Windows Update and Features won’t install after moving ProgramData

windows 10windows update

HUGE UPDATE

I now figured out why i can't install the .NET Framework 3.5 and new the Windows DirectPlay features.

I think this happens because i recently moved a lot of files. I wanted to do all Programs and stuff on my data HDD (F:), and windows running on my SSD (C:). I created those Symlinks via mklink /D:

C:\ProgramData → F:\ProgramData

C:\Program Files → F:\Program Files

C:\Program Files (x86) → F:\Program Files (x86)

and, most importantly to the answer below:

C:\Users\All Users → F:\ProgramData

When i try to install now the features .NET Framework 3.5 and DirectPlay I get the exact same errors as in my old question below.

Windows Updates are failing with error code: 0x80070bc9, Windows Defender with error code: 0x80070643

How can i make windows update and features work again without moving ProgramData back to C: drive?

OLD QUESTION:

When i try to install the .NET Framework 3.5, the installation failures.

I moved my ProgramData folder to another drive recently (I symlinked from C: to this drive)

The Install Error (C:\Windows\Logs\DISM) update:
http://scshot.deepspace.onl/eff24e62-f2b6-431f-a280-821d48554f6e.log

The CBS (C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.txt) (only this file because it's the only one which was changed today) http://scshot.deepspace.onl/6d071d59-f6cf-4da5-a753-38f29a31150d.log

enter image description here

C:\Windows\system32>Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFX3 /All /Source:E:\sources\sxs /LimitAccess

Tool for image management
Version: 10.0.10586.0

Features will be activated
[==========================100.0%==========================]

Error: 3017

The requested procedure failed. A system restart is required to revert the changes.

The DISM-Protokollis here: "C:\Windows\Logs\DISM\dism.log".

Best Answer

Installation errors after moving folders like these to other drives are inevitable. I used to do it for years, and I simply learned to live with some updates' not being installed. Part of the issue may be that the All Users folder is a symlink to ProgramData. Somehow or another, Windows may be finding issue with this, which wouldn't be surprising.

Things I would try either individually or in combination with each other (after backing up your drive):

  1. Recreate the All Users symlink:
    • Delete the c:\users\All Users symlink
    • Create a new c:\users\All Users symlink to the new ProgramData
  2. Search through the registry for `c:\users\All Users' values and change them to your new folder.
  3. Download the .NET update executable and install it (if it has a .exe extension, just double-click it. *.msu files require wusa.exe).
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