I am using Windows 7 Professional Service Pack 1 and Windows update is giving me the error code 80070490. I've run out of ideas on how to fix it without formatting. I have ran the System Update Readiness Tool, Microsoft fix it 50123, Windows Update Diagnostics, and I've tried to do a Windows Repair installation and all of this failed. I also restored a backup from April, but that didn't help either. Apparently, it was having problems then and I hadn't noticed it. With the repair installation, I clicked on "Install now", "download updates online", and then I clicked on the "Upgrade" installation choice as Microsoft recommended. But, I received the Installation failed error because it said my version that I'm using is more recent than the one I was trying to install. So, what now? I hate the thoughts of having to format and start over. I thought about restoring an image from the date that Windows Update last worked but I was afraid that whatever caused the problem would come back and I would be any better off. Any ideas out there? Is there another way to do a repair installation without losing everything? Thanks for your time!
Try "MicrosoftFixit50202.msi". Google the name and you should get a link to the MS download page. It will fix most Windows update problems. You might have to use the "aggressive" option. That will completely remove and reinstall Windows update. I had to use it recently to fix a Windows 7 VM that I made from a real Windows 7 installation that somehow got Windows update messed up in the transition.
I tried the "MicrosoftFixit50202.msi" and it couldn't fix it either even using the "aggressive" option. I also looked for the Service Pack 1 update so I could uninstall it and it wasn't listed or I didn't recognize it if it was and it went back to when I first purchased this system. I also did scans for viruses, malware, etc. but that didn't help either. I guess I will have to restore an old backup and then hope this problem doesn't happen again. Thanks everyone for your time and suggestions!