Some Notes on the Machines

DISM is great for system image repair in 2012/8.0 and later. But from 2008R2/7 there are lots of things DISM can do to clean up a system. Here’s one:

dism /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

This does much cleaning up of redundant items in WinSxS. There is also:

dism /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

but /ResetBase eliminates removal of all patches and updates etcetera, so not necessarily best to use. And we have:

dism /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded

/SPSuperseded eliminates removal of service packs only.

Here it is, all current versions:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4027322/windows-update-troubleshooter

The “Update” button on this page delivers a method faster than most:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/software-download/windows10

A module called PSWindowsUpdate. Can be installed under that name using Chocolatey and also the PowerShell Gallery. A very good rundown on its use is here. PowerShell 2.0 and above.

This is something new to Windows 10/2016, a C runtime library different than the redistributables. It is a required additional install for some things to run on OS before 10/2016.

www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50410

Here is the only complete method known to this writer to automatically download and install all current Microsoft redists. It uses this:

https://www.powershellgallery.com/packages/VcRedist

Steps:

1. You’ll need the PowerShell Gallery. Windows 10 and WMF 5.1 come with it.

2. If you have 10, or once you have WMF installed, you can just run GETREDISTS.CMD (part of windows-tools ) as administrator. Alternatively, you can continue :-)

3. VcRedist is the core, we’ll install that automatically as part of the procedure. In administrative PowerShell (the -Force takes in any new updates):

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force
Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force
Install-Module -Name NuGet -SkipPublisherCheck -Force
Import-Module -Name NuGet
Install-Module -Name VcRedist -SkipPublisherCheck -Force
Import-Module -Name VcRedist
New-Item C:\VcRedist -ItemType Directory
Get-VcList | Get-VcRedist -Path C:\VcRedist
Get-VcList | Install-VcRedist -Path C:\VcRedist

The above installs all of the redistributables which Microsoft currently supports. Reportedly, some older ones (going back to 2005 at this writing) can be had using this:

Set-ExecutionPolicy -ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Force
Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force
Install-Module -Name NuGet -SkipPublisherCheck -Force
Import-Module -Name NuGet
Install-Module -Name VcRedist -SkipPublisherCheck -Force
Import-Module -Name VcRedist
New-Item C:\VcRedist -ItemType Directory
Get-VcList -Export All | Get-VcRedist -Path C:\VcRedist
Get-VcList -Export All | Install-VcRedist -Path C:\VcRedist

You may wish to delete the downloadables after the procedure:

Remove-Item C:\VcRedist -Recurse -Force

If Windows Updates says it’s controlled by system administration and not you, check all three of these:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\WindowsUpdate 

HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer

You’ll probably see a DWORD preventing access. Delete it and try again.

No keys of course, but ISO media indeed, and very helpful for DISM and other fixes:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/15088/windows-create-installation-media

If the Windows Installer method doesn’t work, ESET has a tool. It does have to be run with the OS in safe mode:

https://support.eset.com/kb2289/?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

Another from Matt the Quick:

By default, WSUS does not have .NET 3.5 available to install. This creates issues when .NET 3.5 is needed after a machine has joined the domain. Below is the workaround steps to install .NET 3.5 using the operating system ISO and not Windows Update or WSUS.

• Mount the ISO of the operating system. The Server 2016 ISO is known to work for this.
• Open an Administrative Command Prompt and run the following command:
  
  dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:netfx3 /all /source:D:\sources\sxs /limitaccess
  
  NOTE: The Source flag will have to be changed to reflect the Sources\sxs folder on your installation media. This is likely going to be the D drive (as in the example above), but it’s possible your results may differ slightly.
• Reboot machine.