"Failure Configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes" - Need HELP!

Most of my updates from Windows Update are failing. They download and install, then require a reboot and I get the message "Failure Configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes". It takes 15-30 minutes to 'revert' and then I'm back to where I started without the updates installed. The only updates that are successfully installing are for MS Security Essentials and Office 2010 programs.

I use MS Security Essentials, herdProtect and MalwareBytes to detect viruses/malware and they're all scanning clean. I've found several sources that state removing all external memory devices (and I use an external hard drive) has cleared up the issue for them. Unfortunately, when I tried to update with the external drive removed, it didn't work.

Can anyone shed some light on where I to go next?

 

Hi there allfiredup.

I'm taking a guess that you are using Windows 7 - apologies if I've got that wrong but I'm thinking that as Windows 10 updates seem to be working well for most people, so please ignore this if I got it wrong!

You could try to use the latest Windows Update Agent here as a start - download and install the correct one for your OS - reboot then try to search for updates and give that a go. Failing that there is a 'Fix-it' tool that has also worked for me on other machines here that may also be of some help.

I've had a few updates issues on Windows 7 machines in the past and these two solutions are what I usually try first. Don't forget to keep an eye out for the Windows 10 'upgrade' updates and hide them if you don't want to upgrade.

I hope this helps.

 

There should be a clickable text area after the failure, for Windows Update Diagnostic Troubleshooter - or a clickable Help text that will then offer Windows Update Diagnostic Troubleshooter.

It's important to include basic details, like what version of Windows you are having problems with. If you had included that detail, I could have given you a direct download to the correct Windows Update Diagnostic Troubleshooter, but you can get there on your own PC by clicking through the Help text pointing to that download.

Try that tool out, then reboot after it runs to successful completion, and try Windows Update again.

You may need to run the tool a couple of times, so be sure and download it, don't just run it from the download, or you will need to download it again.

Please come back and let us know how that works out for you.