Problem with updates in Windows 8.1

[Adam]

For some time I had a problem with updates. Windows is downloading and trying to install them but upon restart I get the message that the system was unable to install updates and all the changes are reverted. The error code for failed updates is 8007371c.
I have tried a tool built into Windows 8.1 to repair updates I also used online Microsoft Fix It tool.  Both reported that the repairs were successful but the problem continues.
I did a pre-scan with Windows Repair which showed three potentially corrupted files.
Two of them were CAT files, one was MUM file. I rescanned with pre-scan choosing the option to add CAT files which appeared to fix the MUM file.
The last pre-scan shows 2 CAT files that appear strange and different than any other file in the Packages folder (they also do not have any corresponding MUM files).
I am attaching 2 pre-scan logs and an image of the Packages folder where these 2 files can be seen.

Any help about what to do with the 2 corrupted files will be highly appreciated.

P.S. I also attempted to repair a Component Store using the Windows Repair section for Repairs and the log gives the message:
 Error:0x800f0906.
The source files could not be downloaded. Use the "source" option to specify the location of the files that are required to restore the feature.

[Adam]

I checked update history and it looks that some updates failed while some others were successful.
I am attaching the screenshot of update history. Perhaps it will help to determine whether I might be missing any updates that are pre-requiste to the updates that are failing.

Maybe the system, by having the false (corrupted) CAT files thinks that these files are already installed in the system.

[Julian]

hmmmm these cat files are interesting I've never seen them and i want to see what Shane thinks.

Maybe the system, by having the false (corrupted) CAT files thinks that these files are already installed in the system.

the pre scan compare's registry entrys to the package folder then displays the variance of the two I believe. Shane can describe more of what it does 

[Shane]

I have never seen these files in that folder before and they do not follow the naming that MS uses on all the other files, I dont think they should be in there
C:\WINDOWS\servicing\Packages\PA77FC~1.CAT
C:\WINDOWS\servicing\Packages\PA81F6~1.CAT

I am also wondering, for the updates that did fail, if they depended on .net, and if they did and .net is corrupt somehow, that would explain the problem there.

Shane

[Adam]

Thank you guys for a speedy reply.

I will simply delete these 2 files and see what happens. (First I will make a backup in case I need to reverse the change).
Do I need to take ownership of the Packages folder before deletion?

I suspect that the RestoreHealth (DISM command) failed because these 2 files have corrupt names, so the system did not know with what files to replace them. How this corruption occured I have no idea.
On the other hand I am a bit surprised that this command (and other repair commands) would not automatically delete files that are not recognized and that shouldn't be on the system.

I intend to run a tool to repair .net in case there are problems with it.  I found quite a few different tools that deal with .net problems. I want to use the Microsoft tool but if you have any suggestions or preferences let me know.

P.S.
If .net is the problem, there is a chance that these 2 files are not the reason for failing updates, but I don't like any errors on my system, so I will delete them anyways.

[Shane]

Try removing the files, if you cant then you will just need to take permissions of that folder and the files.

Also check and see if those files are listed under here
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\Packages

If they are remove them from there as well.

Shane

[Adam]

Thanks for advice.

I did not have a chance to work on my laptop today (actually it is my son's laptop) but as soon as I do, I will report the progress.

[Rick]

Try removing the files, if you cant then you will just need to take permissions of that folder and the files.

Also check and see if those files are listed under here
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing\Packages

If they are remove them from there as well.

Shane

sorry get in the middle here;

SFC /SCANNOW ?

Copy the files to a USB, do a virus check?

then delete them, do another SFC /SCANNOW

anyway windows ten coming out soon and will be free for one year, I would not spend anytime on anything over win 7

regards