Solved Using DISM to repair Windows update feature of Windows 8.1

Hi All
I'm trying to repair windows update feature in windows 8.1. I have a ton of programs installed on my new HP pc (bought 3/15) that took me months to get right. I really don't want to do a reinstall of 8.1 just to get the windows update to work.
Basically I have 11 updates dated from 9/14 to now that will not install no matter how many times I run the windows update troubleshooter. Most of the updates concern the .NET Framework for 4.5.1 and 4.5.2:
KB2934520
KB2977765
KB2978041
KB2978126
KB2979576
KB3023222
KB3032663
KB3037579
KB2894856

Then I have plain windows 8.1 updates KB2976978 and KB3000850.

I get the following error messages and I run the troubleshooter but the fixes don't stick.
800F0831
80246010
80200001

I've contacted HP and they want to do a complete reinstall of 8.1. I've stressed to them that I don't want to do this because it will wipe everything. I've done the DISM restore health before and it gets stuck on 20% for hours before it finally finishes and tells me it fixed some but can't fix everything. I'm running the windows media installation creation tool onto a usb. Right now it will be done in 10 hours or less.

By the way, I have a Samsung laptop that I bought new in March of 2014 that is running the same version of windows 8.1 64-bit. It has installed all updates with no problem and I've reserved a copy of windows 10. Is there anyway I can fix windows update on my HP desktop using the settings/files from the Samsung laptop?


If anyone can offer some tips or solutions that don't involve an 8.1 reinstall I would be eternally grateful.
Thank you for your time.
Chanel

Problem solved!

HI All
My problem was solved through a combination of this thread and the following link:
https://www.winhelp.us/non-destructive-reinstall-of-windows-8-and-8-1.html

For my situation I created installation media for windows 8.1. The winhelp link has instructions for using the installation media tool with (or without) a product key. I didn't have a product key because windows 8.1 came pre-installed on my new HP. I did download a free program called BeLarc Advisor to get the product key for my version of windows. I ended up not needing the product key after all to create the windows.iso file for installation.

I used Rufus to create a bootable usb drive with the windows.iso file from the installation media step.

I downloaded and tried to use the DISM GUI. Unfortunately, there was no install.wim file in the sources folder. I did have an install.esd file (which is the same as the install.wim). The DISM GUI did not work with the install.esd file and I didn't feel comfortable converting the .esd file to a .wim file.

This is the point where I abandoned the steps from this thread on the eight forums website and started at the "Reinstalling windows 8 or 8.1 without loosing personal files, installed programs or apps" portion of the winhelp link.

Please note that I shut off my mcafee protection (spyware and virus, web protection and firewall). I unplugged my printer, external DVD R drive and external hard drive. I also shut off spyware blaster and spyware terminator before I began my reinstall. Even though my reinstall took a while (about 4 hours total), the reinstall didn't get stuck and I didn't have to cancel the reinstall and reboot.

The reinstall went well. I had windows update check for updates. I had 148 security updates which installed without a hitch in about 2-8 hours. (Apologies for not having a more accurate time for the update installation. I basically started the update install and went to bed for the night.)

I've turned McAfee, Spyware Blaster and Spyware Terminator back on. I'm going to wait a few days to clean up my Windows reinstall.

Just wanted to get the word out that a combination of both links helps to reinstall windows 8.1 without loosing all the programs and apps that you installed (HP wanted to totally wipe my hard drive and reinstall) and without paying someone (Microsoft $150 and Best Buy Geek Sqad $100) to fix your issue.