How to Fix Windows Updates Errors

Windows updates are an important part of keeping your computer safe and running smoothly. However, sometimes they can cause errors that can be difficult to fix.

In this blog post, we will discuss some of the most common reasons for Windows update errors and how to fix them. We will also provide some tips on how to prevent these errors from happening in the first place.

Keep reading for more information!

Why Windows Updates Errors Happen

There could be various reasons for Windows update errors. Here are the most common ones:

• Incorrect Windows update settings: If the Windows update settings have been incorrectly configured, it can lead to errors while installing updates.
• Corrupted system files: System files can become corrupted or damaged due to malware, viruses, or other means of file corruption.
• Insufficient disk space: A lack of available disk space can prevent Windows from downloading and installing updates.
• Network issues: If there is an issue with the computer’s Internet connection, it can cause errors while attempting to download or install updates.
• Incompatible hardware: If the computer does not have compatible drivers, it can lead to errors while attempting to install updates.

Most Frequent Windows Updates Error Codes

Error code	Message	Description
0x80240001	WU_E_NO_SERVICE	Windows Update Agent was unable to provide the service.
0x80240002	WU_E_MAX_CAPACITY_REACHED	The maximum capacity of the service was exceeded.
0x80240003	WU_E_UNKNOWN_ID	An ID cannot be found.
0x80240004	WU_E_NOT_INITIALIZED	The object could not be initialized.
0x80240005	WU_E_RANGEOVERLAP	The update handler requested a byte range overlapping a previously requested range.
0x80240006	WU_E_TOOMANYRANGES	The requested number of byte ranges exceeds the maximum number (2^31 – 1).
0x80240007	WU_E_INVALIDINDEX	The index to a collection was invalid.
0x80240008	WU_E_ITEMNOTFOUND	The key for the item queried could not be found.
0x80240009	WU_E_OPERATIONINPROGRESS	Another conflicting operation was in progress. Some operations, such as installation, cannot be performed twice simultaneously.
0x8024000A	WU_E_COULDNOTCANCEL	Cancellation of the operation was not allowed.
0x8024000B	WU_E_CALL_CANCELLED	The operation was canceled.
0x8024000C	WU_E_NOOP	No operation was required.
0x8024000D	WU_E_XML_MISSINGDATA	Windows Update Agent could not find the required information in the update’s XML data.
0x8024000E	WU_E_XML_INVALID	Windows Update Agent found invalid information in the update’s XML data.
0x8024000F	WU_E_CYCLE_DETECTED	Circular update relationships were detected in the metadata.
0x80240010	WU_E_TOO_DEEP_RELATION	Update relationships too deep to evaluate were evaluated.
0x80240011	WU_E_INVALID_RELATIONSHIP	An invalid update relationship was detected.
0x80240012	WU_E_REG_VALUE_INVALID	An invalid registry value was read.
0x80240013	WU_E_DUPLICATE_ITEM	Operation tried to add a duplicate item to a list.
0x80240016	WU_E_INSTALL_NOT_ALLOWED	Operation tried to install while another installation was in progress or the system was pending a mandatory restart.
0x80240017	WU_E_NOT_APPLICABLE	The operation was not performed because there are no applicable updates.
0x80240018	WU_E_NO_USERTOKEN	Operation failed because a required user token is missing.
0x80240019	WU_E_EXCLUSIVE_INSTALL_CONFLICT	An exclusive update cannot be installed with other updates at the same time.
0x8024001A	WU_E_POLICY_NOT_SET	A policy value was not set.
0x8024001B	WU_E_SELFUPDATE_IN_PROGRESS	The operation could not be performed because the Windows Update Agent is self-updating.
0x8024001D	WU_E_INVALID_UPDATE	An update contains invalid metadata.
0x8024001E	WU_E_SERVICE_STOP	The operation did not complete because the service or system was being shut down.
0x8024001F	WU_E_NO_CONNECTION	The operation did not complete because the network connection was unavailable.
0x80240020	WU_E_NO_INTERACTIVE_USER	The operation did not complete because there is no logged-on interactive user.
0x80240021	WU_E_TIME_OUT	The operation did not complete because it timed out.
0x80240022	WU_E_ALL_UPDATES_FAILED	The operation failed for all the updates.
0x80240023	WU_E_EULAS_DECLINED	The license terms for all updates were declined.
0x80240024	WU_E_NO_UPDATE	There are no updates.
0x80240025	WU_E_USER_ACCESS_DISABLED	Group Policy settings prevented access to Windows Update.
0x80240026	WU_E_INVALID_UPDATE_TYPE	The type of update is invalid.
0x80240027	WU_E_URL_TOO_LONG	The URL exceeded the maximum length.
0x80240028	WU_E_UNINSTALL_NOT_ALLOWED	The update could not be uninstalled because the request did not originate from a WSUS server.
0x80240029	WU_E_INVALID_PRODUCT_LICENSE	The search may have missed some updates before there is an unlicensed application on the system.
0x8024002A	WU_E_MISSING_HANDLER	A component required to detect applicable updates was missing.
0x8024002B	WU_E_LEGACYSERVER	An operation did not complete because it required a newer version of the server.
0x8024002C	WU_E_BIN_SOURCE_ABSENT	A delta-compressed update could not be installed because it required the source.
0x8024002D	WU_E_SOURCE_ABSENT	A full-file update could not be installed because it required the source.
0x8024002E	WU_E_WU_DISABLED	Access to an unmanaged server is not allowed.
0x8024002F	WU_E_CALL_CANCELLED_BY_POLICY	The operation did not complete because the DisableWindowsUpdateAccess policy was set.
0x80240030	WU_E_INVALID_PROXY_SERVER	The format of the proxy list was invalid.
0x80240031	WU_E_INVALID_FILE	The file is in the wrong format.
0x80240032	WU_E_INVALID_CRITERIA	The search criteria string was invalid.
0x80240033	WU_E_EULA_UNAVAILABLE	License terms could not be downloaded.
0x80240034	WU_E_DOWNLOAD_FAILED	The update failed to download.
0x80240035	WU_E_UPDATE_NOT_PROCESSED	The update was not processed.
0x80240036	WU_E_INVALID_OPERATION	The object’s current state did not allow the operation.
0x80240037	WU_E_NOT_SUPPORTED	The functionality for the operation is not supported.
0x80240038	WU_E_WINHTTP_INVALID_FILE	The downloaded file has an unexpected content type.
0x80240039	WU_E_TOO_MANY_RESYNC	The agent is asked by the server to resync too many times.
0x80240040	WU_E_NO_SERVER_CORE_SUPPORT	WUA API the method does not run on Server Core installation.
0x80240041	WU_E_SYSPREP_IN_PROGRESS	Service is not available while Sysprep is running.
0x80240042	WU_E_UNKNOWN_SERVICE	The update service is no longer registered with AU.
0x80240043	WU_E_NO_UI_SUPPORT	There is no support for WUA UI.
0x80240FFF	WU_E_UNEXPECTED	An operation failed due to reasons not covered by another error code.
0x80070422		Windows Update service stopped working or is not running.

