Windows 7 64 Bit Update Error Code 8E5E03FE

Question

I've just purchased a new PC running Windows 7 64-bit and did my first run of Windows Updates fine, everything installed okay. Then more updates appeared and whatever I try they fail with "Error Code 8E5E03FE", the help on Windows itself is absolutely useless with this issue and I've tried almost EVERY solution I can find elsewhere on the internet for this issue and have got nowhere.

I have tried installing the updates with a clean boot and firewalls etc disabled which did not help at all. I've also tried downloading the files manually from Microsoft Download Center and each update still fails.

My system is BRAND NEW so I don't understand what is causing the errors and as four of the updates are security updates I would very much like them to install successfully.

Any help anyone could offer would be very much appreciated.

Once again the error code is 8E5E03FE and the numbers of the updates which fail are:

KB982526

KB972270

KB975560

KB979482

KB980218

KB979099

KB974431

KB980408

KB980846

KB981793

Many thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Try this -

1. Click the Start orb, type cmd in the Search all programs and files field, right-click cmd.exe, and then click Run as administrator. Agree to the UAC prompt.
2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each one. Please include the spaces as the commands must be exactly as laid out. You can right-click after the Prompt and Paste these in, too :

net stop cryptsvc

ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2\edb.log *.tst

net start cryptsvc

exit

See if the system can update now. If it still can not, please copy&paste the last 50 or so lines of the WindowsUpdate.log into your reply -

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file

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MowGreen Update Services - Consumer Security

Answer 2

After scrolling through at least 20 threads with the same question (how to solve the windows update error code 8E5E03FE) i finaly found this solution and it fixed the problem!! I can simply hope that you make this answer available so that others can see it. However, make sure to edit the procedure as it is suposed to be ...%systemroot%... and not ...%systemroort%...

Try this -

1. Click the Start orb , type cmd in the Search all programs and files  field, right -click cmd.exe , and then click Run as administrator . Agree to the UAC prompt.
2. At the command prompt, type the following commands, and then press ENTER after each one. Please include the spaces as the commands must be exactly as laid out. You can right -click after the Prompt and Paste these in, too :

net stop cryptsvc

ren %systemroort%\system32\catroot2\edb.log *.tst

net start cryptsvc

exit

See if the system can update now. If it still can not, please copy&paste the last 50 or so lines of the WindowsUpdate.log into your reply -

How to read the Windowsupdate.log file

 

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MowGreen Update Services - Consumer Security

Answer 3

It's been edited, eemanr. Thanks for catching the mistake. "systemroot" was copied&pasted directly from this  thread in the Windows IT Pro Windows 7 Virutalization forum -VPC7 Install Failed

I should have checked the commands and I've posted the correct syntax on the original thread.

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MowGreen Update Services - Consumer Security

Answer 4

MowGreen I cannot thank you enough!!! Used those command prompts and the updates installed as smooth as anything, THANKYOU SO MUCH!

Just out of interest would you mind telling me what was actually wrong and what those prompts did to fix it? I'm quite interested to know.

And thankyou lots and lots!

Answer 5

 it is suposed to be ...%systemroot%... and not ...%systemroort%...

good cach