Windows 10 Update assistant

[Randell]

Hi I have uninstalled this update assistant  3 or 4 times now but it comes back when I startup my computer. By the way I never downloaded it in the first place it just showed up. The real problem is it slows things down and only loads to 99%. I have left the computer on for more than 24 hours and it still won't tick over to 100% and do its thing. Please pardon my totally lack of understand these things and being a technopeasant.   I have tried a few fixes I have found on google but to date nothing has helped.

Thanks 

Randell

[lopburi3]

Is your computer attempting to install version 1709 by chance?  You can check current version by hitting Windows key and type WINVER and enter to get current version information.  If it is less than 1709 you might search google with information trying to install 1709 included in your query.  This download itself can take hours even on high speed circuit and not sure if you need to shutdown to start install process or not.  You might want to go to updates and view it there as downloading and see if that helps.

[billd766]

3 hours ago, lopburi3 said:

Is your computer attempting to install version 1709 by chance?  You can check current version by hitting Windows key and type WINVER and enter to get current version information.  If it is less than 1709 you might search google with information trying to install 1709 included in your query.  This download itself can take hours even on high speed circuit and not sure if you need to shutdown to start install process or not.  You might want to go to updates and view it there as downloading and see if that helps.

 

My oldest laptop is trying to do the same thing and even if I leave it running overnight it sticks at 32% and won't go any further. Widows also keeps asking me for a date and time to download.

 

I am still on ver 1607.

[Pib]

And Microsoft ain't going to let you stay on an earlier version than 1709...the MS Assistant will continue to be forced your way my MS while running Win 10.  While you might pause updates say for 35 days just as soon as that 35 period is up a forced update to 1709 will be attempted again before you can attempt another 35 day pause.

 

You might want to try the "Media Creation Tool" for 1709.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-get-windows-10-fall-creators-update#get_fall_creates_update_creationtool

[VBF]

8 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

My oldest laptop is trying to do the same thing and even if I leave it running overnight it sticks at 32% and won't go any further. Widows also keeps asking me for a date and time to download.

 

I am still on ver 1607.

Depending on whether you have Windows Pro or Home, updates install quite differently and the amount of control you have on them varies enormously. One thing that is common is if the Wifi or Net connection is metered. If it is, updates will only progress to a certain point, especially large ones like big Cumulative Updates and  the Fall Creators Update.  I leave all my connections metered out of choice unless I have to UNmeter for a reason.

 

Go to System > All Settings > Network & Internet 

 

Click on Change connection properties and you get to

 

 

Now you can switch metering OFF if it happens to be on.

 

These updates and how they  download and install can be complex - I commend you all to The Windows Ten Forums where you can get a whole lot of advice.

 

I only joined it this year to contribute but have been using it for years, and the Win 7 Forum before!

 

This thread  is one that the Mods have placed in my name as it evolved from another related one.

Search the forum...there are some very knowledgeable people on it and it's reasonably civilised too.

 

 

Edited December 29, 2017 by VBF

[billd766]

My internet connection is not metered and my desktop has upgraded to 1709 but my old laptop seems to stubbornly resist the upgrade past 32%.

[VBF]

8 minutes ago, billd766 said:

My internet connection is not metered and my desktop has upgraded to 1709 but my old laptop seems to stubbornly resist the upgrade past 32%.

Just to be clear...... you did check the connection on the laptop itself as per my post above, didn't you? It's just that you used the phrase "internet connection" in the singular. Pedantic I realise but important.  In that case I strongly advise you to trawl that forum. Use Google search but restrict it to "Windows 10 Forum"

 

When you say "old Laptop"...how old? Make, model, spec?

Edited December 29, 2017 by VBF

[billd766]

13 hours ago, VBF said:

Just to be clear...... you did check the connection on the laptop itself as per my post above, didn't you? It's just that you used the phrase "internet connection" in the singular. Pedantic I realise but important.  In that case I strongly advise you to trawl that forum. Use Google search but restrict it to "Windows 10 Forum"

 

When you say "old Laptop"...how old? Make, model, spec?

