# [SOLVED] 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8



## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

Good morning,

I'm sorry to bother you but I am having a problem and have absolutely no experience with Windows 8. The computer in question is my sisters and she has had problems which led to it being restored to factory default.

Since the restore I have reinstalled office 2013 and Norton. Following these I decided to run Windows update in order to receive all of the latest security updates and such for the computer (she isn't very tech savvy so it's left to me to sort the computers in the house out)

I ran the updates and whilst going through the restart process it said 'failed to configure Windows updates'. Admiteddly it was the middle of the night so I had to force shut down and continue the following morning. Having waited until it reached the start screen again I went through the following processes I've found online:

- Ran the windows update troubleshooter, which said that it resolved the issues but from then, when trying to update, it hung on 0%.

- To resolve this I disabled windows update an deleted all data that I possibly could (excluding files that were in use and couldn't be removed) from the c:/Windows/SoftwareDistribution.

From there, I ran a single windows 8 update which downloaded fine. However when it went through the restarting stage I was met with a familiar 'failed to configure Windows updates' screen. Is there any solution, or am I better off formatting the computer once again and restarting as there is nothing on the computer as of yet other than Office and Norton.

It is a Sony Vaio E Series with an AMD E2-1800 APU (1.7GHz), 4GB ram, AMD Radeon HD 7340 Graphics, 500GB HDD and I think it has a small SSD for hybrid sleep and rapid wake. It's running Windows 8 Single Language 64-bit.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as without reformatting, I am currently at a loss. Thanks very much!


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

Try with Norton disabled. Make sure you're not combining Windows Defender and Norton in the future.


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## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

I've now done that but so far it seems to be hanging at 0%. One thing that is new, when I loaded the computer up this morning it told me to activate windows. So I went into the settings and under 'activate windows' I clicked Activate and 'Activation error description not found' comes up. Could this have anything to do with the update installation failures? Also how do I resolve this?

When the store we took it to with the previous error restored it, they only did a restoration when files are wiped and not a full factory system restore from what I know. Would it be worth simply wiping the slate clean and trying that? I have read online that you need to call Microsoft to activate the pc given that it came with W8 pre-installed however I live in the middle east outside of university term times and international calls are a tad expensive.

Thank you.

Edit: 0% hang is gone, it's downloading. Will update once installation restart has completed and what happens.
Edit2: Download completed but failed to configure once again with both norton smart firewall and auto protect set to deactivated until system restart.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

Try activating by phone. Start with the way you were trying to activate, then choose Show me other ways to activate.


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## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

I'm afraid that there is no option for other ways to activate. It just says 'activation error description not found' above the activation button and underneath it says 'contact microsoft customer services and support online' however there doesn't appear to be this error in the list displayed by that link.

I've seen that you're meant to call Microsoft and have them activate the computer, but I do not have the cd key as it came preinstalled and on the underside is just a sticker that says Windows 8. Do you know what I have to do?

Thank you and sorry about this!


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

Vaio Control Center>System Information. Call Sony having this info and they can help.


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## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

Have tried calling Sony on their number for here and received an automated message saying that they are experiencing technical difficulties at the moment 

Called Microsoft and the woman on the phone told me that I have to talk to Sony as they can only help with activating when transferring a license to a new device, or a reactivation. She said that they can't activate a product that had windows 8 preinstalled. Used the Sony online chat system and the gent on there told me to recover it, which I have already done twice (once the simple file wiping recovery and the second was a full clean). So hopefully third time is the charm, it's underway now but was an overnight job last time so lets see. Sorry about this but thank you for your help.


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## Rich-M (May 2, 2007)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

Microsoft said they can't activate a product that had Windows 8 preinstalled? What complete BS must have been there first day and I would call again. Anyone ever heard of such a thing?


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## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

*Re: 'Failed configuring Windows updates' - Windows 8*

I'm in the Middle East so had to call the local Microsoft support number and while the woman I talked to was as helpful as she could possibly be, when explaining why she couldn't help, her English wasn't completely clear. She did say that she could not activate a product that came preinstalled with Windows but I don't know if that is that she can't activate it... Or the fact that I had to use a third party product to find the product key for the laptop since the sticker on the underside just says Windows 8 and I couldn't find anything relating to a key elsewhere - I have very limited expertise with W8 since this is the first time I've used it and the computer belongs to my sister. She said that using such software isn't allowed so I don't know if that is the reason why she wouldn't activate it.

Having spoken to Sony support who told me to try restoring it again (third time) I decided to just try anyway and for reasons I can't explain it is activated. I haven't turned it on in a couple of days so should probably double check but its activated and Windows updates have so far been successful when updating a few at a time. Thank you Corday for your help.


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## Corday (Mar 3, 2010)

I'm glad you're up and running. One thought I had on why it worked this time is a very slow connection in the Middle East.


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## 828651 (May 18, 2011)

The only two things I can recall doing any different in the setup from the previous 2 times was choosing 'express settings' on the network setup. On the previous two I went through the custom setup so I could turn network sharing and diagnostics reports off. The only other thing I did differently was the keyboard layout setup.

I don't know if one of the check boxes in the network setup has anything to do with sending activation data to Microsoft but that's all I know that I did differently. Could well have been a speed/timed out thing though, worth remembering should the laptop have any serious issues in the future. Thank you again for all of your help!


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