How to Fix Windows Update Errors

Now that we have discussed some of the most common causes of Windows update errors let’s talk about how to fix them.

Fix 1: Check the Windows Update Settings

Windows provides you an option to pause the updates until 35 days. If you have paused the updates, make sure to turn them off again.

Here is how to unpause the Windows updates:

1. On your Windows system, click on the Start button and select Settings.
2. Select Update & Security under the “Settings” window.
3. Under “Windows Updates,” click the Resume updates button.

That’s it! The Windows updates will resume, and you can check for any pending updates.

Fix 2: Check for Incompatible Hardware

It is possible that the new Windows update won’t work with one or more of your computer’s hardware. Outdated hardware can lead to issues while attempting to install updates. To fix the issue, you need to check if there are any updated drivers available for

1. Open Device Manager by searching for it in the Start menu.
2. Expand each category and look at the devices listed under them.
3. If any of the devices are marked with a yellow exclamation mark, then they are outdated or incompatible.
4. Right-click on the device and select Update driver.

Fix 3: Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows 10 and 11 come with troubleshooting options for various Windows components, including Windows Updates.

Windows Update Troubleshooter is a built-in tool that can help identify and fix problems related to Windows updates.

Here is how to utilize the Windows Update troubleshooter:

1. Click on the Start button and choose Settings from the Start Menu.
2. Select Update & Security under Windows Settings.
3. Switch to the Troubleshoot tab on the left pane and select Additional troubleshooters on the right.
4. Look for the Windows Update troubleshooter and select it.
5. Click the Run the troubleshooter button.
6. Windows will now look for the problems.
7. After the troubleshooting is completed, Windows will list the problems and possible solutions.

Fix 4: Erase SoftwareDistribution Folder

The SoftwareDistribution folder stores all the downloaded updates and information related to Windows updates. If this folder gets corrupted, it can lead to errors while installing updates and generate Windows updates errors.

Here is how to erase the SoftwareDistribution folder:

1. Launch the Command Prompt with the administrative rights.
2. On the command line window, use the net stop wuauserv command to stop the Windows Update service and the net stop bits command to stop Background Intelligent Transfer Service.
3. Now launch the File Explorer and navigate to the following address: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution.
4. Delete the contents(files and folders) of the SoftwareDistribution folder.
5. Now again, launch the Command Prompt window and use the net start wuauserv command to start the Windows Update service and the net start bits command to start Background Intelligent Transfer Service.