 

Sorry about the delay.

 

yes I have just checked the connection on my laptop (which I am using now).

 

It is unlimited internet with an Ethernet connection.

 

The laptop is an Acer Travelmate 6410 and coming up for 10 years old. I don't use it for much.

 

It is a 64bit with 4Gb of RAM and a CPU speed of 1.66 Gb/sec and a 500 Gb internal HDD.

 

 

[steve187]

i have a 2 year old i7 Asus laptop and after updating to 1709, i have all sorts of problems, slow running of programs, computer freezing etc. i have changed my settings to metered, and used rollback RS to go to a time before 1709 was installed, will see if i have the same problems, but i think it will run normally.

 

 i have read that you can revert back to an older version of windows if 1709 is causing a problem, but only for a few days after the update.

[billd766]

15 minutes ago, steve187 said:

i have a 2 year old i7 Asus laptop and after updating to 1709, i have all sorts of problems, slow running of programs, computer freezing etc. i have changed my settings to metered, and used rollback RS to go to a time before 1709 was installed, will see if i have the same problems, but i think it will run normally.

 

 i have read that you can revert back to an older version of windows if 1709 is causing a problem, but only for a few days after the update.

 

After a few hours stuck at 32% I just kill the power (the battery died several years ago). When it powers up again it goes back to ver 1607 and runs quite happily until windows tries again.

[thedemon]

Just do as Pib suggested in post 4. 

 

Download a Win10 1709 ISO and create install media on a USB drive then clean install. That will work.

[Pib]

See the post at this link.    It talks if you are experience a hang at 32%, 62%, 82%, 87%, or 99%, etc., to use the Media Creator Tool to upgrade to 1709.   

[VBF]

2 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

Sorry about the delay.

 

yes I have just checked the connection on my laptop (which I am using now).

 

It is unlimited internet with an Ethernet connection.

 

The laptop is an Acer Travelmate 6410 and coming up for 10 years old. I don't use it for much.

 

It is a 64bit with 4Gb of RAM and a CPU speed of 1.66 Gb/sec and a 500 Gb internal HDD.

 

 

I've got the FCU running on lesser machines than that so your spec is sufficient but it might be slow, although the FCU (1709) doesn't seem to take any more resource than 1607.

 

In that case, I'd follow what @Pib said in posts 4 & 12 - use the Media Creator Tool.  Thing is, once that has downloaded, you're no longer reliant on Internet speed to perform the actual update.

I would though, make an image of your hard drive before you make the next attempt - I use Macrium Reflect and in fact all my PCs are imaged this way once I get them set as I want them.

 

[Randell]

Thank you ALL so much for all the replies I have got to try them yet but will soon . Very interesting that many are having the same problem especially with older computer ( which mine is as well).

As usual the TV community is handy on the spot for us less in the know.

Thanks again and I wish you all health and happiness in the coming year Happy New Year.

Randell

[billd766]

On 29/12/2017 at 7:48 PM, Pib said:

And Microsoft ain't going to let you stay on an earlier version than 1709...the MS Assistant will continue to be forced your way my MS while running Win 10.  While you might pause updates say for 35 days just as soon as that 35 period is up a forced update to 1709 will be attempted again before you can attempt another 35 day pause.

 

You might want to try the "Media Creation Tool" for 1709.

https://www.windowscentral.com/how-get-windows-10-fall-creators-update#get_fall_creates_update_creationtool

 

Hi Pib.

 

I downloaded that link this morning and at 12.30 it started to apply the update.

 

At 5.30 this afternoon it had reached 33% and is now stuck once again.

 

I will let it run overnight and look again in the morning.

 

If it is still stuck at 33% I will kill it and look at what you recommended at post #12.

[billd766]

4 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

Hi Pib.

