Win 7 slow, won't update, wont install new programs, virus software or scanners

[jimk]

Win 7 Pro 64 bit with SP1 Intel Core dual, 8Gb 

Started when I noticed running slow. Slow boot, slow browse, lots of updates were failing. 80070005 errors, wouldn't load "some" new programs. Won't load any anti-virus scanners. Won't do driver updates.

Tried running windows_repair-aio, (including in safemode), but time out after five starts.  To follow is what I've done before trying .
Defraf is done automatically.
Installed all the Verified MS fixes I could find for 80070005. Some took, some not.
Chkdsk - took hours but looked normal
SFC /scannow  (3 times with reboots) took hours - many items couldn't fix....about 100 pages. Code I'm not familiar with.
RKill - ran but nothing found.
Ran MBAM (renamed) from remote computer. Wouldn't run.

Scan with MS Security Essentials - clear

Ran RE-Image - froze during analysis. No results available.

DISM - returned: my version of Windows not familiar with any of the typical parameters.

Installed MS standalone MSI installer from MS archive site.

reran Windows updates. A couple took including one rollup, others provided no change. Many still failed. Didn't keep track of which took.

Plenty of free space on drive.

Found your post for changing DNS and ran your script. No change that I could detect.

ran windows_repair-aio one more time, still timed out afer 5 attempts.

Can you help? Thanks!  Jim

[Boggin]

First of all, can you go Start - type %temp% and press enter when it comes up.

If the Temp folder is highly populated, press CTRL a to highlight then CTRL d to delete then empty the Recycle Bin - reboot to see if there's any improvement in performance.

If there isn't or the Temp folder isn't highly populated, then you could still be infected.

Boot up into the advanced boot options and select Safe Mode with Networking then download and run a scan with the free ESET Online Scanner and let me know if it finds anything.

https://www.eset.com/me/home/online-scanner/

[jimk]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for your quick response. I generally keep my TEMP folder and Recycle bin pretty clean, but went ahead and took them both to zero; then ran ESET. I didn't see anything I didn't recognize.  Still all the same problems. That said, something that might be helpful: I set up two computers here at the same time 2 years ago that are basically identical but for the the drive size (1.5TB [Main] vs 2TB [Backup]). The second is mostly just a backup of the first. I'll call them Main and Backup. We're working on the Main. When I run SFC on the Main, I get 14 pages of stuff it couldn't fix. When I run SFC on the Backup, it's totally clean. I've attached the Main's SFC log for your consideration.

Aside from that, what would you like me to try next?

Thanks so much for your help.

Jim

   

[Boggin]

The next thing I would advise is to perform a repair install with that amount of corruption.

A repair install doesn't affect personal stuff or installed programs.

However, for that you would need a Win 7 x64 Pro install disk and your COA sticker key if it is still legible.

If you don't have a disk, if you private message me your address, I can send you a couple (one spare).

There is an alternative and that is to register on the www.sysnative.com forum and open a thread where they have Windows experts who can resolve when sfc /scannow reports corruption it is unable to fix by using something called FRST which scans and produces a log of whatever is wrong.

The expertise that is required to use this tool is because of subsequent scripts that are used.

There's one other thing you could try if the hardware is the same on the Backup machine and that is to create a system image of that one onto external media as well as a System Repair disk and restore the Main machine with that.

Anyway, let me know what you decide.

[Boggin]

Having scrolled through your CBS log, it would seem to be Windows Update related.

There are two things I would try to resolve update problems, download and run the System Update Readiness Tool (SURT) or reset the update components by copying & pasting these cmds to an admin Command Prompt.

net stop wuauserv

net stop cryptSvc

net stop bits

net stop msiserver

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

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

net start wuauserv

net start cryptSvc

net start bits

net start msiserver

These will auto run except perhaps for the last one where you will need to press enter.

This is for SURT to see if you can download it - it may be possible to download and save it in Safe Mode with Networking.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=20858

I don't know if SFCFix.exe would be able to do anything with that corruption but you could give it a try as it is designed to resolve update corruption, but it must be run straight after a sfc /scannow.

https://www.sysnative.com/forums/downloads/sfcfix/

This will produce its own log to say what it has or cannot repair.

If you opt for the www.sysnative.com forum then let them know what you have tried.

[jimk]

Good morning,

I'd tried the Installation CD FIX without success and also a variant of the MSI script, but the rest, I will start working through the list and will be back with you. Thanks again,

Jim

[Boggin]

How do you mean Installation CD Fix - was that a repair install ?

[jimk]

Yes. Bad choice of words.

[Boggin]

I would have thought that a repair install would have resolved.

SURT can usually resolve update problems but if it doesn't and given the rest of the problems you are experiencing in performance, if you are using a branded OEM machine then I would advise a factory reset after backing up your personal stuff.

If it isn't an OEM machine then the next best option would be a clean install, again after backing up your personal stuff.

This is some info on SURT - https://www.dell.com/support/article/en-uk/sln285523/how-to-repair-windows-update-issues-with-the-sur-system-update-readiness-tool?lang=en

[jimk]

Tom,

Curious thing. I ran Sysnative's SFCfix and it only reported 4 items that it couldn't fix. That seemed odd, so I ran it all again. Same result. So, this morning I registered with Sysnative and posted my case in their forum including the SFCfix and SFC /scannow logs and the whole background. In their instructions, they tell us to expect 5 days before hearing a response. Meanwhile, I've moved to the backup drive which continues to hum along just fine. BTW, I did try restoring the bad drive from a system image created on the good drive. Windows on the bad drive refused to recognize it. I'll report back here as soon as I head anything.  Thanks again for all your help. I'll be in touch. Jim

[Boggin]

Can you post the SFCFix log.