Cannot run updates on windows 8

Did you reinstall Windows 8 or reinstall Windows 8.1?

If the former, go to the Microsoft Store and update to Windows 8.1. That takes a while. When done try updates again.

If the latter, try the Windows 8 Update Readiness Tool

http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=42255

If I go to the store it will not allow me to update to 8.1 because it says that I need to first run important update in windows 8

Right after I posted this issue I tried it one more time and it started to install the updates. This is crazy since I have been trying to run updates all yesterday afternoon and early this morning.  But then, as with all other windows 8 I install, I can only install no more then 10 or maybe 15 at a time.  If I try more then that, it will get to about 95% completed (after it has been restarted) and then revert ALL the updates and take hours to do so.  This I find very annoying.  I have never had this problem with any of the older versions of windows.

Windows 8 Updates work great for me and always have. But it is late in the game to be starting with Windows 8 and then moving to 8.1

Try completing as many updates as you can the way you are doing. When you get to about October 2013 updates or a bit beyond, try the Store again and going to 8.1. Then complete updates.

Now you can download and create a Windows 8.1 DVD:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media

Did work fine for my customers.

I attempted to use the 8.1 download and it worked perfectly except that it will not except the embedded key in the bios. I would have to purchase an 8.1 product key to make it work and that is not an option.  I re-installed the 8 again on a new hard drive and selected 9 updates and it has been trying to download them 9 for the last two hours and still says that 0% is downloaded.

Start again with Windows 8.

Run the Microsoft tool for resetting updates.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058

Then run the Windows Update Readiness tool.

http://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/download/details.aspx?id=42255

Try both of these and then please let us know.

I ran the Windows Update Readiness tool and then windows updated fine.  But this morning I attempted to upgrade to windows 8.1 and it would not do that.  All it said is that something happened and it could not upgrade.  (this is through windows store).

I apologize for not closing this out sooner.  I finally did get all of the updates run, including 8.1 update.  I have installed a couple more of windows 8 systems without too much trouble.  My experience is that windows xp was the esiest OS to run updates and windows 8 has always been the hardest.

@beemmer  - Thank you for the update and I was happy to help.