 

I downloaded that link this morning and at 12.30 it started to apply the update.

 

At 5.30 this afternoon it had reached 33% and is now stuck once again.

 

I will let it run overnight and look again in the morning.

 

If it is still stuck at 33% I will kill it and look at what you recommended at post #12.

 

We are 30 minutes into the New Year and I am off to bed.

 

I have just looked at my laptop and after 12 hours it is still only at 84%.

 

I will check again in the morning.

[Pib]

9 hours ago, billd766 said:

 

We are 30 minutes into the New Year and I am off to bed.

 

I have just looked at my laptop and after 12 hours it is still only at 84%.

 

I will check again in the morning.

Hey, still sounds like progress since your earlier posts said you had never got past 32 or 33% before.   

 

Although my two Lenovo laptops (3 to 4 years old) upgraded OK to 1709 before....both took about an hour total if I remember right.  Both of them slowed down greatly at a little over 80% complete and it started to scare me that they were going to hangup at that little over 80% mark because getting up to 80% was a pretty steady process in clicking off each additional percent completed.   But after about 10 minutes of going VERY slowly at a little over 80% complete (which seemed like hour when looking at the display) both quickly clicked off the remaining percent to 100% and the upgrade was complete.

 

Good luck and Happy New Year.

[billd766]

It finally finished sometime between 01.30 and 07.00 this morning. It took around 13 to 18 hours but it also took out my internet connection so I couldn't go online.

 

After an hour or so buggering about I went to my other Acer laptop to find out what driver I needed and then to the desktop to load it to a usb stick then back to the problem laptop to unzip the file and open it.

 

I loaded it and did a reboot and then brought it up and re-installed the driver but it still would't work so I unplugged the LAN cable at each end and refitted it and now it finally works.

 

Later I will search and load the WiFi driver and make that work as well.

 

I found that that every time i attempted to upgrade to ver 1709 Windows took out the the internet driver and I had to roll back to the older version and usually do a System Restore to get it back again.

 

A curse be upon MS and its poxy Windows system.

 

Thanks a lot for all your help.

[billd766]

I downloaded the WiFi driver tonight and that killed the ethernet link and the WiFi link wouldn't come online either.

 

I did a system restore and that didn't work so I left it until tomorow or Wednesday.

 

Poxy MS.

[billd766]

I booted my laptop up this morning and the Ethernet link came in straight away.

 

I still think I am right.

 

Poxy MS Windows 10 ver 1709.

[Pib]

It's not uncommon for an ethernet/wifi connection to act strange...or not even work after an OS upgrade especially on older laptops which usually require a specific Wifi driver vs a generic driver.   The ethernet may not even work properly....then it magically starts working.  Newer laptops don't seem to have as much problem in using generic Windows drivers.

 

For the last 15 years or so I've used nothing but laptops and they can get picky with their communications drivers. 

 

Heck, I've still got a 10-11 year Toshiba laptop running Win 7 as its video circuit won't allow upgrade to Win 10, and I had to block/hide in Windows Update an optional Wifi driver because if I allow it to install I get he blue screen of death on bootup....I mean it kills the computer to where it will not even bootup unless you call the blue screen of death a bootup...makes it act like the hard driver died.  But reinstall the manufacturer's Wifi driver and all is fine again/computer boots up. 

 

 

[billd766]

My desktop is now complaining that it cannot install updates because I want to do that when I chose and not when Windows demands it.

 

I have the feeling that it will get worse and harder in the future and not better and easier.   

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

It would seem, there have been a lot of people reporting problems with the latest Win 10 cumulative update pushed out thru Windows Update in mid December, version 1709.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4054517/windows-10-update-kb4054517

 

I've had it stall on a couple of my machines, and just perpetually try and fail to update. Not causing any problems with the operation of those machines. Just a stalled update and one that keeps telling me my machines need to be restarted to finish the update install, which then fails. Rinse and repeat.

