Impossible to update Vista (No SP installed yet); stubborn error code 0x800B0100

Hi,
New on this forum, so hello everyone.

I have a Vista Home Premium 32bit laptop (HP dv9000) that I need to fix: it has not received any update for the last 3 years despite having automatic updates configured as recommended.
So it has no service pack installed, no system checkpoint (so I cannot restore to a valid working state), the recovery partition is gone (I checked), no backup were made at any point of time and there is no recovery CD available.

The computer is working fine but I cannot get it to update anything system. I keep on getting the error code 0x800B0100 all the time no matter what I do.

I have done a number of things on it but without any success yet:

1. sfc /scannow does not report anything to repair
2. Fixit with kb949104: abort in step #1: impossible to install Powershell (with error code 0x800B0100)
3. Then I tried FixWU + reboot: error code 0x800B0100
4. Then Windows Update reset with Fixit 50202, first without the aggressive options + reboot, then with the aggressive options: both failed with error code 0x800B0100
5. Then I tried this one (might be the same): failed with error code 0x800B0100

One more thing: this is a French version of Vista, just in case it matters.
I am stuck here and don't know what else to do now.

Any help very much appreciated!

Cheers,
G.

Hello and welcome to the Forums , 3 years with this issue is way too long, have you tried this : https://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?prid=11274&gprid=500921&st=1&wfxredirect=1
You qualify for free support directly from Microsoft . This one user tried some suggestions here, vista sp1 error code 0x800B0100 - Microsoft Windows Vista Community Forums - Vistaheads and they did not work for that user, they finally told user to ask Microsoft directly for help. This must be a hard rascal to repair, have you tried to do a clean reinstall using your Vista dvd that came when you got the computer ? I am searching as i post and i just now found this : Error code 0x800B0100 when using Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates . Give this last one a read and see if that one works, from sep 2011 . Please post back results .

If you don't have a system backup image I would make one before experimenting around with updates. They can break your system as well as fix it. Make an image to an external drive using one of the image backup programs.

You can find several free ones here:
Free Hard Disk Backup and Restore, Hard Disk Image and Cloning Utilities (thefreecountry.com)

also I like Easus ToDo Backup Free Edition:
Best free data backup software. Hard drive backup and recovery freeware. Hard Disk image freeware.

Be sure to make the boot CD in case your system won't boot from the HD. It's good disaster recovery in addition to being able to undo a bunch of fixes. Generally I try to do Service Pack or Nothing unless I know there's a specific fix I really need. Any time you put a bunch of stuff on at once and it all goes bad you have no way to track down the bad variable in the equation. Generally service packs get some testing installed together. But fixed that come out willy-nilly I have a lot less trust.

Note: if your system does not have a CD/DVD drive you may be able to create a bootable USB key instead. There are utilities to take an .iso image and create a bootable key drive.

Hi,

@MilesAhead:
Since this is not my laptop and I don't want to be in trouble with the owners I am using a Linux RIP (Recovery is Possible) liveCD to image the Vista partition before I start messing with it.

@Yard Dog:
> vista sp1 error code 0x800B0100 - Microsoft Windows Vista Community Forums - Vistaheads
This one I had already tried without success.

> have you tried to do a clean reinstall using your Vista dvd that came when you got the computer
Unfortunately there was no recovery CD with the laptop and the recovery partition has been erased by the owners.

> Error code 0x800B0100 when using Windows Update or Microsoft Update to install updates
This one I also tried. No luck.

> have you tried this : https://support.microsoft.com/oas/de...&wfxredirect=1
I go with this one: I am trying microsoft answers for Vista. I will let you know the progress.

Cheers, G.