Windows 10 v2004 update repeatedly fails to update non existent keyboard but keeps trying forever (how to stop that nonsense?)

[Arlen Holder]

Windows 10 v2004 update fails to update non existent keyboard
o But keeps trying forever (failing constantly)

Any idea how to stop Windows 10 from doing this?
o (like how do I delete that it thinks this keyboard exists?)

1. A few days ago I had a Logitech keyboard in my desktop
2. But I was getting BSODs so I swapped out easily changed hardware
3. For example, I swapped in a Lenovo Keyboard but drivers wouldn't update
4. So I swapped in a Dell keyboard, whose drivers update just fine
5. But Windows keeps forever trying to update the IBM Lenovo drivers
6. So I bring up the device manager, remove the device, & reboot
7. No problem, as Windows installs a driver for the Dell keyboard
8. And yet, still, the Update manager tries to download the Lenovo drivers

How do I stop Windows from trying to update what isn't even there?

Here are some illustrative screenshots, in sequence:
a. Win10v2004 fails to update the Lenovo keyboard
(whether or not the keyboard is plugged into the machine)
<https://i.postimg.cc/t4NxC0t2/lenovo01.jpg>

b. Even after multiple reboots, where other drivers are updated
just fine, the Lenovo keyboard driver hangs at the same error.
<https://i.postimg.cc/ZqYyWfwZ/lenovo02.jpg>

c. A view of the "update history" clearly shows the Lenovo keyboard
fails to install, while everything else installs just fine.
<https://i.postimg.cc/909D6sQP/lenovo03.jpg>

d. Even after a boot, it still thinks it wants to download lenovo drivers
<https://i.postimg.cc/m2Qc8xqB/lenovo04.jpg>

e. You'd think pressing the "uninstall updates" would work, but you'd be
wrong in thinking that since it isn't there in the
control panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Installed Updates
<https://i.postimg.cc/8zN7YKQW/lenovo05.jpg>

f. You'd think running the MajorGeeks "Clear_Windows_Update_History"
batch file would work, but again, you'd be wrong.
<http://majorgeeks.com/content/page/clear_windows_update_history.html>

g. You'd think perhaps deleting the keyboard driver in the Windows
Device Manager would work, and then rebooting, but again, you'd
be wrong as this re-installs the Microsoft generic driver just fine.
<https://i.postimg.cc/mrrtLPrg/lenovo06.jpg>

h. When you reboot after uninstalling the device driver in the
Device Manager, you still get the same error you started with.
<https://i.postimg.cc/bJDrn4kX/lenovo07.jpg>

Any idea how to stop Windows 10 from doing this?
o (like how do I delete that it thinks this keyboard exists?)

[MikeS]

1. Right click the Start button and select Control Panel.
2. Click System.
3. Click Advanced system settings from the left sidebar.
4. Select the Hardware tab.
5. Press the Device Installation Settings button.
6. Choose No, and then press the Save Changes button.

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2020 08:22:39 +0100, MikeS wrote:

> 1. Right click the Start button and select Control Panel.
> 2. Click System.
> 3. Click Advanced system settings from the left sidebar.
> 4. Select the Hardware tab.
> 5. Press the Device Installation Settings button.
> 6. Choose No, and then press the Save Changes button.

Thanks for hazarding a solution, as I'm well aware the dangers trying to
help someone on Usenet risks, where I did try that, and was hopeful...

This brings us to step 4 in one unambiguous command:
o Win+R > SystemPropertiesHardware
a. Press the Device Installation Settings button.
b. Choose No, and then press the Save Changes button.
c. Win+R > shutdown.exe /r /f /t 5 /c "Reboot in 5 seconds!"

Unfortunately, I checked before/after rebooting...
o Windows 10 still wants to update that device that doesn't exist.

[GlowingBlueMist]

You might like to look at the "Device Cleanup Tool" found at
https://www.uwe-sieber.de/misc_tools_e.html

You can use it to remove all the leftover USB devices from Windows that
build up over time, like old keyboards and such.

After a final reboot see if Microsoft still tries to update the "ghost"
keyboard.

