Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade Fails with Error 0x8007042B 0x2000D – Missing Settings & Need Repair Install

Question

Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade Fails with Error 0x8007042B 0x2000D – Missing Settings & Need Repair Install

Nitin Kumar 0

I am using Windows 11 Single Language on my laptop.

Recently, I wanted to enable Windows Sandbox, which is not available in my edition. I tried running a script that downloaded a Windows image something and restarted my laptop.

After that:

Many settings went missing, such as Windows Update, Recovery, and Reset options.

I decided to perform an in-place upgrade (repair install) using the Windows 11 Media Creation Tool to keep my apps and data.

However, the upgrade fails every time with the error: User's image

This is the detail of script that i run to install the sandbox and i found on virustotal that it contain a malware

@echo off

echo Checking for permissions

nul 2>&1 "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\cacls.exe" "%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\config\system"

echo Permission check result: %errorlevel%

REM --> If error flag set, we do not have admin.

if '%errorlevel%' NEQ '0' (

echo Requesting administrative privileges...

goto UACPrompt

) else ( goto gotAdmin )

:UACPrompt

echo Set UAC = CreateObject^("Shell.Application"^) > "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

echo UAC.ShellExecute "%~s0", "", "", "runas", 1 >> "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

echo Running created temporary "%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

timeout /T 2

"%temp%\getadmin.vbs"

exit /B

:gotAdmin

if exist "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" ( del "%temp%\getadmin.vbs" )

pushd "%CD%"

CD /D "%~dp0"

echo Batch was successfully started with admin privileges

echo .

cls

Title Sandbox Installer

pushd "%~dp0"

dir /b %SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages*Containers*.mum >sandbox.txt

for /f %%i in ('findstr /i . sandbox.txt 2^>nul') do dism /online /norestart /add-package:"%SystemRoot%\servicing\Packages%%i"

del sandbox.txt

Dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:Containers-DisposableClientVM /LimitAccess /ALL

pause

Later i found that this script is flagged as a malware User's image

Additional Context Before Installing Sandbox:(Why I require sandbox)

Before attempting to install the Sandbox feature, I tried to clean my system in order to get a free trial of certain software. I:

Manually deleted some registry keys related to that software

Used both Revo Unistaller to delete related files and Revo Registry Cleaner Advanced Registry Scan to delete other unused or invalid registry entries

After these changes, I later ran the Sandbox installation script (mentioned above), which may have further modified my system.

I only want to reinstall or in place upgrade of window 11 without losing any app and file :)

4 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Volunteer Moderator

Regarding the VT analysis, 1/62 is usually a false-positive.

Please share your setup logs for analysis. The following batch file collects the setup logs and saves the zip file to your desktop.

Download setuplogscollect.bat (GitHub) and save it to the desktop.
Right-click on the downloaded file and click Properties. Click "Unblock" (if exists) and click OK.
Extract the batch file to the desktop.
Right-click on the file and choose "Run as administrator". It runs multiple commands to collect various logs. Let it complete. It outputs a SetupLogs.zip file on your desktop.
Share SetupLogs.zip on OneDrive or GoFile.io and post the download link here.

(The batch file contains plain text code. You can read its contents using Notepad before running it. It collects the setup logs, msinfo32.exe log, drivers list, boot configuration info, and the compatibility appraiser results from your system.)

Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T03:54:13.7466667+00:00

Here the required info :)

Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Volunteer Moderator

Another user is facing the same issue. The setup was failing at this stage, same as yours. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/5509579/error-0x8007042b-0x2000d-after-trying-to-in-place

2025-07-30 23:52:50, Info                  MIG            V2VArbitrate: Source migration unit <System>\**Microsoft-Windows-Pcrpf (CCSIAgent)** is not supported on the destination machine and it will not be restored
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Error                 MIG            V2VArbitrate: Source migration unit is critical, arbitration will fail[gle=0x000000cb]
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Error                                V2V Arbitration failed. Last error: 0x00000032[gle=0x00000032]
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Info                                 Apply ended at 7/31/2025 07:52:50
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Info                  MIG            Received request to restart the explorer process from context: SYSTEM
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Info                             Leaving MigApply method
2025-07-30 23:52:50, Error                 SP         pSPExecuteApply: Apply operation failed. Error: 0x0000002C

Does uninstalling Windows Sandbox and Hyper-V help? Not sure if "Microsoft-Windows-Pcrpf" is related, though.

Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T07:39:47.6866667+00:00
Update / What I Did

I uninstalled Windows Sandbox completely and retried the in-place upgrade, but the operation still failed with the same error (0x8007042B – 0x2000D). Below are the exact steps I followed:

Verified feature state – Confirmed Sandbox was disabled (optional features was blank/unresponsive but DISM showed it present as the DisposableClientVM package).

Removed the core Sandbox package manually via DISM:

dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Containers-DisposableClientVM-Package~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~10.0.26100.4770

This succeeded without dependency errors.

Cleaned up the component store:

dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

Rebooted the system to apply changes.

Retried the in-place upgrade from the Windows 11 ISO (setup.exe, keeping personal files and apps). The upgrade still failed in the SAFE_OS phase with the same error code:

0x8007042B - 0x2000D The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during MIGRATE_DATA operation.
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T07:44:06.12+00:00
Please zip the following log and share it:

C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Sources\Panther\setupact.log

Next, we'll try running procmon trace.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T07:57:52.7366667+00:00

Here are the required info :)
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T07:59:23.2933333+00:00

The file is not zipped. Please zip it and upload.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T08:14:01.0033333+00:00

Zipped :)
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T08:38:57.93+00:00
It failed at the same stage. It's a migration error which I have not seen before.

Maybe we can narrow down the problem using a ProcMon trace. Please run a ProcMon trace and share the zipped log file.

Download Process Monitor from Microsoft and save it to the desktop.

Run the 24H2 setup again. After 27 minutes, switch to desktop using Alt + Tab or Win + D or Win + M, launch Process Monitor, and begin the trace.

If tracing does not start automatically, press Ctrl + E.

When the Windows 11 setup fails, switch to Process Monitor and stop tracing (Ctrl + E).

Save "All Events" in a PML log file.

Zip the log file and upload it. The PML log size will be huge. Zipping it reduces the size by 90%.

Share the zipped PML log file on OneDrive or GoFile.io and post the link here.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T09:06:50.0433333+00:00

Seems like long process, currently I am in class, will try reply soon
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T14:19:52.4966667+00:00

Here the required info :)

Update / Clarification on ProcMon Trace

I’ve captured and zipped the ProcMon log and uploaded it as requested. I want to clarify what happened during the capture because I was a bit confused by the timing:

I followed the steps: after ~27 minutes into the 24H2 setup, I switched back to desktop and started ProcMon (cleared prior events, then pressed Ctrl+E to begin capture).

I let the setup continue. When the installation reached the reboot / SafeOS phase and failed (showing “Undoing changes”), ProcMon was terminated as part of the reboot/rollback—so I could not stop it at the actual failure screen.

Once the system rolled back and I was back on the desktop, I reopened ProcMon (it was still running) and pressed Ctrl+E to stop the capture, then saved “All Events” to the PML and zipped it.

The resulting ZIP therefore contains only the pre-reboot trace, since ProcMon cannot survive the reboot unless boot logging is enabled.

If you need visibility into what happens during or after the reboot (the SafeOS/MIGRATE_DATA phase), I can redo the whole upgrade attempt with ProcMon Boot Logging enabled so that the post-reboot activity is captured as well.

Should I proceed with boot logging next, or is the current trace enough for your analysis?
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T14:23:03.6666667+00:00

Great.

Yes, please enable boot logging and share the PML log file.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T14:31:34.73+00:00
I think I may have misunderstood the procedure the first time. Here’s what happened:

I started ProcMon capture ~27 minutes into the upgrade.

When Windows rebooted into the upgrade/rollback phase, ProcMon was terminated (since desktop processes shut down).

After rollback, I reopened ProcMon and captured again from that point. I saved and uploaded the log.

Now I’m not sure if the pre-reboot trace was recorded, because it looks like only the events after rollback were captured.

Please check, what should I do next?
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T14:46:57.5366667+00:00

Please enable boot logging in Process Monitor.

Once done, close Process Monitor.

Run the 24H2 setup.

After the reboot/rollback, open Process Monitor and save the boot trace.

Reference:
https://support.eset.com/en/kb6308-using-process-monitor-to-create-log-files#boot_logs
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T17:04:08.2633333+00:00

Update: I’ve uploaded the zipped ProcMon Boot Logging trace from the 24H2 setup attempt. Please check it and let me know what’s causing the problem and what’s happening during the update. Link :)

⚠️ And just to be safe — this log has lots of system activity. It’s okay to share publicly, right? (Also… please don’t hack me 😅)
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T17:06:21.5+00:00

Got it. Now, please do the following:

1] Edit your post and remove the gofile.io link.

2] Share the latest copy of setupact.log (zipped)
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T17:24:31.33+00:00

Got the latest setupact.log

Looks like the events were captured by ProcMon from 9:29 PM onwards. But the setup encountered a fatal error at 9:27 PM.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T17:24:48.7233333+00:00

Update: I’ve shared the latest copy of setupact.log — please refer to the same link. I did not delete the previous upload, so to make sure you’re looking at the newest one, check the timestamp on the file; that will distinguish the latest version.
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T17:26:06.7933333+00:00

Yes, I got the newest one.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T17:33:38.5166667+00:00

Ahh, I see — The trace only kicked in after the crash. What should I try next to catch the failure at the right moment?
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-01T17:39:42.97+00:00

Please check my earlier post for the list of steps.

It looks like Windows Sandbox and the related services are still running.

Answer 2

Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Volunteer Moderator

C:\WINDOWS\System32\vmwp.exe was running. It's the Virtual Machine worker process.

