I have a brand new Acer with Win 8 installed. I've removed McAfee. Other than that the machine is as delivered.

Trying to download 8.1 and install it from the store. It sits there for a couple of minutes then says:

Your Windows 8.1 installation couldn't be completed
Something happened and the installation of Windows 8.1 can't be completed.

Now apart from this being really annoying could anyone have come up with a less useful message?

I have tried it several times. I've run the compatibility util and it passes. I've tried the store without logging in, then tried the store with logging in.

I've tried it in Firefox, tried it in IE.

Same result every time.

I have the same problem with a brand new Sony VAIO DUO bought at the Microsoft Store.  After I installed all the updates for Windows 8.1 from Sony's site (firmware, Bios, drivers, patches), I get that same error from Microsoft's app store.  It happens 2 seconds after I click the download button.

Got the same problem on my Surface RT. All updates installed.

I have the same problem. Is there a log file somewhere that has an error message with more information?

I was having the same problem. I tried multiple times with the same error. I noticed that I had 12 modern UI updates so I did those updates and allowed them to finish and now the 8.1 installation is proceeding. You might check to see if it is the same problem for you...

• Proposed as answer by MackalsMicrosoft employee Saturday, October 19, 2013 12:08 AM
• Marked as answer by Niki HanModerator Monday, October 28, 2013 4:43 PM

I have the exact same issue, all drivers are updated and im running windows 8 pro , tried everything, nothing works. 

To solve this problem, please follow the steps that worked for me:

1. Go to command and enter

net stop wuauserv

2. If it can't be stopped, restart the PC.

3. Go back to CMD and stop BITS and WUAUSERV

4. Go to c:\windows and rename Software Distribution

5. Go to Windows Update and check for updates.

*If an error occur, try to check the updates again, it should work.

6. Download all important update and check from the Windows Store if you can now download Windows 8.1

• Proposed as answer by rdfiasco 2 hours 8 minutes ago

To solve this problem, please follow the steps that worked for me:

1. Go to command and enter

net stop wuauserv

2. If it can't be stopped, restart the PC.

3. Go back to CMD and stop BITS and WUAUSERV

4. Go to c:\windows and rename Software Distribution

5. Go to Windows Update and check for updates.

*If an error occur, try to check the updates again, it should work.

6. Download all important update and check from the Windows Store if you can now download Windows 8.1

• Proposed as answer by rdfiasco Wednesday, May 20, 2015 5:14 AM

It does look like the 2 services mentioned above are causing the problem. I tried downloading updates and got the vague "something happened" message. That's the sort of useless description I usually get from my poor old mum when she's got a problem with her computer.

Anyway, had a look in task manager and wuauserv was in a permanent state of "stopping". Restarted the laptop, installed the outstanding updates and tried to install Windows 8.1 again. The store kept restarting - blank screen, storefront, blank screen, storefront - I did manage to get into the W8.1 page once but it still wouldn't work. 

I closed the store, stopped the offending services, tried again and it now seems to be (slowly) downloading 8.1, though the Store app is now stuck on the Installations page.

All this for a half-functioning Start button. Hope it's worth it.

For what it is worth, I took me 3 attempts to get a viable ISO downloaded from the licensing site.  And I had to use the download manager to get it, as the web downloads all crapped out after about 300 MB.  The iso would say it was the right size, but the actual file size was way less.  And of course installing off of partial media gave VERY mixed experiences.

OK, so I posted 2 days ago about this issue, and I resolved it yesterday.  I essentially performed a "refresh" under Windows 8, which removed a lot of the updates and applications that could be potential issues.

I then had to go to the Sony website to re-install the latest drivers, SW and driver patches related to my Vaio Duo (I had already updated the firmware and Bios -- necessary to install Windows 8.1--).  I then had to re-install all Windows 8 updates, and magically, the Windows 8.1 update started to download when I clicked on it in the Windows Marketplace.  I do not know what was the source of the problem, but the refresh definitely got rid of it.  It is a long process however as a lot has to be reinstalled to bring the refreshed system to its full functionality with the latest manufacturer and Microsoft updates for Windows 8.

