Windows 10: "We couldn't complete the updates, undoing changes"

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On a regular Windows Update routine I'm getting the following message:

We couldn't complete the updates, undoing changes.

The computer restarts for several more times repeating the same process, then, after system is on, checking the updates history reveals this:

Security Update for Windows 10 for x64-based Systems (KB3074683)
Failed to install on [date]

Update
Checking the event viewer, I see this error 4 times:

Installation Failure: Windows failed to install the following update with error 0x80070003: Security Update for Windows 10 for x64-based Systems (KB3074683).

windows-update
windows-10
asked on Super User Jul 31, 2015 by Shimmy Weitzhandler • edited Jul 31, 2015 by Shimmy Weitzhandler

5 Answers

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I've got the same issue and following on @Arthur's suggestion, I had a look at my user SIDs in the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList and some of them belonged to users that no longer existed in the system (I had previously removed them).

I've removed the dummy entries (luckily there were only a couple) and the update worked.

PLEASE save yourself some trouble and backup the registry before trying that.

answered on Super User Jul 31, 2015 by marius-O • edited Mar 20, 2017 by Community
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Fix for Windows 10

  1. Go to Control Panel from Start Button
  2. Go to System and Security
  3. Go to Security and Maintenance
  4. Click Troubleshooting in the Maintenace section
  5. Under System and Security click the Fix problems with Windows Update
  6. Let the troubleshooter run with administrative priviledges
  7. You are done
answered on Super User Mar 19, 2016 by JimS
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I had to do the same thing as above. Go into registry and remove a user called nx. It is something to do with Nvidia. I have an EVGA Geforce 960 SSC card(Nvidia). Once I removed the user called nx. Update went fine after trying for a week. Also other updates started downloading. Like they were waiting on that one.

answered on Super User Jul 31, 2015 by Michael Graves KE4EST
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If someone is still facing this issue here is a detailed post about all the possible fixes:

Go here for the full post which is a whopping 1732 words guide: http://troubleshooter.xyz/fix-we-couldnt-complete-the-updates-undoing-changes/

Method 1: Delete Software Distribution Folder

Browse to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the files and folders inside.

Again try installing the updates and this time you may be successful in installing updates.

Method 2: Download Windows Update Troubleshooter

Let Windows Update Troubleshooter run and fix issues!

answered on Super User Oct 12, 2016 by Troubleshooter.xyz • edited Oct 12, 2016 by Troubleshooter.xyz
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I discovered that this symptom was occurring for my box with a Geforce 7600GT due to the 'nVidia Update' application that comes bundled with the older 309.08 WHQL drivers. The solution was to uninstall nVidia Update because it created a 'UpdatusUser' that was causing the problem as documented in this post.

answered on Super User Jun 2, 2016 by Nils Schimmelmann

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