If when you try to install the latest Feature Upgrade, it fails with an error message – 0x8007042B–0x4000D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation error, then this post may be able to help you.
Windows 11/10 rolls out various improvements in the form of updates. These updates add new and more reliable features to the operating system. Toggling over the other side of the coin, you would see common upgrade errors poising the Windows Updates process every now and then. The Windows 11/10 update error 0x8007042B – 0x4000D belongs to the same unpleasant group of troublemakers. In this troubleshooting guide, we will understand why this error occurs and the fixes that could resolve it.
Error 0x8007042B – 0x4000D prevents the users from installing the most recent build and occurs typically in the second boot phase while data migration happens to leave your computer vulnerable. Simply put, this error occurs when the upgrade process cannot migrate data to the new operating system. The installation or upgrade often appears to be executed successfully at first, but at the second phase it freezes and shows a BSOD saying:
We couldn’t install Windows, We’ve set your PC back to the way it was right before you started installing Windows 11/10.
0x8007042B – 0x4000D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation
Here, Second boot phase is also called the OOBE boot phase under which final settings are applied.
0x8007042B–0x4000D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation
Microsoft explains that this issue can occur due to file system, application, or driver issues. But the exact cause of this error is still not clear, hence, there is no definite one-size-fits-all solution for the same. However, there are some working solutions that could hopefully help deal with the 0x8007042B – 0x4000D error:
- Run the built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter
- Install the Upgrade/Updates in Clean Boot State
- Clear pending.xml file
- Check Windows Update log file.
1] Run the built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter
The Windows Update Troubleshooter is an invaluable in-built tool that helps us fix all sorts of errors and issues in our Windows system. To fix error 0x8007042B – 0x4000D with this tool, follow these steps:
- From the Start Menu, go to Settings.
- Now navigate to the Update and Security section.
- On the left panel, select the Troubleshoot option.
- Now select Windows Update from the available options and click Run the troubleshooter button.
You should now wait for the Troubleshooter to scan the system for issues. Once done, it will list down the issue and the required actions to fix it.
Once the Troubleshooter has run, you may try again.
Read: How IT administrators can troubleshoot Windows 10 upgrade errors.
2] Install the Upgrade/Updates in Clean Boot State
Use the following steps to perform a clean boot in Windows 10.
You will first need to sign into the system as an administrator. You can create an administrator account if you do not have one.
- Type msconfig in the search box on the taskbar and from the search select System Configuration.
- In the System Configuration window, click on the Services tab, and select Hide all Microsoft services.
- Once selected hit Disable all.
- Now click on the Startup tab of System Configuration window and select Open Task Manager.
- Once the Task Manager window opens, click on every startup item, and then select Disable.
- Now, close the Task Manager and click Ok on the Startup tab of System Configuration.
Once done, restart your PC and try to install the Windows 10 Update/Upgrade.
4] Clear pending.xml file
Open an elevated command prompt windows, type the following and hit Enter:
Ren c:\windows\winsxs\pending.xml pending.old
This will rename pending.xml file to pending.old. Now try again.
Read: Windows Update fails to install or will not download.
3] Check Windows Update log file
If still, you have a problem then, go to C:\Windows\WindowsUpdate.log and look for the most recent entry. This will be present towards the end of the log. Any failed updates will have error code/s written next to them. Note them down. If you find just too many entries too confusing delete this WindowsUpdate.log and try installing the problematic updates again.
Now open the newly re-created WindowsUpdate log file and have a look at its contents.
The warnings will probably appear as -: WARNING: Failed to find updates with error code 12345678.
Now Right-click Computer > Manage > Event Viewer > Applications and Service Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WindowsUpdateClient > Operational . Check out for any Critical Message or Warning.
Next, refer to the Windows Update Error Codes. This will give you the direction in which you may have to look for the solution. You may also search for the Windows Update error code using our Search bar and see if a specific solution is available.
Related errors:
- 0x8007002C – 0x400D, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during MIGRATE-DATA operation
- 0x8007002C-0x4001E, The installation failed in the SECOND_BOOT phase with an error during PRE_OOBE operation.
We hope the solutions mentioned in this guide helped you in getting rid of error 0x8007042B – 0x4000D and you should now be able to complete your upgrade.
The error code can also occur in other forms and in different scenarios:
