Fix for Vista SP1 install error 80073712 through windows update
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When you try to install Vista SP1 from windows update you may receive the error code 80073712.This is the most common problem for many users.I hope this solution will work for you.
Solution
The issue is that the WUA 3.0 (7.0.6000.374) upgrade is corrupted,essentially the system reports the WUA to be 7.0.6000.374 but the files on the disk are still from the old version (you can check some of the DLLs like wups.dll, wuaueng.dll etc… in the windows\system32) … and you cannot install the WUA 3.0 even manually.
delete the following file
C:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml
Since Windows security will not allow you to do this, here under the procedure to take ownership of the file
run a command prompt with “Run as Administrator”.
Type in the following commands
takeown /f C:\Windows\winsxs\pending.xml
cacls C:\Windows\winsxs\pending.xml /G <YourUsername>:F
then delete the file and Reboot the machine
Reinstall the Windows Update Agent
Windows, x86-based systems download from here
Windows, x64-based systems download from here
save to the desktop, and run from an elevated command prompt, adding /wuforce to the end of the command
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THANK YOU SO MUCH
THIS WORKS
i don’t have the pending.xml file
only pending.GRL
i have vista 64 ultimate
No pending.xml file.
I’ve decided to share the pain. Microsoft has free support for SP1 installations, so I’ve spent the last 5 hours with them, trying to install SP1. Many reboots, black screens and different methods…
So far, not installed.
What’s the point trying to debug Microsoft’s problems? They have staff, let them do it.
I have Vista SP1 Ultimate and this error exists still in trying to download anything. I also can’t install Windows Live Messenger.
I have two separate MS support calls that have been working for over a week and no solution.
Like others, I have no pending.xml file, and the KB947821 does not apply to SP1.