Windows 8 problems updating and install

1. Kimputer about Anti-Virus:  Already tried it.
2.  ThinkSpaceSolutions - tried update troubleshooter. Didn't resolve but it helped me look at the problem further.
3. R. Andrew Koffron: Not an SSD but possibly an associated problem.
4.  thinkpads_user:  You may be right, but I dread that solution.  I'm doing this for a client and I'm already far past what I'll ever get paid for it.  Clean install is always the solution of last resort because when you do it for a client’s computer it’s guaranteed to take an enormous amount of time to get just right. (and it must be EXACTLY the same or there's the devil to pay.)  Not that this isn’t taking an enormous amount of time.

Where I am now:
I began to look at the services and saw that the Group Policy Client hadn’t started.  

I thought that a comment in this discussion might be the problem:

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8-security/windows-8-group-policy-client-service-failed-sign/7ce8e193-6651-4f8f-b2c3-28de3d389b1a

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Comment:
There are two places to look in the registry:
1.      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services this path should contain gpsvc key (a folder), which is responsible for service parameters and configuration.  I found that the key was intact, so, you do not touch anything here - just check that the key exists.
2.      HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SVCHOST This is the most important path you should look into, as it must contain the keys and values referred in the key #1.  Below are descriptions what must be present there.
•      There must be Multi-String value called GPSvcGroup. My laptop was missing it.  So, you should create multi-string value named GPSvcGroup and assign it value GPSvc.
•      Next, you must create a key (a folder) and name it GPSvcGroup - this key normally should be there, but, again, it was missin on my laptop.
•      Then open newly-created GPSvcGroup folder and create 2 DWORD values:
1.      First called AuthenticationCapabilities and you must give it a value of 0x00003020 (or 12320 in decimal)
2.      Second is called CoInitializeSecurityParam and it must have value of 1.
Once you complete all steps above, reboot the computer and the problem will be fixed.

Here is the link to the video walkthrough if you have any troubles understanding what has to be done: http://youtu.be/4m5KEmckWK4 

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EXCEPT
I compared the “image path” entry gpsvc in my registry to the customers.  
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
gpsvc
My ImagePath entry is “%windir%\system32\svchost.exe -k GPSvcGroup”
Hers is:  %systemroot%\system32\svchost.exe -k netsvcs

The key to the fix in the video is that no GPSvcGroup exists so he creates one with the proper parameters.  

But I looked at one of my Win8 computers and in that the image path is the same as hers,
netsvcs, not GPSvcGroup. So his fix doesn’t apply.

That’s where I am now.  The problem might be that the Group Services Client isn’t starting (or it could just be another symptom) but I don’t know why it isn’t starting yet.

If you understand what I’ve just said here please chime in.
Thanks,
Al

Forget everything I said above.  I got the Group Policy Client started but still couldn't update.  I may be doing a clean install after all.

I may be doing a clean install after all.

In this situation, that is the best way to get to a reliable Windows 8.1 system. That is what I am using here.

.... Thinkpads_User

From the Windows Update Log:
2014-01-05      12:03:13:578       240      1264      Handler      FATAL: UH: 0x800703f1: EvaluateApplicability failed in CCbs::EvaluateApplicability
2014-01-05      12:03:13:580       240      1264      Agent      WARNING: Failed to evaluate Installable rule, updateId = {890DCC15-EADB-4707-B2CF-2A6F020F6AA5}.201, hr = 800703F1

> Not an SSD, but possibly an associated problem.

so here's how I got the update to work on the SSD if it's any help.

I got one machine to work by removing the Symbolic Links moving C:\Users to D:\Users, and Making a New Administrator Account
booting to a install disk,command prompt.
(had to find a full verison disk cause the OEM disk wouldn't allow anything except imaging back the factory config)  

Xcopy back the d:\users  using the switches /B for symbolic links and and /Exclude:ExcludedLargeUserFolders.txt

reboot log in as new admin account to make sure all links and folders are in c:\users

updates ran no problem.
remade the Symbolic links for Users with Large folders.
machine seems fine.

I got it.  This web site http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/26095-repair-install-windows-8-a.html shows how to do a repair install of Windows 8 from a disk.  I happened to have a Dell Windows 8 install disk and it worked.  Thank the Lord. I then was able to update to 8.1 and install my Acronis backup software.  

I don't know if it would have taken less time to do a clean install.  I suppose it would have if I made that decision from the beginning.  But once you begin putting time into diagnosis and trying various things, all of which don't work, you've invested so much time in going that route..... you know the routine.  

I'll end up with $250 for lord knows how many hours work.  And that will include a 1TB external drive I'm selling the girl.  But then we went into this line of work to get rich, didn't we?  

Thanks to all for keeping with me through all this,
Al

Keywords:
sfc /scannow fail
Windows Resource Protection could not start the repair service
Windows 8  8.1 Win8 refresh fails
The Configuration Registry Database is Corrupt
(This was the basic problem.  I was able to access the registry though, using regedit.  If I hadn't it probably would have indicated a corruption that could not be fixed, perhaps a hardware problem.)
Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth can't clean corruption.