Windows 8.1 Update 1 error 80073712

It can be very frustrating when you end up searching for help with a Windows Update issue. There are so many moving parts on a Windows system that it is next to impossible to track everything reliably.

While trying to put the Windows 8.1 Update 1 on my Windows 8 virtual machine inside of Parallels Desktop on my iMac, I was getting error 80073712 in the update settings control panel. There is no shortage of materials to look at if you search for that particular error code, the tricky part is finding which one will help solve the particular problem with my installation.

I was finally able to find this procedure, and it did the job as I am now running Windows 8.1 Update 1. I will abbreviate it here, for the full source material click on the link below the list:

  • Get an administrator command prompt
  • Enter this command (I am running the 64 bit version, you will need a different command to work with 32-bit or Win 8 RT, see the link for more information):
    dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KB2919355~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~6.3.1.14
  • Enter this command:
    DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
  • Enter this command:
    dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup
  • Exit the command prompt and attempt to run the update again

Even though the 2nd command above gave me an error, I went through the whole procedure, and it worked correctly. Here is the link to the forum posting on Microsoft’s web site with the full message:

Windows 8.1 Update 1 Failing to Install with errors 80070020, 80073712 and 0x800f081f

BTW, a posthumous Happy Birthday to Bruno Kirby, who played the limo driver in This Is Spinal Tap.

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