed -- it's just these two particular updates that can't be installed, for the time being.
The two failed updates themselves may not be especially important; I don't know. But I'm worried about the underlying issues causing this problem. I have tried everything I can think of to repair the corruption,short of a repair installation or clean installation of Windows and drivers. My customer has his own business and uses QuickBooks on the laptop, which contains a lot of very important records. I am not familiar with QuickBooks, so without knowing how to properly back up and restore all the QuickBooks data, I don't want to do anything that could jeopardize any of that data, or the system he has set up within QuickBooks. I have never done a repair installation of Windows before (only clean installations); my understanding is that it preserves all personal files, but I have no idea whether there is any chance of any QuickBooks data or settings being lost, or whether I would have to re-install QuickBooks. I don't want to do anything that might put his records or record-keeping system at risk.
I am hoping there is an alternative to a repair installation or clean installation of Windows. Below I will describe some of the things I have tried so far and the issues that were revealed, in the hopes that someone may be able to narrow down what is wrong and provide some advice. I assume these issues were caused by the virus(es) (or possibly by the virus removal process), though I can't say for sure whether they existed previously. If I remember right, Windows Update wouldn't even work at all while the computer was infected, I'm guessing because of the virus that had infected "services.exe".
The updates that cannot be installed are:
Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2749655)
Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2847927)
(Note that KB2749655 is old, from October 2012, whereas KB2847927 is more recent. I think I may have previously foundKB2749655 unchecked in the updates list, which is why it hadn't already been installed, but I'm not sure.)
Each time Windows Update fails to install the two updates, it reports the following errors:
Code 80070005 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.
Code 80073712 Windows Update encountered an unknown error.
What I have tried (Nothing worked):
-- I initially tried some automated repair tools I found online when searching for the Windows Update error codes, but I didn't take notes on that. While running further procedures tonight, I may have repeated some of those repair tools, but I don't know because I can't remember what I did before. I took better notes on what I did tonight (below).
-- I had Avast Antivirus' real-time shields disabled for some of the following procedures, but not all, just to rule out possible interference. But I assume Avast should not interfere with Windows or Windows Update anyway, or the procedures I ran.
-- chkdsk reports 0 KB in bad sectors, leading me to think that the hard drive is okay.
-- Startup Repair (run from my Windows 7 System Repair disc) says "Startup Repair could not detect a problem" and reports error code "0x0" for each test. It also says "Boot status indicates that the OS booted successfully."
-- I ran "sfc /scannow" (System File Checker) from Command Prompt. The "verification phase" stops at 59% and says "Windows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation." I also tried running "sfc /scannow" while in Safe Mode with Networking, and also ran "sfc /scannow /offbootdir=c:\ /offwindir=c:\windows" from the Command Prompt that is accessed via the System Repair disc; both reported the same result.
-- No System Restore points were created prior to the virus infection/removal, so I don't think System Restore is an option.
-- I ran the troubleshooter for Windows Update found via "Troubleshooting" in Control Panel, and it says "The troubleshooter made some changes to your system. Try attempting the task you were trying to do before," and under "Problems found" it lists "Repair Windows Update components" and says "Fixed". When I click "View detailed information", it again shows that Windows Update components were "Fixed", and also says "Issue not present" in regards to "Repair default Windows Update locations". I think I attempted to run Windows Update again at this point, without success (as in there were still 2 failed updates and 2 error codes).
-- I tried downloading the installer .exe files for the two failed updates and manually installing them. Both installers reported that the updates failed. The installer for KB2847927 said "Installer encountered an error: 0x8024800c"
-- I ran a Microsoft "Fix it" from the support website called "Automatically diagnose and fix common problems with Windows Update". It said "Changes have been made and you need to restart your PC [after finishing the 'Fix it']." After finishing, it listed the following problems:
Problems found
Some security settings are missing or have been changed Not fixed
Service registration is missing or corrupt Not fixed
Windows Update error 0x80073712(2013-08-12-T-09_38_09P) Not fixed
Problems installing recent updates Not fixed
Check for missing or corrupt files Detected
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
-- I ran the "Windows Update Automated Troubleshooter" from the support website, which appeared to be exactly the same as the above "Fix it". The results were a bit different this time around:
Problems found
Service registration is missing or corrupt Not fixed
Windows Update error 0x80073712(2013-08-12-T-09_57_12P) Not fixed
Problems installing recent updates Not fixed
Check for missing or corrupt files Detected
Some security settings are missing or have been changed Fixed
Problems installing recent updates Fixed
-- I ran the "System Update Readiness Tool for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB947821)" hotfix from the support site. I left for a while because the installation slowed down to a standstill when the progress bar was nearing the end. When I returned, the laptop was in sleep mode. I turned it back on, and the installer was displaying the message "Installation Complete".
-- At this point I tried running Windows Update again, and one error code was different this time - error code 80073712 was replaced by 80246007 - but I think this was a temporary error caused by the above Fix it / troubleshooter(s), because the original error code returned after I restarted the computer and ran Windows Update again.
So..... I've done everything I could possibly think of, other than a repair installation or clean installation, and nothing has fixed the problem. I'm hoping I have provided enough details that somebody may have some insight into the problem. Is it serious? What other problems may arise due to this corruption? Can my customer continue using the laptop as-is without any serious problems cropping up? Has anyone had any experience with a virus that infected "services.exe"? Should I be worried that the "sfc /scannow" procedure cannot be completed successfully? How can I repair these problems? I would appreciate ANY advice!
If a repair installation or clean installation of Windows is necessary and is the only solution that anyone can come up with, I'll have to tell my customer to consult with his QuickBooks expert about backing up his records and performing a repair/clean installation.
Thank you for taking the time to read all this !!!!