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2020 13:35:33 -0500, GlowingBlueMist wrote:

> You might like to look at the "Device Cleanup Tool" found at
> https://www.uwe-sieber.de/misc_tools_e.html
>
> You can use it to remove all the leftover USB devices from Windows that
> build up over time, like old keyboards and such.
>
> After a final reboot see if Microsoft still tries to update the "ghost"
> keyboard.

Thanks GlowingBlueMist, as you, and Paul, and only a few others have always
been purposefully helpful, as am I, but you guys know more than I do.

Paul had previously turned me on to the Sieber site for USBTreeView
o <https://i.postimg.cc/2SSN3bKR/usbview01.jpg>

Which helped me identify a long-standing quick usb-disconnect/connect:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/rmCXCgN2/usbview02.jpg>

Therefore, I'm very willing to try the Sieber USB cleanup tool:
o <https://www.uwe-sieber.de/misc_tools_e.html>

OK. It failed, but it's still a very nice tool for USB cleanup.
o Here's my log which I keep on USB stick for each & every install:

For the gui sieber device cleanup tool:
https://www.uwe-sieber.de/misc_tools_e.html
https://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/DeviceCleanup.zip
Name: DeviceCleanup.exe
Size: 58752 bytes (57 KiB)
SHA256: 5BF8EAD8700CDDB94E42C94224760028015547542488C22BFA804F4CD449C465

For the command line sieber device cleanup tool:
https://www.uwe-sieber.de/files/DeviceCleanupCmd.zip
Name: DeviceCleanupCmd.exe
Size: 39296 bytes (38 KiB)
SHA256: 969897E38FD247DDEE825A13E009F66644DEBD8A2ECC4924081083D3308E5BCC

1. Place the software where it belongs, e.g.,
c:\app\hardware\usb\devicecleanup\devicecleanup.exe

Note: you always define where things belong, not 1,000 developers,
none of whom seem to use a common concept of a proper hierarchy.

2. Right click on "DeviceCleanup.exe" to "Run as Administrator"
Up pops the "Device Cleanup Tool V1.1.0" (it does not say "restricted').

Note the 125 "non-present devices" in status on the bottom of the GUI.

3. Now to find the offending Lenovo keyboard in that long list:
There is no search.
There isn't any mention of Lenovo.
There are keyboards though as I sort via "Class".
I select the 5 "HID Keyboard Device" found in the "Keyboard" class.
I right click and select "Remove Device" for all five en masse.

Now what? Do I reboot? Or do I just exit?
(The keyboard is still working as I'm typing this as it occurs.)

4. I check before rebooting, but I still get the update error:
Lenovo - Input - USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard (7)
Failed to install on 9/18/2020 - 0x800f024b

Lenovo - Keyboard - 12/17/2015 12:00:00 AM - 2.0.1.7
Successfully installed on 9/17/?2020

5. Let's reboot and check again.
Drat.
Same thing.

6. Let's re-run the Sieber USB cleanup tool though:
Well, at least that shows clean.
So now I don't have 125 USB devices that aren't actually there.
--
But I still get an error on Windows update for a Lenovo keyboard
Lenovo - Input - USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard (7)
Failed to install on 9/18/2020 - 0x800f024b

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:45:18 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> But I still get an error on Windows update for a Lenovo keyboard
> Lenovo - Input - USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard (7)
> Failed to install on 9/18/2020 - 0x800f024b

Google seems to show it's a common problem, apparently.
o USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard - Error 0x800f024b
<https://www.tenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/107950-unusual-windows-update-problem.html>

o USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard - Error 0x800f024b
<https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-10/Unusual-Windows-10-Update-Issue/td-p/4042269>

o Lenovo - Input - USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard -Error 0x800703e3
<https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/lenovo-input-usb-enhanced-performance-keyboard/82c419d4-5c3b-4b8e-929e-2677ef160fe7>

So that everyone always benefits from every action taken,
o I'll try some of those suggested solutions & report back to the team.
--
This is the keyboard:
o Lenovo Enhanced Performance USB Keyboard
<https://support.lenovo.com/my/en/solutions/pd010250>

