KB955430 hangs at 90%; CPU use 100%

[dal987]

Hi, there are many reports of an identical problem; no solution except complete reinstall. I want to suggest an area to look at, but need help for resolution...

Failure to install this blocks Vista SP2.

Symptoms:
The hotfix stops at about 90% (progress bar).
With a dual CPU, one CPU then runs at near 100%.
(Trustedinstaller.exe)
The hotfix never completes: only way out- kill the task- restart PC.

Using Sysinternals Process Monitor I note it is endlessly trying to read
C:\Windows\servicing\Version\6.0.6001.18000
- no more files

This suggests:
a. Something is missing from that folder
b. The hotfix is buggy- it can't cope with that - infinite loop

Can anyone who has successfully installed this tell me what should be in that folder, and ideally let me have a copy?

SFC /Scannow is no help here, and Vista does not support 'repair install'.

Others have found uninstalling SP1 and proceeding from there fixes this.
My PC came with that preinstalled, so I have no way to uninstall it.

Attempts to report this to MS via the free Windows update support, or to HP, have so far been futile.

Maybe an MS MVP can help- it's affecting quite a few people aas a quick search shows.

Thanks!

[JohnMiller]

This isn't what you want to hear, but from where I'm standing, I'd rather do a complete re-install if I had that kind of issue rather than solve it. You can stabilize a Windows install, but in my opinion if an OS starts having wonky issues I'd prefer to wipe and have a working install than figure out the one of thousands of possible issues the current install has.

Of course, I'm not nearly as experienced as others on this board, but judging by their lack of replies I suspect they don't have any solutions either.

[dal987]

Thanks JohnMiller, It take your point, and at a pinch would do a repair install- except that's not on in Vista.

Ok, so my question remains:

What should be in
C:\Windows\servicing\Version\6.0.6001.18000
with SP1 installed?

Can anyone tell me, or is it a state secret? Please?... I don't know anyone with Vista... MS update support ignores my query on this.

Setting up everything from scratch took me weeks.. this one update - buggy in my opinion as it hangs in an infinite loop- is the only issue.

My guess is KB955430 doesn't allow for preinstalled SP1 from the manufacturer, without the right files in that folder.

Or maybe something deleted them.. and KB955430 can't cope with that.

Anyway, I can neither uninstall SP1 (no add-remove from the beginning) nor install SP2. Meanwhile MS support is still trying to get me to do these things - which I have no way of doing..

[gforceindustries]

I would have to agree that it's time to reinstall. If your setup was that complex, I expect you took some notes as you went along?

[dal987]

Hi, well, before conceiving of a reinstall- which I'd just set up on my previous XP laptop before it died, then I faced Vista... I'd attempt an update repair install. With appropriate images and back-ups.

However HP left me only recovery disks. So I'd need a Vista SP1 disk at least.

Meanwhile, MS escalation support is asking their tech about the folder at last.. Hey, if the hotfix IS buggy, it needs fixing.

And I'm trying to get a copy locally- 'tho all I've spoken to tried and ditched Vista..

Why did set up take so long? A lot of programs, a learning curve with a couple of false starts, dealing with some older hardware, significant lack of connectivity typical on a newer laptop.. Various utilities that needed configuration.. transferring emails and other data..

If only MS would rearrange their architecture so users and OS were separate...
And as my old PC was dead, all by hand.

If I had to do it again, I'd make some use of SoftRescue Pro - transfers apps from one PC to another, if configured identically.

[dal987]

Solution
KB955430 / SP2 hang indefinitely at about 90%

The solution: A bit of reverse logic.
I found Process Monitor shows KB955430 apparently looking for more files in
C:\Windows\Servicing\Version\6.0.6001.18000.

How to fix this.
Delete folder 6.0.6001.18000.
(It has to be done during boot, so you need a utility to do that).
Then, restart, launch KB955430 or SP2 which includes that at the start- hey presto - success.

So: the back story:
When you buy a PC with Vista pre-installed, (some) manufacturers include this folder.

KB955430 has a bug. If it sees that folder it goes into an infinite loop.
I assume if SP1 were installed 'normally' the folder would not exist.

This has appears to have potential significance for many.

I have advised MS update escalation support. Hope this helps!

[djohn86]

Thanks for posting back, sounds like a tricky issue, and I'm sure someone will find it extremely useful..

Sorry about not posting the contents of the folder, but I just wiped Vista off my PC and installed 7 probably a few days before your original post LoL..

Thanks again.

DJ