 

In checking the MS Windows forums on that topic, seeing tons of similar complaints, and MS reps acknowledging it's some kind of problem, and basically urging people with that problem to HIDE the update in their update settings until MS figures out what's going on.

 

I have a 1 year old laptop that came with Win 10 preinstalled. Out of the box and after I installed all my own software on it, ran speedily and without any issues. But then, MS rolled out one of their semi annual Win 10 major updates, and my wifi stopped working periodically, and the machine began operating much slower and balkier than before...

 

I want my PCs to be as secure as possible, and be updated for security fixes and such. But MS's implementation of Windows 10 updates, in my experience, has made for a miserable user experience and lots of varied problems for individual users.

 

[Pib]

Win 10 "1709" seems to be causing problems on both my Lenovo laptops, which are in the 3 to 4 year old range...one an i7 and one i5 CPU based laptops.  Both had been happily running with Win 10 for several years.  By problem I mean when doing a "restart" sometimes I would get the blue screen of death (BSOD) sometimes in saying "inaccessible boot drive."  I have Samsung 500GB SSDs on both.   This would never happen on a Power On....only on a Restart.    It was completely "intermittent" in when a Restart would cause a BSOD.  The problem was much worst on the i7 CPU based laptop which is my primarily laptop. This problem started in early Dec 17 when I happened to do a manual Restart.  Not because of a Windows update, but just because I wanted to do a Restart for some reason.   No programs were installed on either computer since mid November....just been some Windows updates.

 

I did tons of different things/googling in terms of troubleshooting this problem...nothing helped.  Then by chance when I had "Task Manager" opened watching what services/programs were running in the background I notice "Windows Module Installer Worker" running and taking up about 20% of my CPU.  Quickly checked the Windows Update selection and no Update check had been made  for many hours or underway....so the Windows Modules Installer Worker was not running due to just downloading/installing an update.  It was running for some other reason...probably doing some kind of Windows maintenance.

 

I had started using the Task Manager to see what might be running just before I did Restart test.   Well, with the Installer Worker running and doing the Restart I would get the BSOD.   Whenever I get a BSOD I have to do a Restore Point to get going again.  And just before the BSOD, instead of the Restart screen just saying "Restart" for a few seconds instead it would say something along the lines of "Restart, Reconfiguring Windows" for a few seconds, then while rebooting result in the BSOD.  

 

Well, over the coming days in using Windows "Task Manager" to see what is running just before doing a Restart test I noticed if the Installer Worker was "not" running I would always get a successful Restart.  However, if it was running I would end up with the BSOD.   Ditto for the other laptop where the problem was occurring but much less frequently. 

 

And before anyone asks, it's not malware/virus as I always runs Norton 360...and even installed Malwarebytes to check for malware...both computers were clean.   Just something about if the Windows Modules Installer Worker was running when doing a Restart I would end up with the BSOD.  I could do a Power Off with the Worker running and never get a BSOD; only get a BSOD if doing a Restart while the Worker was running.

 

Believe it or not, I did an online chat with MS Online support on 24 Dec about this problem....I was hoping they would have the magic fix...do it by taking remote control of my computer like they have done a few times over the last 5 or so years when bugging them for assistance with some Windows problems.  But Nooooooooo.....they don't do that now unless you sign-up for a year's worth or Premier support at $149 which covers up to 5 computers.  All they will do now is help with Install, Activation, and Setup of Windows. 

 

But doing that chat I kept trying to squeeze our some more info this Windows Module Installer that will run for various reasons like installing an Update, doing SFC /Scannow, and just "other maintenance stuff" Windows does in the background.   When the dust settled the MS rep kept saying to do a Windows "Reset" (a.k.a., reload Windows from the image file on your computer) to reset all Windows setting and reinstall Windows.   I know that's always the easy answer for MS reps but I also bugged the rep about exactly the differences between a Reset, Media Tools Creator Windows reload, Clean install, etc.  I got some good answers but still had questions/distrust of some of rep's recommendations.  But the rep kept saying at Reset will fix my problem...not a 100 guarantee but pretty close to it.  And not matter how "begging" I sounded, they would not do a remote look at my computer for this problem unless signing up for their Premier support at $149/year.