I think the following steps are worth a try:

Reinstall Windows Sandbox and uninstall it again.
Uninstall Hyper-V.
If you're using VMWare, uninstall it as well.
Temporarily disable Virtualization in the UEFI settings.
Create a registry backup using Acelogix Regbak.
Delete the following task using Task Scheduler. It doesn't exist on my system:
\Microsoft\Windows\PCRPF\PCR Prediction Framework Firmware Update Task

Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-01T19:04:51.23+00:00
Update: Retried the upgrade — same error. Steps done so far:

Windows Sandbox previously uninstalled via DISM (successful).

Verified Sandbox = Disabled (if uninstall was successful why showing disable)

Hyper-V not installed.

No VMware/VirtualBox present.

Intel Virtualization disabled in BIOS.

Deleted PCRPF task in Task Scheduler.

Not sure why Sandbox still showed up in the trace. What should I try next?

Please refer to screenshots also :
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-02T00:48:05.5066667+00:00

The Container Manager Service (cmservice) was running. That means Sandbox was still there. Not sure if it's there in the latest logs.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-02T05:06:12.7066667+00:00

Update: I’ve taken the following steps:

Disabled Windows Sandbox, Containers, and Hyper-V Containers features via DISM.

Stopped and disabled the Container Manager Service (cmservice) so it no longer runs in the background.

Killed any active vmwp.exe (Virtual Machine Worker Process) instances.

I then retried the in-place upgrade, but it still failed.

I’ve captured a new boot logging trace after these changes — please refer to bootlog2.zip for the latest log information and let me know if you can see any remaining issues or virtualization traces.
Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-02T05:45:10.4933333+00:00

I’ve tried my best to follow your guidance and share all the required information, including multiple logs and system checks. If possible, please also get input from other experienced members or Microsoft engineers to help identify the root cause of this upgrade failure. I’m happy to provide any additional details if needed.
Abu Talha 25 Reputation points

2025-08-02T11:37:37.25+00:00

Hi Ramesh! Sorry to ping you here, but I don't know where else to do this. I have a problem which is similar to someone's problem that you solved a while back. I have posted a question for it so can you please help me? I would be really indebted if you do
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-02T12:35:59.7166667+00:00

@Abu:

I checked your thread. It seems you got a reply from "AW". He will fix that.

Answer 3

Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Volunteer Moderator

Nitin,

If Sandbox and Hyper-V have been uninstalled, the cmservice shouldn't appear in the first place. Disabling cmservice might not be the ideal solution. The presence of that service and the other process I mentioned indicates that Sandbox uninstallation was partially done. As mentioned earlier, try reinstalling Sandbox and uninstalling it again.

Once done, let me know. We can try another ProcMon trace (not a boot trace) using a different setting.

Regarding getting the input from other experienced members or Microsoft engineers, sorry, I can't do that because this is a peer-to-peer support forum, and I'm not an MSFT employee. I may be the most experienced one here (with over 25 yrs of experience), or I may be the least experienced one, I don't know :)

By the way, if you want to contact Microsoft directly, use this link:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/contactus/

Nitin Kumar 0 Reputation points

2025-08-02T12:56:05.2833333+00:00

Thanks for all the help you’ve given me throughout this process. The troubleshooting steps you suggested were very thorough, but also quite time-consuming, so I decided to reset my device from the blue screen recovery options, choosing the “Keep my files” option.

This reset kept my personal files safe, but removed apps and reset all Windows settings. Unfortunately, I’ve decided to step away from this particular error for now, as we couldn’t find a definitive solution in my case. I truly appreciate the time and effort you personally put in to guide me.
Ramesh Srinivasan 166.6K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator

2025-08-02T13:00:03.1066667+00:00

Hi Nitin,

Ok, thanks for the update. Glad it's sorted.

Regards,

Answer 4

Final Update (Root Cause Found):

I was on Windows 11 Single Language, where Windows Sandbox is not available.

I ran a script to force-install Sandbox.

This installed Sandbox’s stripped-down environment (from Enterprise edition) into my actual OS.

As a result, many system settings disappeared: Windows Update, Recovery, Reset this PC, Remote Desktop, Optional Features, etc.

Later, I upgraded to Windows 11 Pro and enabled Sandbox officially.

Inside Sandbox (in Pro), I noticed the same settings were missing by design.

This confirmed that earlier I had accidentally merged Sandbox’s environment into my real OS.

👉 Conclusion:

Windows Sandbox is only supported on Pro/Enterprise.

Forcing it on Single Language will break system settings and updates.

The only fix for me was to reset Windows (any version) from blue screen window without losing any data :) (choose keep my files option from reset page)

Main OS screenshot

WhatsApp Image 2025-08-02 at 12.08.42_4ee95572

Sandbox screenshot

User's image

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Windows 11 In-Place Upgrade Fails with Error 0x8007042B 0x2000D – Missing Settings & Need Repair Install

4 answers

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