How to Fix Windows Update Errors (Step-by-Step Guide)

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

Common Windows Update Errors

• 0x80070002 – Corrupt or missing update files.
• 0x800f081f – Missing or damaged system files.
• 0x80240034 – Incomplete installation of updates.
• 0x80073712 – Corrupted Windows Update components.
• 0x80070005 – Permission issues preventing update installation.

Solution 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

1. Press Win + I and select Update & Security.
2. Click on Troubleshoot from the left panel.
3. Select Additional troubleshooters.
4. Under Get up and running, click Windows Update.
5. Click Run the troubleshooter and follow the on-screen instructions.
6. Restart your PC and try updating again.

Solution 2: Clear Windows Update Cache

1. Press Win + R, type services.msc, and press Enter.
2. Scroll down to Windows Update, right-click it, and select Stop.
3. Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
4. Delete all files and folders inside SoftwareDistribution.
5. Restart the Windows Update service and check for updates again.

Solution 3: Use the System File Checker (SFC) and DISM Commands

Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run the following commands:

sfc /scannow

If the issue persists, run these commands:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Solution 4: Reset Windows Update Components

Run the following commands in Command Prompt as Administrator:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

Solution 5: Manually Download and Install Updates

1. Go to Microsoft Update Catalog.
2. Search for the KB number of the failed update (found in Windows Update History).
3. Download and install the update manually.
4. Restart your PC after installation.

Solution 6: Perform a Clean Boot

1. Press Win + R, type msconfig, and press Enter.
2. Go to the Services tab, check Hide all Microsoft services, and click Disable all.
3. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
4. Disable all unnecessary startup programs.
5. Restart your PC and try updating again.

Solution 7: Check for Malware

1. Open Windows Security (Win + I > Update & Security > Windows Security).
2. Click Virus & threat protection.
3. Click Quick Scan or Full Scan.
4. Remove any detected threats and restart your PC.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you should be able to fix most Windows Update errors. If none of these solutions work, you may need to reset your PC or perform a clean installation of Windows.

For additional troubleshooting, check out this helpful video guide: