I have been having a problem for the last two months with Windows Updates failing to install with error code 80070490. Windows Update does search and find the updates and will download them, and the installation process starts but it always fails with that code. It doesn't matter if I use WU or download and try to install the updates manually. I've searched online, did all the recommended things involving the command prompt (scannow, DISM, etc.) and the Fixit tool. The Fixit tool says that things are fixed, but the problem remains. That error code is the one that I am getting for every update I try. I can't go back far enough with System Restore to see if that works.
So I've been reading up on the Refreshing procedure and I think that is what I need to do - or at least try. So I want to make sure that I understand certain points before I do the deed - since I've never done any kind of re-installation or deep repair of Windows on any of my computers before.
My understanding is that the Refresh procedure will basically preserve my personal files, music, videos, etc, in addition to any Windows apps that might be installed while reinstalling Windows (hopefully Win 8.1). It will not restore any applications that I myself have installed, so I will have to make sure that I find all the installation .exe's and either burn them to a disc or gather them together on an external drive for re-installation.
Am I also correct in the assumption that I do not need any Windows installation or restore discs to do this process? The computer is a Dell Inspiron laptop that didn't come with restore discs and originally had Win 8 installed. I did make the restore discs that various pop-ups on the screen told me to make when I first started to use the computer (and IIRC, I did the same thing when I updated to 8.1 - which I did before installing any software on the computer). So I do have those, though I've never used them to know if they even work.
Thanks in advance for your help. :)
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