Problems with (1466) cat and mum files

[mclovis]

Hi,

I ran the pre-scan (I am having security update problems), and I was advised that I have problems with 1466 files in c:\windows\servicing\packages. How do I even begin to replace/fix this. sfc does not find any issues. The windows repair program pre-scan advised that I will need to manually replace the files. Note, I am running Windows 7 Pro (64 bit). Also trying to run the DISM update tool just hangs.

Any ideas?

[Julian]

do they all say mum files missing?
do you have an intel based motherboard if so re download the drivers for your chipset from intel's website
and have you tried repairing your catroot2 folder?

Code: [Select]

net stop cryptsvc
esentutl /p %systemroot%\System32\catroot2\{F750E6C3-38EE-11D1-85E5-00C04FC295EE}\catdb
rmdir /s /q %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old
md %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old
xcopy %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old /s
del /f /q %systemroot%\system32\catroot2\*.*
net start cryptsvc
pause

[mclovis]

Thanks for helping! No, I do not believe that it ONLY missing mum files. Attached is the log file from the pre-scan.

Note: I ran script to repair catroot2 folder. I have a Lenovo Motherboard with Intel Processors. It seems to have all the newest drivers.

Also note that CheckSUR.log notes only missing .mum files!

[mclovis]

Note for additional info SURT will not run (from install).

[Boggin]

Note for additional info SURT will not run (from install).

The Dism cmds for WU fix don't work in Win 7, which is why you need to run SURT.

You could go Start - start to type reliability then press enter when View reliability history is highlighted and then see if that gives an error code as to why SURT wouldn't run.

You could try this WU troubleshooter and then try SURT - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/instantanswers/512a5183-ffab-40c5-8a68-021e32467565/windows-update-troubleshooter

It's possible that could be a permissions/profile problem or that your antivirus program is blocking it.

What antivirus program are you using and have you tried SURT with your AV program disabled ?

Run a command prompt as an admin and enter -

net user administrator /active:yes

shutdown /r /t 00

Then after the reboot, log in with the hidden admin account and see if SURT will run.

The hidden admin account shouldn't be left enabled all of the time, so when done, redo the cmd changing yes to no and then reboot.

Are all of your Windows Updates up to date ?

Should it be a WU problem, download these two KBs and then try SURT.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49542

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53332

[mclovis]

Thanks for the input! Yes, this all started due to Windows Update(s) failing. I have tried updates and SURT tries as admin and other accounts to no avail. I have also tried disabling Norton AV and the firewall. I also deleted the SoftwareDistribution folder and retried installing SURT. It immediately recreated the necessary folders but then hangs and adds nothing else to the files after noting the start of the SURT install in the log. The two KB links you suggested both report that the update does not apply to my computer (which is 64 bit) despite being marked appropriate for that. I have ran numerous rootkit and malware programs without finding anything.

I am at my wits end.

[Boggin]

That happens sometimes with those updates.

You don't normally remove the SoftwareDistribution folder, you usually rename it to .old but it removes the update history so nothing will be added to it until you get some more updates.

Follow the steps in this article to reset the update components. - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/971058/how-do-i-reset-windows-update-components

Where you have large cmds like in the article, you can copy & paste them to the cmd prompt.

[mclovis]

SURT ran to completion when left alone for 12 + hours! I then tried Windows Update again and received a failure, albeit with a different error code (8024001). After reregistering (I added /s switch) the list of DLLs from the above article, etc. I reran Update and received my trusty error 80073701. This is for January, 2017 Security Monthly Quality Rollup for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB3212646).

Any thoughts?

[Boggin]

That Checksur log will be mute now as you've reregistered the update components.

You could try WSUS Offline Update which now has an option to just download security updates - or just hide the update and wait to see if Feb's installs without any problems.

This YT tutorial is for an earlier version, but the steps will be similar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXAOvbNJYyE

Down load site - http://download.wsusoffline.net/

[mclovis]

I ran the offline WSUS successfully! Jan's security rollup still failed after reboot. I had hidden Dec's previously, but will hope that Feb's will work. If anyone has any additional thoughts, please let me know. Thanks for the help again to all.

[Boggin]

What updates did WSUS install - update history or reliability history should tell you that.

If this problem pre-dated Dec's updates then I doubt you would have a restore point that would go back that far.

This is where a system image would have helped.

[mclovis]

I had a system image (acronis) from Dec. and reverted to it, but the WU problem predated it. Restore points did not help. I am convinced that there are corrupted DLLs that are causing this issue. I do not want to do a full reinstall, but I am considering moving forward to Win 10 or a Linux distro for this machine (which is my personal development laptop). I was hoping for a way to "fix" the issue without those steps.

[Boggin]

Do you fancy running SURT again and then post the Checksur log.

I'd have to ask for help in reading that because I can can't understand them either, but it could give the reason why the update is failing.

Sometimes a reinstall is all you can do and upgrading to Win 10 could resolve the problem, but I like to find out what is going wrong as well when possible.

Did WSUS install Dec's Rollup ?

[mclovis]

Yes, Dec rollup was installed. Sure, I will run SURT again. As a double check, you are recommending running KB947821 again, yes? Also, does someone have enough experience with WSUS to answer this.. I looked at the WSUS specific log to determine what was installed. HOWEVER, windows update does not show these installed packages. Does that seem correct?

[Boggin]

I would have thought there would be some record of which updates have been installed.

I've only used it once myself and that was following a factory reset on a Win 7 laptop.

It downloaded and installed 150 of 251 updates and the rest came naturally through Windows Updates and installed without any problem.

As I got all of them, there was no need to check update history so I don't know if update history will record any after WSUS.

Can yo go Start - start to type reliability and press enter when View reliability history is highlighted.

Red crosses are for Critical and i is for Info on the days anything occurred.

[mclovis]

Attached log.

[Boggin]

That confirms what the pre-scan found, plus it's also snagging .cat files as well.

Julian used to handle those replacements but because they were a regular occurrence on Win 10 as well and Win 10 seemed to be morphing from week to week, Shane shut that section down.

I've seen where a guy on the www.sysnative.com forum is quite adept at replacing those and while I hate to have to send someone away to another forum, I always have the Poster's best interests at heart.

Register on there, explain your situation and post the Checksur log so that he knows what he's looking at - it may be a few days before you get a reply, but hang in there.

If you haven't had a reply after three days then post BUMP which will bring your thread back up to the top.