 

When the dust settled after had already done several Macrium Reflect drive backups on both computers, I did the Reset on the i7 on 24 Dec....the Reset went OK and as warned removes "most" of your apps but leaves your data files for the type of Reset I selected.  The other Reset option is it nukes your data files also.   I then started reloading some of my  programs that got uninstalled  like Office 2016, etc.   

 

I then used Task Manager to closely monitor when Windows Module Installer Worker would run and I rarely saw it run....when I did see it run it was only for a few seconds instead of just running and running and running like it was hung-up.   Where before I couldn't get through a half day without the Windows Module Installer beginning to run continuously and if attempting a Restart I would get a BSOD.  The Installer was now rarely running and only briefly when it did...hopefully running normally again. 

 

But yesterday, 1 Jan, while monitoring with Task Manager I saw it running again.  I said what the heck, do a Restart right now....I did a Restart and although it said once again :Restart ReConfiguring Windows" I didn't get the BSOD....and it happened again a few hours later.  Tried another Restart, got the verbiage of Restart ReConfiguring Windows but no BSOD.   But that was only two restarts.  Then last night the Module Installer stopped running in the background and has not run since.  I haven't seen it run today while monitoring for a few hours this morning and while writing this long-ass post.

 

Last night with more googling on the Windows Modules Installer I ran across info on the Windows Orchestrator Service  which I also saw running and which is another part of Windows that sometimes runs in the background and interfaces with the Windows Modules Installer.   I guess the "orhestrator" indicates it's a coordination/guidance type background service. I also saw in the orchestrator schedule settings it probably going to trigger the Windows Installer Module to run again at around 10pm tonight.   After reading up on the orhestrator I decided there are various Windows modules that interact with each other and can cause each other to do certain things in terms of running diagnostics on your Windows for corrupt files, latest drivers, latest updates, and just a bunch of things. 

 

At that point I decided there were just too many possibilities of what was causing my problem.   A problem that "may" have been solved with the Windows Reset since I've had two successful Restarts while the Windows Module Installer Worker was running....remember, before if that Worker was running and I did a Restart I always got the BSOD.

 

Time will tell....I just did not like seeing that Windows Module Installer Worker return yesterday and running for an extended time as in hours.  But it did stop running after about 10 minutes where before it would "not" stop running once it got trigger to run for some reason....like maybe trying to fix some corrupted files, registry, or just doing routine checks for issues. 

 

Also did a Windows Reset on the i5 CPU laptop on 26 Dec I think it was and haven't seen the Windows Modules Installer Worker problem return but only turn it on occasionally to check for a few hours since its my secondary, backup computer.  Yeap, time will tell.  But if you have a certain kind of problem, like my Restart problem, you might want to use Task Manager to watch what programs and services are running in the background as it may give an idea of what is causing the problem....give you something to chase info-wise.

 

Yea, I think 1709 is causing my problem also...hopefully a Reset fixed it but since I say the Installer Worker running again yesterday, but it didn't cause problems this time, I still not confident my problem is fixed.  Time will tell.

 

 

 

[billd766]

I have come to detest 1709 on my oldest laptop as this afternoon I "lost" my Ethernet connection again. I rebooted the alptop and it came back again.

 

The other alptop and the desktop are pretty much OK touch wood but I am definitely nor happy with 1709.

[VBF]

4 minutes ago, billd766 said:

I have come to detest 1709 on my oldest laptop as this afternoon I "lost" my Ethernet connection again. I rebooted the alptop and it came back again.

 

The other alptop and the desktop are pretty much OK touch wood but I am definitely nor happy with 1709.

