Windows 10 - feature update 20H2 failed to install

Question

Hello,

I have a Dell XPS 15 (7590) with Windows 10 Home and I've tried to install Feature Update 20H2, but it keeps failing.
This is my update history, the most frequent code I got is 0x800700a1.

I tried using Windows Update Assistant, as I read others solved the problem this way, but for me it didn't work.

What else should I try?

Thank you !

Answer 1

Please run setupdiag > post a share link with all files
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/upgrade/setupdiag

List any of these non-Microsoft software:
a) antivirus
b) firewall
c) drive encryption

80246019, 800700a1, 8024000b:
The download failed because the MSA account associated with the user was denied authorization to download the content.
The specified path is invalid.
An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format.

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Please remember to vote and to mark the replies as answers if they help.

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Answer 2

Hello there，

As far as I research, this code 0x800700a1 represents driver problem.

The windows error code 0x800700A1 is generally generated due to errors reported by the driver itself meaning that this error is a software problem or compatibility issues between the hardware installed and the system being used. And it is very common and it is occurs when the operating system and the drivers installed are not companionable with each other.

You may go to Device Manager and update the device driver before performing below two methods.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/update-drivers-in-windows-10-ec62f46c-ff14-c91d-eead-d7126dc1f7b6

• Method A

1.Windows update troubleshooter
Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter.

2.Reset windows update components
Open a command prompt with Administrative Privileges, run the following:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver

Open File Explorer go to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download folder.
Press CTRL+A and press Delete to remove all files and folders.
Go to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore
Press CTRL+A and press Delete to remove all files and folders.

Back to the command prompt to restart all the services

net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

3.Using CHECK FOR UPDATES helps you to automatically install the demand updates.

• Method B

Download the media creation tool from this website and follow the detailed instruction.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10

Best Regards,
Samson Peng

Answer 3

So, I try to update my computer 3-4 times a day, for the last 3 months, and this happens also every time I try to update. Very frustrating, wish it worked. Tired of waiting 15-20m every time I turn my computer on/off to fail an update.

Tried deleting softwaredistribution folder, etc. Is the work around to flash a thumbdrive with a later version of Windows and run an upgrade?

Answer 4

--------- Update 11/1/2021: ---------

As I feared (figured) my computer's latest attempt to install this 20H2 thing FAILED AGAIN last night. This time the two new steps I tried beforehand were:

1. Totally disabling my Avast A/V (permanently)
2. Deleting the $WINDOWS.~BT folder a few days ago (reference)

... Yet sadly as I booted up for work today I got the usual message in my system tray indicating that this Windows update had failed ... again:

Your device is at risk of being out of date. It will need to restart to install updates. Select a time to restart.

I ran the setupdiag.exe thing just now and the main LOG file said (at top):

SetupDiag was unable to match to any known failure signatures.

And parsing through the other logs.zip files all I could see that looks iffy is two OEM.inf files that say they have a having a "BlockMigration=True" result. The two INFs were:

1. XPS Document Writer v4
2. Microsoft Print to PDF

I've uninstalled these features of Windows and will try AGAIN tonight (not that I have time for this). SMH.

--------- Update: 11/2/21 (Following Day) ---------

Well it looks like my fussing w/the above drivers/items was the (final?) blocker for me because this morning it appears the 20H2 update FINALLY installed successfully last night. Holy cow what a PITA that was - over the past few months this update probably failed at least 6 times - just insane. Anyhow in case my experience helps someone else here's what I did for my situation:

1. Followed the various net stop/start command line steps mentioned in many web articles and above in this thread - but I'm unsure if this did anything because the update failed multiple times after this.
2. Downloaded and ran the "media creation tool" mentioned earlier in this thread. This one felt like huge waste of time as it didn't work and the update still failed.
3. Totally disabled my AntiVirus/Security software night before (not uninstall just disabled everything)
4. Deleted the $WINDOWS.~BT folder a few days ago (reference)
5. Ran the setupdiag.exe mentioned in this thread. This generated a logs.zip and couple other files. In one of the XML files in the logs.zip I saw a couple items that said "BlockMigration=True". These mentioned two oem.inf files. I then went to C:\Windows\INF folder and looked at each of the oem.inf files to find what they were. In my case they were "Print to PDF" and "XPS Document Writer". I uninstalled both of these from my system. My guess is that this was the final (if not the ONLY fix) I needed to get the 20H2 update installed. Again maybe some of the previous steps did something but clearly the install failed until these 2 items were removed.

Good luck everyone.

Answer 5

I uninstalled Malewarebytes completely and the 20H2 update is installing!

On edit: processor: Intel I-5 8225, so slow.

But the install took HOURS. It took about 2 hrs in Getting Things Ready, then it started INSTALLING. at 20% installed after an hour, I went to sleep.

Somehow, in the subsequent 5 hrs while I slept, install completed and I awoke to RESTART REQUIRED. Yay

CONFIGURING UPDATE FOR WINDOWS 10 moving slowly. Very slowly....6 min still at 0% complete. The restart install actually completed in 4 hrs.

Laptop seems to be in better shape. But I got rid of all the insane hp bloatware before starting all this. Esp that horrid hp support asst! I think I actually like my laptop now!