Can't run SFC or windows update / win7 ult

[Steg]

Ran your program sucessfully, but it still does not let me run SFC.
I get error Code 80073712 when running windows update.

Any help?

[Boggin]

Did your computer come preinstalled with Win 7 Ultimate or did you upgrade it - in which case you will have an install disk ?

[Steg]

I have the install disk. It's a VM in virtual box I don't want to have to start from ZERO again...

[Boggin]

What I have in mind is for you to run a chkdsk /f which will show if there are any KBs in bad sectors and if that comes up clean and you are still unable to run a sfc /scannow is then to perform a repair install, but your install disk will need to include SP1 - unless you can uninstall SP1 first, as the install disk has to match the current install.

If the chkdsk /f does show bad sectors then you could run a chkdsk /r which may or not be able to recover files, but you would only be putting off the inevitable of having to change the drive.

If your install disk includes SP1 then you could also boot up with it to select Repair your computer and navigate to the Recovery Environment to perform an offboot sfc /scannow, but if it won't run in normal mode, then it's unlikely to be able to run outside of Windows - but that would need to be checked out.

This would check and repair files from an incorrupt source.

I assume the sfc /scannow is stopping after a certain % ?

There's one other tool you can use if the HDD doesn't have any bad sectors and that is to download the System Update Readiness Tool.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=3132

This is a 500MB download and can sometimes take a while to check the computer for updates, but when complete, its log can be found at C:\Windows\Logs\CBS then double click on the Checksur one which will open in Notepad.

[Steg]

I've followed the instructions here - every step (similar to your suggestions, FYI):
http://www.infopackets.com/news/9620/how-fix-sfc-scannow-fails-wont-complete

and get nothing.
SFC terminates with the error:
Windows Resource protection cannot perform the requested operation.

[Boggin]

What did the chkdsk report ?

If your install disk is a retail copy and doesn't include SP1, you can download an ISO that does include SP1 by entering your product key into https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows7 and if accepted will release the appropriate download for your version.

You can then create bootable media using the Windows USB/DVD Burner Tool to either perform an offboot sfc /scannow or a repair install.

http://wudt.codeplex.com/

If your install disk isn't a retail copy and doesn't include SP1 then see if SP1will uninstall by going to Installed Updates and enter KB976932 into the top right search box.

Right click on it when it comes up and select Uninstall.

To perform an offboot sfc /scannow you will need to change the boot order by tapping F12 as you switch on, select ODD or DVD drive - insert the disk and press enter.

(I have my laptops permanently set to boot from CD/DVD and USB before the HDD by tapping F2 as you switch on then use the cursor keys to navigate to Boot then highlight the SSD/HDD and then use F5 or F6 to move it down below the DVD and USB drives - F10 to Save and Exit - OK).

Tap any key to boot from CD/DVD when prompted then you may be presented with an inverse window with Windows Setup (EMS Enabled) highlighted - just press enter which will take you to the splash screen to select Repair your computer.

Change/confirm keyboard/currency - Next - then make a note of the partition where it locates the volume to be repaired as it isn't always C

In the Windows Recovery Environment (WRE) select Command Prompt and enter (where X is your partition letter)

sfc /scannow /offbootdir=X:\ /offwindir=X:\Windows

If that also fails to run then enter exit to close the cmd window, open the disk drawer and Restart.

You'll then be looking at a repair install which doesn't affect your programs or personal stuff, but it's advised to back up your drivers folders onto something like an USB stick.

They can be found at C:\Windows\System32 where you can drop them back in after the repair install if necessary.

You'll have all of the Windows Updates to reinstall but they may be easier with just having the Cumulative Rollup to install, although there could be a number of Optional Updates.

Go Start - click on Computer then close the disk drawer and then click on Setup.exe or Install to start the repair install.