I can't see how a non-technical user could perform all these steps to upgrade a recent tablet to Windows 8.1!

Good luck!

I'm getting "something happened and windows 8.1 couldn't be installed. Please try again. error code 0x80070003" message, tried everything I could to update to 8.1 without needing to restall my desktop applications all failed.

I use the machine for video/Photo editing and lots of desktop applications loaded on, now it seems I have to reistall all those in order to get 8.1. Very dissapointed.

Jay

I had this same problem trying to upgrade from Win 8 to Win 8.1 through the Windows Store and during the download process I stopped it. When try again for the second time it said:

Your Windows 8.1 installation couldn't be completed
Something happened and the installation of Windows 8.1 can't be completed.

The download process did not start and cannot continue.

To remedy the situation , try my way and it works.

- Use Windows Restore and select restore point prior to your last 2 Windows updates , your data remains intact

- Wait until the restore has finished , then try to upgrade again , it will work this time.

Now the upgrade has been done without any problem.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/ouc1too/archive/2013/10/25/something-happened-in-the-install-of-windows-8-1-can-t-be-completed-and-now-you-re-annoyed.aspx

Try this.

• Proposed as answer by aiyaiya Wednesday, November 13, 2013 2:51 AM

http://blogs.technet.com/b/ouc1too/archive/2013/10/23/something-happened-in-the-install-of-windows-8-1-can-t-be-completed-and-now-you-re-annoyed.aspx

If the Windows Update service can't be stopped, it's because you need to right-click on the command prompt icon and select RUN AS ADMIN...

I ended up getting my hunting rifle out of the closet, shooting the screen of my laptop, and then firing the computer off my 6th story balcony.   Install that, MF!

I found that Just stopping WUAUSERV , not doing any of the further cleanup helped me.

NOTE: You need to run Cmd as an administrator. So you need to be on the 'start' screen. Then type cmd. Then right click on the found cmd Icon. Then choose "run as administrator" . Only then can you run. 

net stop wuauserv

After that was stopped, my dowload finally started.

Bart

I did all updates, including hidden ones, and I stopped wuauserv but I still can't update!!  I checked for updated drivers on my laptop manufactuer's website and found 61 updates, all of which have to be downloaded individually by going to a separate page, downloading a zip file, unzipping then running the exe - I really don't want to do that 61 times, especially as there's still no guarantee of success after that!  Ideas anyone???  And also do I need to restart wuauserv or will it restart itself?  I just can't believe it is this difficult to update my OS, particularly because it's been around for a while now so any problems SHOULD have been fixed already - very shoddy work from MSFT!!! :(

• Edited by GadgetGeekette Friday, February 14, 2014 10:55 PM

I had the same problem and I ran all of the updates and then I was able to update windows 8 to 8.1 just like it says in this post

Great tip, It worked fine for me. thank you dude

Bart

Thanks.  This also seemed to work for me.  It is important (as you said) to right on the cmd app and run as administrator, will not work otherwise.  I was able to stop WUAUSERV and windows 8.1 is now downloading.  Will see if it installs correctly.  As this is a known problem you think the download would automatically stop Windows Download Service to allow Win 8.1 download.  Oh well!?

Thanks for taking time to post

jj

David Dixon's suggestion (/system32/wsreset.exe as admin) solved the issue for me immediately - clearing the app store cache, so the cache was the issue in my case. 

See: http://blogs.technet.com/b/ouc1too/archive/2013/12/31/windows-8-1-and-the-nuclear-option.aspx

A helpful article outlining a range of the potential solutions - hope it helps someone else - and thanks to the author.

• Edited by AbstractKiller Sunday, August 03, 2014 7:15 PM Spelling

To solve this problem, please follow the steps that worked for me:

1. Go to command and enter

net stop wuauserv

2. If it can't be stopped, restart the PC.

3. Go back to CMD and stop BITS and WUAUSERV

4. Go to c:\windows and rename Software Distribution

5. Go to Windows Update and check for updates.

*If an error occur, try to check the updates again, it should work.

6. Download all important update and check from the Windows Store if you can now download Windows 8.1

Stopping these services through Task Manager worked for me.