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2020 19:53:55 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> o USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard - Error 0x800f024b
> <https://www.tenforums.com/windows-updates-activation/107950-unusual-windows-update-problem.html>

SOLVED:
o <https://i.postimg.cc/Kzm43DBP/lenovo11.jpg>

That Microsoft Windows Support thread suggested using this tool:
o Hide Windows Updates or driver updates
<https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026726/windows-10-hide-updates-or-driver-updates>
<http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/2/2/F22D5FDB-59CD-4275-8C95-1BE17BF70B21/wushowhide.diagcab>
Name: wushowhide.diagcab
Size: 46682 bytes (45 KiB)
SHA256: AAA1102D6CE874C68537B8CCB98CBD15FB328F5624123E4EEAA9036B16F69996

1. Doubleclick on "wushowhide.diagcab"
2. Up pops a GUI asking:
Select the updates that Windows will install automatically
(but the list is empty)

At the bottom is a link "Advanced" which when I hit allows:
[_]Apply repairs automatically

Which I checked.
[x]Apply repairs automatically

3. Nothing else to do but to hit [Next].
...Detecting problems
...Searching for updates
And then a GUI pops up with two buttons:
a. Hide updates
(Windows will not install hidden updates)
b. Show hidden updates
(Select updates that you want Windows Update to automatically install)

4. I hit "Show hidden updates" but that simply said:
"You're all set, there aren't any hidden updates to show."
[Next][Close]

5. starting over & trying again, this time I select "Hide updates".
"There are no updates to Hide."
[Next][Close]

6. Well, um, I'm not sure what happened, but let's check Windows Update:
Win+I > Update and Security > Windows Update > [Retry]

Ooooooooooooh. Success!
o <https://i.postimg.cc/Kzm43DBP/lenovo11.jpg>
--
Usenet allows adults to solve problems and to report that success so that
others always benefit from every action taken on the computer.

[Arlen Holder]

On Fri, 18 Sep 2020 20:16:28 -0000 (UTC), Arlen Holder wrote:

> <http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/2/2/F22D5FDB-59CD-4275-8C95-1BE17BF70B21/wushowhide.diagcab>
> Name: wushowhide.diagcab
> Size: 46682 bytes (45 KiB)
> SHA256: AAA1102D6CE874C68537B8CCB98CBD15FB328F5624123E4EEAA9036B16F69996

> Ooooooooooooh. Success!
> o <https://i.postimg.cc/Kzm43DBP/lenovo11.jpg>

Update

The problem isn't necessarily "solved", but "hidden", as per this post from
someone with the exact same problem with the same keyboard on Windows 10:

o USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard - Error 0x800f024b

<https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-10/Unusual-Windows-10-Update-Issue/td-p/4042269>
"Well, the problem is not solved -it is just hidden. No one who knows,
what the real problem is, since I have the same?"

Over 100 people clicked the "I have the same problem" link at Microsoft.
o And over 50 people clicked the "Does this solution work for you" link.

o Lenovo - Input - USB Enhanced Performance Keyboard -Error 0x800703e3
<https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/lenovo-input-usb-enhanced-performance-keyboard/82c419d4-5c3b-4b8e-929e-2677ef160fe7>

"I would suggest that you block this update till this issue gets
resolved in subsequent updates."
<http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/2/2/f22d5fdb-59cd-4275-8c95-1be17bf70b21/wushowhide.diagcab>

Note that "rolling back the driver" manually was also suggested:
o <https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/3073930/how-to-temporarily-prevent-a-driver-update-from-reinstalling-in-window>
But "rolling back the driver" manually worked for only 2 people.

Where that Microsoft web page also suggests the "show/hide updates" tool if
rolling back the driver doesn't work.
o <https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026726/windows-10-hide-updates-or-driver-updates>

In summary, I think the problem still remains a Microsoft Windows 10 issue
o It's just hidden from my purview.
--
Usenet allows combined brainpower to resolve common issues each of us have.