[Steg]

does this error mean anything in this context?
Catalog Database (1048) Catalog Database: The database page read from the file "C:\Windows\system32\CatRoot2\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\catdb" at offset 9818112 (0x000000000095d000) (database page 2396 (0x95C)) for 4096 (0x00001000) bytes failed verification because it contains no page data.  The read operation will fail with error -1019 (0xfffffc05).  If this condition persists then please restore the database from a previous backup. This problem is likely due to faulty hardware. Please contact your hardware vendor for further assistance diagnosing the problem.

[Boggin]

I don't know if the repair program executes this cmd in the Windows Update repair, but run a cmd prompt as an admin and enter these cmds -

net stop cryptsvc

ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

net start cryptsvc

shutdown /r /t 00

These cmds will create a new Catroot2 folder and you can check to see if you get the same error after the reboot.

BTW - Where did you find that error message and can you answer my question as to what chkdsk found ?

[Steg]

This is the result of checkdsk from the event logs

Index verification completed.
  0 unindexed files scanned.                                       

  0 unindexed files recovered.                                     

CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 5)...
  201984 file SDs/SIDs processed.                                       

Cleaning up 22 unused index entries from index $SII of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 22 unused index entries from index $SDH of file 0x9.
Cleaning up 22 unused security descriptors.
Security descriptor verification completed.
  25505 data files processed.                                           

CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal...
  33732312 USN bytes processed.                                           

Usn Journal verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying file data (stage 4 of 5)...
  201968 files processed.                                               

File data verification completed.
CHKDSK is verifying free space (stage 5 of 5)...
  3949681 free clusters processed.                                       

Free space verification is complete.
Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.

  40853503 KB total disk space.
  24658096 KB in 116747 files.
     91676 KB in 25506 indexes.
         0 KB in bad sectors.
    305007 KB in use by the system.
     65536 KB occupied by the log file.
  15798724 KB available on disk.

      4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
  10213375 total allocation units on disk.
   3949681 allocation units available on disk.

Internal Info:
00 15 03 00 b8 2b 02 00 e0 3c 04 00 00 00 00 00  .....+...<......
0d 01 00 00 44 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ....D...........
00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  ................

Windows has finished checking your disk.
Please wait while your computer restarts.

The error listed above is also from event logs.  LOTS of those, probaly associated with every time I tried to run windows update?

[Boggin]

What have you done about downloading a new ISO to perform either the offboot sfc /scannow or the repair install ?

I think that is the way you are going to have to go if a normal sfc /scannow continues to fail, but try another sfc /scannow after executing those last cmds I've posted.

[Steg]

the offboot sfc fails too
ugg

[Boggin]

How did it say it failed ?

[jpm]

Just to jump in.. Found a good article on this at PCworld
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3082103/windows/windows-10-upgrade-fixes-for-error-code-0x80073712-and-missing-or-damaged-files.html

[Steg]

How did it say it failed ?

Same error message "could not complete the request" or something like that. 

[Boggin]

Have you had a read through JPM's link in the previous post ?

[Steg]

Just to jump in.. Found a good article on this at PCworld
http://www.pcworld.com/article/3082103/windows/windows-10-upgrade-fixes-for-error-code-0x80073712-and-missing-or-damaged-files.html

Thank you, but none of those methods work - which is why I'm here.
I have no desire at all to go to "win10" - it's ugly and dumbed down so much "one app at a time please" is not for me.

Thanks though.

[Boggin]

There were sections that can be applied to Win 7 if you read all of the way through if I remember.

I think the only alternative left to you is to perform a repair install if none of the suggestions in that article apply.

[Steg]

Yes. No more time to waste, so I just reinstall Win7 ultimate with SP1, and move on.
Thanks for the help and advice guys.

[Boggin]

Yes, but it's a repair install and not a clean install so that won't affect your personal stuff or programs.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

The article advises to back up your drivers folders first which you can onto something like an USB stick and then you can drop them back in after if necessary.

They can be found at C:\Windows\System32