Fix 5: Clear Hard Disk Space

If your disk is running low on space, it can prevent Windows from downloading and installing updates. Make sure to free up some space so that you won’t run into any issues while attempting to install updates.

To clear some hard disk space, you can use the in-built utility tool called Disk Cleanup.

This tool will free up space by deleting temporary files, system error memory dumps, and other unneeded items.

To use the Disk Cleanup tool for clearing the hard disk, follow these steps:

1. Open the Start menu and type Disk Cleanup in the search bar.
2. Select Disk Cleanup from the list of results and click on it to launch the tool.
3. Choose the drive you want to clean up and click OK.
4. Now check all the boxes, including temporary files, recycle bin, etc., and hit OK.
5. Wait for the tool to finish cleaning up the drive.

Fix 6: Restart Windows Update Service

If you are still encountering errors while attempting to install updates, then it is possible that the Windows Update service has some problem. To fix this issue, you need to restart the Windows Update service.

To restart the Windows Update Service:

1. Use Windows + R shortcut on your keyboard to launch “Run Command Box.”
2. Type services.msc in the run command box and hit Enter to launch Windows “Services”.
3. Look for the “Windows Update” service, right-click on it, and select Restart.

Fix 7: Run the SFC Command

The System File Checker (SFC) command is a powerful utility used to scan and repair corrupted system files. If any of the system files are corrupted, it can lead to errors while attempting to install updates.

To run the SFC command, follow these steps:

1. Search for the “Command Prompt” on the Windows search box, right-click on its icon, and select Run as administrator.
   
2. Type SFC /scannow in the command prompt window and press Enter to execute it.
3. Wait for the scan to finish. It might take a few minutes.
4. Once the scan is completed, you should be able to install updates properly.

Fix 8: Run the DISM Command

The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command is another tool that can be used to repair corrupted system files. If any of the system files are corrupt and causing Windows updates errors, this command will help repair them.

To run the DISM command:

1. Open the Command Prompt window with administrator privileges, as mentioned earlier.
2. Type “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” and press Enter to execute the command.
3. Wait for the DISM command to finish running. This might take a few minutes.
4. After the command has been executed, try installing updates again and see if it works now.

Fix 9: Temporary Disable the Antivirus Program

In some cases, your antivirus program may prevent Windows from downloading and installing updates. If you think this is the case, then it is recommended to disable the antivirus program temporarily and then try installing the updates.

To disable the in-built Windows Defender scan, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button and select Settings from the Start Menu.
2. Under the Settings window, select Update & security.
3. Switch to the Windows Security tab on the left and select click Virus & threat protection on the right.
4. Look for the “Virus & threat protection settings” heading and click the Manage settings option below.
5. Temporarily disable the following options by toggling the button:
   • Real-time Protection
   • Cloud-delivered Protection
   • Automatic sample submission
   • Tamper Protection

How to Prevent Windows Updates Errors

To prevent Windows updates errors from occurring, you can do the following:

• Keep your system updated: It is important to keep your system up-to-date with the latest security updates and software patches. To ensure that all the needed updates are installed on time, you can use a third-party tool.
• Make sure to install the latest drivers: Outdated or corrupt device drivers can lead to various issues. To ensure that all your installed devices are working correctly and to prevent any problems related to Windows updates, make sure to update your device drivers regularly.
• Scan for malware regularly: Malware is another cause of many system-related errors, including Windows updates errors. To prevent any malware-related issues, make sure to scan your system regularly using a reliable security program.
• Back up important data: Having a backup of all your important data can be very helpful if something goes wrong during the installation of Windows updates. Make sure to back up all your essential files so that you can restore them in case of any mishap.
• Use compatible hardware: Using incompatible hardware with your system can cause many issues, including Windows updates errors. To ensure a smooth experience, make sure that all the hardware connected to your system is compatible with it.
• Download updates from the official sources only: Many times, users download unwanted updates or malicious files instead of the official ones. To avoid this, make sure to download all your Windows updates only from the Microsoft website.

Conclusion

Windows updates errors can be confusing and difficult to troubleshoot. However, using the steps outlined above can help you identify and fix problems related to Windows updates and install them successfully. It is also recommended to create a system restore point before attempting any of these fixes in case something goes wrong. That way, it will be easy to revert back to the working version if needed.

We hope that this article was able to help you with fixing Windows updates errors. If none of the solutions listed above worked for you, then it is recommended to contact a Microsoft Support agent and have them look into your issue. They will be able to diagnose the problem properly and provide you with an appropriate solution.

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