Fix Windows 10 Cumulative Update KB4088776 Installation Error

In recent Windows 10 cumulative updates (like, KB4088776), people are facing a lot of problem with the installation of the cumulative updates. It gets downloaded but at the time of installation, it fails with different error codes (0x800f0900, 0x800f081f, 0x80070002, 0x80240034 etc). I've checked Microsoft forums and found that the issue is still unresolved and Microsoft says that it would release the fix for it soon but still there are no fixes released for the errors. I had the same issue with my own laptop and it was really frustrating that after the installation attempt of the KB4088776, my laptop froze and it became so unstable that I had to reinstall Windows. After testing some troubleshooting steps, I finally made it and was able to install the update successfully. Here are the steps I followed and you should try them too if you had the issues with Windows 10 cumulative update installations. But before starting the troubleshooting steps, I recommend enabling DotNet 3.5 using the method I explained here: http://www.pctricksguru.com/2014/01/how-to-fix-dot-net-35-error-in-windows-8.html and It works for Windows 10 as well. I recommend you logging into Windows with microsoft account too before starting the troubleshooting. So when you are ready, follow the steps given below:

1. First of all, open cmd with admin and run the following command:
wusa /uninstall /kb:4054517
Running this command will uninstall the previous cumulative update from Feb 2018. I'm sure that Jan 2018 update also failed for most of the PCs but if you find any PC with Jan cumulative update already installed, you must uninstall that update too using the same command, just replace the KB number with the Jan 2018 update. Uninstallation will take some time so let the command uninstall the faulty KB updates, don't do anything, sit back and relax until the uninstallation of the Jan and Feb cumulative update is completed. If you are prompted to restart the computer, do it.

2. Now open cmd with admin and run the following command:
SC.exe config trustedinstaller start=auto
Now restart the computer.

3. Now the next thing to do is, open Windows group policy editor (open RUN and type the command gpedit.msc and hit enter). Now expand "Computer Configurations > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Windows Updates". If you click on Windows Updates, at the right side of the policy editor window, set the following properties to "Disabled" by double clicking on them and choosing the Disable option.
a) Allow Automatic Updates Immediate Installation
b) Configure Automatic Updates

4. After setting both of these properties as Disabled, open the cmd with admin rights again and run the following commands one by one:
net stop wuauserv 
net stop cryptSvc 
net stop bits 
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old 
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

Note: While running C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old command, you might get "Access Denied" error. "ren" command is used to rename any folder in DOS, and So don't worry if you get this error, because DataStore folder in the SystemDistribution folder is always in use by existing windows processes, so you can delete or modify it. So open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the contents (DataStore might not get deleted, so don't mess with that) within the folder.

4. Now in the cmd window, run the following commands one by one:
net start wuauserv 
net start cryptSvc 
net start bits 
net start msiserver

5. Now don't check for updates from the settings, because it will mess up the SoftwareDistribution folder. Download the msu installer for KB4088776 update from:
http://download.windowsupdate.com/d/msdownload/update/software/secu/2018/03/windows10.0-kb4088776-x64_55756340f1e2c2090f94de6d256eafd75e1cee9c.msu

6. After finishing the download, go offline, if possible and then start the installation of the downloaded msu file.

7. The installation will take about 4 to 5 minutes (or more) and finally it will end up with the successful installation of the KB update.

8. Now restart the computer and check for the updates history, you will see that KB4088776 has been installed and you will see that there are no updates pending if you check for windows updates.

9. Now restore the changes made in step 3.

NOTE: Follow the steps exactly in the way I told to avoid any errors. In a few PCs, During restart, you might face a blank screen issue after windows boot up but no need to panic, the blank screen would be there for about 10 minutes and then it would never appear again. If you have installed any Antivirus, I recommend uninstalling it completely. After the troubleshooting, you may reinstall it. But if you don't have the key for Antivirus, you should disable it instead of uninstalling it. In my PC, I was using AVG free version and I performed all these troubleshooting steps after removing AVG completely.

That's it. I hope these steps would resolve the Windows 10 Cumulative update installation issues. Keep visiting PC Tricks Guru for more tips and tricks.