Problem adding new Features

Hi,
I have win 8.1 pro & am trying to add a new feature - windows media
centre which I have purchased.

I go on-line and get the Adding new features window
The computer re-boots and the 'Preparing to configure windows' message
appears, then Adding features.

Then I get 'failure upgrading windows undoing changes'
Computer re-boots
Then 'Couldn't add features, you previous edition of windows has been
restored. You should contact Microsoft support.
When I click on 'Get contact info on windows web site ' & this take me
to the update to windows 8.1 'get free update' page

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong here & how to fix please
Thank you
--
Martin
©¿©¬

Martin ©¿©¬ wrote:
Hi,
I have win 8.1 pro & am trying to add a new feature - windows media
centre which I have purchased.

I go on-line and get the Adding new features window
The computer re-boots and the 'Preparing to configure windows' message
appears, then Adding features.

Then I get 'failure upgrading windows undoing changes'
Computer re-boots
Then 'Couldn't add features, you previous edition of windows has been
restored. You should contact Microsoft support.
When I click on 'Get contact info on windows web site ' & this take me
to the update to windows 8.1 'get free update' page

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong here & how to fix please
Thank you

I'd say you're lucky you got that far.

In a quick search, people in UK can't find the Add Feature, people
with Windows N versions couldn't add Media Center, and people
with Volume License Keys (VLK) versions couldn't either.

At least you got as far as Add Feature.

*******

There is a walkthru here. What is missing from this one,
is sometimes you have to go to Programs and Features control
panel afterwards, look in the Windows Components section and
turn on Media Center in there.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/win...indows-8/6395/

Any time an install fails, look for all files with .log extension.
In a File Explorer search, try

ext:log

as a search of C: , then sort by date. Look for a recent log file,
that records what happened during the installation.

The Media Center files were always inside your copy of Windows.
When you do an Anytime Upgrade or a Feature Addition, frequently
all the files are in the Store area of the disk. And what the
"installation" process does, is make hard links from the store,
into the appropriate OS folder. So the disk activity is "linking"
rather than copying. Once all the files are in place, the license
key is changed. Then, the OS knows what "new" version it is, and
that those features are authorized for use. If you were to just
throw the two DVD codecs of Media Center into the folder, that
probably wouldn't work without the license key to effectively
turn them on.

If the Windows store state is not right, that will stop the
installation process. As might, having some Windows Update
"pending" installs. Or even, if you look in Task Manager,
and see an msiexec running or something, that could imply
another software installation is in progress. So you could
check that some other process isn't finished. If all of that
is clear, you can always contact Microsoft tech support
to get the thing to install. Or, have a look in the log file
and see if there is a hint present.

At least one user here, ran a Windows Update troubleshooter,
and afterwards, the Media Center would then install.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...0-5deae8f56723

Another suggestion on that page, was to disable your AV
real time protection. In case it is interfering.

When it comes to the Microsoft log files, they're not really
in a useful format. The "failure point" of the log, can be
half way up the file, as all of the "undo" steps leave
log entries as well. You have to walk backwards up the
log file, until you have dismissed all of the undo items,
and eventually find the actual failure point.

Paul

Thank you very much Paul for your explanation.
I will have to tak some time to digest this
Another learning curve looming !

On Sat, 08 Mar 2014 10:27:36 -0500, Paul wrote:

Martin ©¿©¬ wrote:
Hi,
I have win 8.1 pro & am trying to add a new feature - windows media
centre which I have purchased.

I go on-line and get the Adding new features window
The computer re-boots and the 'Preparing to configure windows' message
appears, then Adding features.

Then I get 'failure upgrading windows undoing changes'
Computer re-boots
Then 'Couldn't add features, you previous edition of windows has been
restored. You should contact Microsoft support.
When I click on 'Get contact info on windows web site ' & this take me
to the update to windows 8.1 'get free update' page

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong here & how to fix please
Thank you

I'd say you're lucky you got that far.

In a quick search, people in UK can't find the Add Feature, people
with Windows N versions couldn't add Media Center, and people
with Volume License Keys (VLK) versions couldn't either.

At least you got as far as Add Feature.

*******

There is a walkthru here. What is missing from this one,
is sometimes you have to go to Programs and Features control
panel afterwards, look in the Windows Components section and
turn on Media Center in there.

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/win...indows-8/6395/

Any time an install fails, look for all files with .log extension.
In a File Explorer search, try

ext:log

as a search of C: , then sort by date. Look for a recent log file,
that records what happened during the installation.

The Media Center files were always inside your copy of Windows.
When you do an Anytime Upgrade or a Feature Addition, frequently
all the files are in the Store area of the disk. And what the
"installation" process does, is make hard links from the store,
into the appropriate OS folder. So the disk activity is "linking"
rather than copying. Once all the files are in place, the license
key is changed. Then, the OS knows what "new" version it is, and
that those features are authorized for use. If you were to just
throw the two DVD codecs of Media Center into the folder, that
probably wouldn't work without the license key to effectively
turn them on.

If the Windows store state is not right, that will stop the
installation process. As might, having some Windows Update
"pending" installs. Or even, if you look in Task Manager,
and see an msiexec running or something, that could imply
another software installation is in progress. So you could
check that some other process isn't finished. If all of that
is clear, you can always contact Microsoft tech support
to get the thing to install. Or, have a look in the log file
and see if there is a hint present.

At least one user here, ran a Windows Update troubleshooter,
and afterwards, the Media Center would then install.

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/w...0-5deae8f56723

Another suggestion on that page, was to disable your AV
real time protection. In case it is interfering.

When it comes to the Microsoft log files, they're not really
in a useful format. The "failure point" of the log, can be
half way up the file, as all of the "undo" steps leave
log entries as well. You have to walk backwards up the
log file, until you have dismissed all of the undo items,
and eventually find the actual failure point.

Paul

On Sat, 08 Mar 2014 17:14:09 +0000, Martin ©¿©¬
wrote in


Another learning curve looming !

Welcome to Win8
--
I kill-file all messages posted through Google Groups.