Unable to configure or complete Windows updates 10

One of the common problems for Windows users 10 is the message “We could not configure Windows updates. Changes are being rolled back ”or“ We have not been able to complete the updates. Undo the changes. Do not turn off the computer ”after restarting the computer to finish installing updates..

In this instruction, the details about how to fix the error and install updates in this situation in different ways. If you have already tried a lot of things, such as the methods related to cleaning the SoftwareDistribution folder or troubleshooting the Windows Update Center 10, You can find additional little-described solutions for the problem listed below in the guide. what's more. See also: Windows updates 10 cannot be downloaded.

Note: If you receive the message “We could not complete the updates. Cancel changes. Do not turn off your computer "and observe it at the moment, with the computer restarting and showing the same error again and not knowing what to do – do not panic, but wait: it may be a normal cancellation of the update, which can happen with many reboots and even several hours, especially on laptops with slow hard drive. It will most likely end up in Windows 10 with the changes undone.

Cleaning the software distribution folder (Windows update cache 10)

All Windows updates 10 are downloaded from C: {} Windows} SoftwareDistribution} Download and in most cases, delete that folder or rename the folder software distribution (for the operating system to create a new one and download the updates) can correct the error in question.

There are two possible scenarios: after undoing the changes, the system starts regularly or the computer restarts indefinitely and you keep seeing the message that Windows updates 10 could not be configured or completed.

In the first case, the steps to fix the problem are as follows:

1. Go to Settings – Update and security – Recovery – Special boot options and click “Restart now”.
2. Select Troubleshooting – Advanced Options – Boot Options and click the button “Restart now”.
3. Press the key 4 or f4 to start Windows in safe mode
4. Run command prompt as administrator (you can start by typing “Symbol of the system” in the taskbar search and when you find the desired item, right-click and select “Execute as an administrator”.
5. On the command line, enter the following command.
6. ren c: {windowsSoftwareDistributionSoftwareDistribution.old
7. Close the command line and restart your computer regularly.

In the second case, when the computer or laptop is continuously restarted and changes cannot be undone, you can do the following:

1. You will need a Windows recovery disc 10 or an installation flash drive (disco) with Windows 10 in the same bit that is installed on your computer. You may have to create such a drive on another computer. Start your computer from it, you can use the start menu to do it.
2. After booting from the installation drive, on the second screen (after choosing the language), In the bottom left, click on “Restore system” and then select “Problem solving – Symbol of the system”.
3. Enter the following commands in order
4. disc piece
5. flight list (From this command, see what letter your system drive has, since it may not be C right now. Use this letter in step 7 instead of C if necessary).
6. Shall
7. ren c: {windowsSoftwareDistributionSoftwareDistribution.old
8. sc config wuauserv start = deshabilitado (temporarily disables the automatic start of the update center service).
9. Close the command line and click “Continue” to restart your computer (boot from hard drive, not from the Windows startup drive 10).
10. If the system boots correctly in normal mode, activate the update service: presione Win + R, scribe services.mscI searched “Windows Update Center” in the listing and set the startup type to “Manual” (this is the default).

Thereafter, you can go to Settings – Update and security and see if updates load and install without errors. If Windows 10 updates without reporting that it has not been able to configure or complete updates, go to C: | Windows and delete the folder SoftwareDistribution.old From there.

Windows 10 Update Center troubleshooting

Windows 10 has built-in troubleshooting tools to fix updates. As in the previous case, there can be two situations: that the system boots or that Windows 10 restart constantly, reporting all the time that the update configuration could not be completed.

In the first case, perform the following steps:

1. Go to the Windows Control Panel 10 (top right in the field “Watch”, place “Icons” if it is set to “Category:”).
2. Abra “Problem solving” and then, On the left side, “See all categories”.
3. Alternatively, run both troubleshooting tools, “Background intelligent BITS transfer service” Y “Windows Update Center”.
4. Check if this has fixed the problem.

The second situation is more complicated:

1. Perform the steps 1 a 3 from the section on how to delete the update cache (access the command line in a recovery environment running from a flash drive or boot disk).
2. bcdedit / set {default} safeboot mínimo
3. Restart your computer from the hard drive. Safe mode should open.
4. In safe mode, at the command prompt, enter the following commands in order (each command will start the troubleshooter, will go through one first and then the other).
5. msdt / id BitsDiagnostic
6. msdt / id WindowsUpdateDiagnostic
7. Disable safe mode with the command: bcdedit / deletevalue {predetermined} safeboot
8. Restart your computer.

This will probably work. But, if the second scenario (cyclical restart) has not fixed the problem so far, you may need to use a Windows restart 10 (this can be done by saving your data by booting from a flash drive or boot disk). Read more: how to reset windows 10 (refer to the last method described).

Windows updates 10 could not be completed due to duplicate user profiles

Another cause of the problem, little described, it is “Updates could not be completed”. Undo the changes. Do not turn off the computer ”in Windows 10 it is an obstacle with user profiles. How to solve it (important: the following is at your own risk, could spoil something):

1. Run the registry editor (Win + R, scribe regedit)
2. Go to the registration section (expand it) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINENSOFTWARENMicrosoftNWindows NTNCurrent versionNProfile list
3. Look at the subparts: do not touch the ones that have “short names” and in the others, pay attention to the parameter ProfileImagePath. If more than one partition contains a reference to your user folder, you will need to erase the additional partition. The superfluous partition will be the one for which the parameter RefCount = 0.as well as the partitions whose name ends in .behind.
4. I have also found information that if you have a profile Update user You should also try to remove it, not personally verified.

Once the procedure is finished, restart your computer and try to install Windows updates 10 again.

More alternatives to correct the error

If all suggested workarounds for undoing changes by not configuring or completing Windows updates 10 have not been successful, not many options left:

1. Perform an integrity check of Windows system files 10.
2. Try cleaning Windows boot 10, delete content Software distribution download, download the updates again and run the installation.
3. Uninstall third-party antivirus, restart the computer (required to complete removal), install updates.
4. You can find useful information in another post: How to fix Windows Update Center errors 10, 8 and Windows 7.
5. Try the longest way to restore the original state of Windows Update Center components, described on the official Microsoft web portal.

Finally, in case nothing works, perhaps the best option is to perform an automatic reinstallation of Windows 10 (reset) with your data intact.