The most common cause of this error is the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) being disabled, which is essential for certain update operations. Other potential causes include corrupted system files, insufficient disk space, or conflicts with other programs or services. In this article, we will discuss different ways to solve this error.
1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
The built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter automatically detects and resolves common issues related to update failures. It resets update components, checks service dependencies, and repairs corrupted registry entries.
2. Reset the Windows Update Components
This step involves stopping all Windows Update-related services, and restarting services. It helps eliminate corrupted cached files and restarts essential update mechanisms.
3. Set Windows Update Services to Run Automatically
Ensuring that core services like wuauserv, cryptsvc, and trustedinstaller are set to launch automatically allows updates to proceed without manual intervention after a reboot. This resolves cases where services fail to start or restart during the update process.
4. Uninstall the Latest Update
Sometimes, a previous update may be partially installed or corrupted, interfering with future updates. Removing the most recent update helps roll back the system to a stable state and clears any blocking conflicts.
5. Disable Windows Defender Temporarily
Windows Defender or third-party antivirus tools can interfere with update operations by flagging legitimate update files or services. Temporarily disabling real-time protection can help rule this out. Always re-enable protection immediately afterward.
6. Restart Windows Update Services
If Windows Update services become unresponsive or are stuck in a failed state, restarting them manually from the Services Manager can reinitialize update tasks without needing to reboot or reset components.
7. Perform a Clean Boot
A clean boot starts Windows with only essential Microsoft services and drivers. It helps isolate third-party software or startup programs that may block updates. This is useful when update errors occur due to background conflicts.
8. Free Up Drive Space
A lack of drive space can also lead to this error. Windows needs enough free space to download and install updates. If you don’t have enough free space, clear up some storage by deleting temporary files or emptying the recycle bin.
9. Run SFC or DISM
The SFC (System File Checker) command can repair corrupted system files, while DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) can restore Windows system images. These are useful for restoring missing or damaged files. Want more details? Check out this article about using DISM.
10. Check for Driver Updates
Outdated or incompatible drivers can block Windows updates. Updating critical device drivers—especially chipset, storage, and network drivers—can eliminate driver-related errors that trigger update failures. To update your drivers, follow the steps in this article: How to Update Drivers. If none of the above solutions work, you can try resetting Windows. For instructions, visit this guide.
