It's the installer... and if it dies, you are so screwed.

The fixes don't... the solution is a circle jerk of things that won't run... even in admin mode... which is odd, considering the primary user is the admin.

At this point, I am so pissed off.

Wow!

I try to follow suggestions on the web... none work.

Try to use the MS fix? It fails.

I am really not very happy right now. Back to it.

This may have fixed it:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wi ... rror-80072efe-or-80072f76

Andy, Win 7 I am assuming.......? As time goes on I am hating Windows and MS more and more.

Yea, Win7.

this is getting more annoying...

I have run a few different tests and fixes, windows update is acting like its working, but its not.

The bottom line? It can't find the installer. It's there, it works, it just can't find it.

I don't get it... I think something failed during an update and took the process with it.

Where's JrRifleCoach when you need him... ugh...

I left him a message yesterday but at this point it may be moot.

I will check those links, but I think I am beyond screwed.

The last fix did a merge to the registry, and now it won't boot. Done. Fried. SOL.

At the rate the fix wasn't going, I was looking at blowing the drive.

The problem is that most of the fixes are for XP or Vista, not so much for Win7. And they are seriously different enough so that the XP fix won't.

I will know more later. Updates as they become available.

Quote:

Kinda sorta I think

Score: Me 0, Error 1.

I had to buy a new hard drive. It wouldn't format so as to allow the OS to be installed.

I am going to d/l the WD diags and run them against the old drive. Let it find errors, then get a new one on warranty.

Annoying... lost the best part of 3 days trying to unravel this. Each time I did something or rebooted or whatnot, it got worse. It appears as tho the drive failed. And that might be the initial cause.

oh, well.

Big thanks to JrRifleCoach for helping me out! He gave a call this morning and directed me to a few utilities and such. The man knows his stuff.

And he is absolutely right about one thing: If it takes more than 4 hours to fix, replace or reload the drive. This makes sense on several levels - the most important being: will the fix be stable?

I just hate screwing with licenses on reinstalls.

Glad to be of assistance Andy.

The worst part is when the user has not backed up their files and I have to be the bearer of bad news....

oh, man... that uber sucks.

I have had that happen before... brand new drive, too.

I'm a Mac person but am forced to use a PC with Win7Ultimate at the job. FWIW - I HATE THAT CRAP. I also learned when my drives took a crap twice in 6 months - whatever Raid is on those drives I asked it not to be done to the new set. I lost a bunch of stuff. Got about half back. Are all PCs this unreliable?

yes and no.

The problem with PCs is that the cheap ones are cheap. They use low quality components on the mother boards that are prone to not only fail, but to fry things when they do.

I use very good quality new tech mobos and the result is night and day improved.

The other problem which is something that can happen to Apple, is the hard disc itself. They are cheap and disposable, and no matter how you cut it, they can die.

Backups are they key.