@billd766 Try going to Device Manager and searching for an updated driver for the Ethernet adapter.

[billd766]

12 minutes ago, VBF said:

@billd766 Try going to Device Manager and searching for an updated driver for the Ethernet adapter.

 

Tomorrow is another day.

 

I also want to get the WiFi back up providing I can find a good driver.

[Pib]

MS pushed out a Win 10 update today.  I got it on one laptop (my primary Lenovo laptop), but not on my other Lenovo laptop (if it's suppose to) even though clicking Check for Updates a couple of times....and I checked to make sure it just hadn't installed already which it hadn't.  It's one of those updates that requires a Restart to finalize the installation.....does the reconfiguring windows things....gives a percent complete as it configures/finalizes install of the update.

 

Anyway, below is info on today update...what it fixes...and known issues with today's updates (bugs still being worked).  It installed OK for me.

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4056892/windows-10-update-kb4056892

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Looks like my year old Acer 64-bit Win 10 laptop is getting backed up with frozen/uninstalled Win 10 updates. I've tried fiddling around with it, and no luck thus far in getting the logjam cleared. It says some updates waiting for a restart to install, but when I do a restart, they still keep the same message and status after the restart.

 

 

 

[Pib]

TG,

  I have empathy for you with your problem.  And like you posted earlier that KB4054517 failure to installed after repeated attempts may be your problem.   

 

    I also notice in this Computerworld weblink talking this problem "some" people were getting the "inaccessible boot device" error which is the problem I intermittently (but frequently) experienced on both my Lenovo laptops starting around early Dec 17.  Now, I'm assuming  KB4054517 successfully installed on my laptops when the KB came out as I  checked both laptops before Resetting them to ensure all updates had successfully installed which they had.   

 

    Now after doing the Windows Reset on both laptops on 24/26 Dec after weeks of troubleshooting both have worked fine....no problem with Restarts working properly....keeping my fingers crossed. 

 

    And although that Windows Installer Module Worker appears periodically when monitoring Task Manager the Worker completes it job after a few seconds to few minutes with whatever it doing compared to before it would just run and run and run.  Then if doing a Restart while it was running I would end up with the BSOD stating inaccessible boot device like a bad/corrupted drive.  Then had to do a Restore Point to get going again and the laptops would run no problem "as long as you didn't do a Restart while the Worker was knowingly/unknowingly running in the background."

 

   If you haven't tried the Windows Update Troubleshooter built into Windows 10 you might want to give it a try.  It's under the Update & Security, Troubleshooter menu.   With my problem I tried it at least a half dozen times on both laptops since I thought maybe some update problem is causing the Worker to get hung-up....when running the Update troubleshooter, it said it found and fixed problems each time but my Restart problem remained.   Even if it don't fix the problem, it don't hurt to give it a try...you might get lucky.

 

   If the problem continues at some point you might want to do a backup of your computer (you probably do this already) and do a Windows Reset using the selection of keeping your files like I did and what the MS Customer Assistance recommended.  Well, they just recommended a Reset and didn't say anything about which Reset option to select...one option to keep files you have created but uninstalls most apps also.....and the other option that nukes everything...apps and your files....it almost like a Clean Install.   

 

    See if that fixes your problem with "future" Updates not installing.    This method will reinstall 1709 which has almost all updates already integrated, to include those which are not installing right now.   After the Reset, the computer might need to download one or two updates to complete the Reset.   Will depend on your computer/software loaded.

   

    If I remember right on one of my laptops after the 1709 Reset one update was downloaded and on the other none immediately after the Reset.  Then a  few days later when I reloaded an older 32 scanner program which loaded some MS Visual C++ drivers Windows Updated reached out and downloaded some update C++ drivers.    Every computer will be a little different in what additional the MS Update will download since all computers are little different and people have different software installed.

 

    If this Windows Reset don't work then just reload your image backup to go back in time to continue the troubleshooting.  Good luck.