Windows updates are essential to get the most out of the operating system. Microsoft often fixes security flaws (vulnerabilities) and all kinds of performance, performance, and other flaws through Windows Update. However, we know only too well that Windows updates often fail very often, displaying a host of different error codes. And for this reason, we are going to teach you to identify these errors and know how to fix them.
Problems updating Windows can appear for a number of reasons. Sometimes the problem will be ours, and sometimes it may be Microsoft’s fault. Windows 10 brings tools that allow us to easily solve these problems, in addition to being able to resort to a series of “tricks” that help us to easily update our PC.
Update Windows 10
The first thing we should do is make the two types of Windows updates clear . On the one hand we have the cumulative updates . These seek to correct all kinds of failures (security, errors, performance, etc.) and usually arrive for free through Windows Update twice a month (second and third Tuesday). And on the other hand we have the feature updates , the great updates of the operating system, full of news and changes, which usually arrive every 6 months.
All updates can (and should) be installed through Windows Update . This is the default Windows 10 update distribution platform. Through it all these updates will reach us as soon as they are available. They will even be downloaded and installed by default automatically, without us having to do anything.
However, in case the download or installation fails, we can also use different techniques to install these updates without the Internet. For example:
- We can download the cumulative patches from the Windows Update Catalog .
- Download the new versions of Windows 10 from the download center .
How to troubleshoot when updating Windows
Restart the PC
Many times we underestimate what a simple restart of the computer can do. We remember that the Fast Boot of Windows 10 makes it not the same to turn off and on as to perform a complete restart of the computer. When we select the option to restart, Windows closes completely and, at startup, the entire system is reloaded, including the Kernel.
Therefore, if there is a problem with our Windows, with this simple option we can solve it in just a couple of minutes.
Use the Windows Update troubleshooter
Within the Windows 10 Settings menu we will find a series of tools specially designed to solve all kinds of problems. These options are found in Settings> Update & security> Troubleshoot> Additional troubleshooters .
Here we are going to find a series of tools, each one focused on solving problems with a specific element of Windows. The one we are interested in is the Windows Update troubleshooter.
When executing it, the tool will carry out a series of checks on our PC in order to identify the cause of the problem. This wizard will check for any pending restarts, if the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is working, if there is an Internet connection, if the services are properly enabled, and if there are no pending updates to install that may be causing problems. .
When you finish carrying out the corresponding checks we will be able to see a summary with everything that has been checked, and know if any problem has been detected. This tool will apply the corrections that are considered appropriate for Windows Update to function properly.
Check system integrity
Problems with Windows Update can occur as a result of an integrity failure in the operating system . This occurs when a Windows file, for one reason or another, has been modified, or deleted, so when checking the integrity of Windows we appreciate that it is corrupt.
Windows 10 offers us a series of tools that allow us to check if our Windows has all the original files in good condition, and if any one is missing or has been modified, it will allow us to repair it. To do this, all we have to do is open a CMD window, with Administrator permissions, and run the following commands:
- sfc / scannow
- DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / CheckHealth
- DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / ScanHealth
- DISM / Online / Cleanup-Image / RestoreHealth
We can also check the state of our hard disk with the following command, detecting and repairing possible defective sectors that may give us problems:
- chkdsk C: / F / R
(changing C: for the unit that we want to analyze).
Beware of antivirus (and other programs)
Another reason why these updates may fail is because a program is blocking or interfering with them. This is very common with third-party antivirus , in addition to using software that interferes with system performance, such as cleaners and optimizers. When something tries to control Windows Update processes or services, for security reasons, the update usually fails.
Therefore, if we have problems, the best we can do is uninstall our antivirus (firewall, Windows optimizer, cleaning software, etc.), and try again to update the system, leaving Windows Defender exclusively as security software.
Check Internet connection
It is also common for these updates to cause problems and fail due to a poor Internet connection. Therefore, we must ensure that our Internet connection is stable, that we are not using a “metered connection” and that we can safely navigate the network.
We can verify this simply by opening pages from the browser. We can also use the “ping” command to check for connectivity. And we can even clear the DNS cache of the operating system by typing the following command in a CMD window:
- ipconfig / flushdns
Reasons that prevent us from installing the new version
Although installing new versions can vary in many different ways, the main reasons why installing a new version of Windows may fail are:
- Old drivers installed (especially from NVIDIA).
- Intel Integrated Graphics.
- Problems with using Parity Storage Spaces.
- Bluetooth devices connected to the PC through a Realtek controller.
- Incompatible Conexant or Synaptics audio drivers.
- Existing aksfridge.sys or aksdf.sys files on the system.
- Settings, or programs, not supported.
Depending on the error that the Windows update wizard returns, we will have to perform one or the other actions. With these types of updates, the wizard is usually much more descriptive. But the number of failures and errors when installing monthly updates is much higher.
Common Windows Update errors
Below we will see what are the most frequent error codes that we can find when installing new versions in Windows Update. Unless otherwise indicated, most of them can be solved by performing the steps that we have indicated in the previous point.
Error 0x80072EE2
A strange error usually related to the Internet connection. It may be due to a problem with the servers, a failure in our network and even a virus.
Error 0x80070490
This error translates as “E_ELEMENT_NOT_FOUND”, which means that the Windows Update installer itself has not been able to find a file required to install this patch, or that the package in question is corrupted.
Error 0x80070422
This message appears when an update has not been installed correctly, for whatever reason. This can result in an error message such as “There were some problems installing updates” or “Windows Update is disabled”.
Error 0x800700d8
This error can cover a large number of causes. For example, it could be because we have Windows configured to postpone updates, but it could also be due to an error generated by third-party software. It can also include generic errors from the Windows Update tool itself, or from any of its processes or services.
Error 0x8007010b
This fault is usually translated as “ERROR_DIRECTORY”. It usually appears when there is an invalid directory name in Windows 10. In addition to having an invalid name, the directory may not exist either.
Error 0x80240035
A fairly common mistake, and also quite generic. It usually appears when there are problems in processing a certain update, and it is usually translated by the code “WU_E_UPDATE_NOT_PROCESSED”.
Error 0x80246013
This error is shared between Windows Update and the Microsoft Store. It is usually related to a connection problem that prevents us from connecting to Microsoft servers.
Error 0x8007045b
This error usually appears when there has been an error installing a specific patch, or if updating from a previous version of Windows 10 to the new one has gone wrong. This error is usually accompanied by a message like “ERROR_SHUTDOWN_IN_PROGRESS” indicating that there is a pending restart. But in reality it is that the installation has been blocked. We should try to run the troubleshooter to unlock it.
Error 0x800f0845
This is one of the longest-running error messages that have affected the operating system. There is no clear explanation of why it appears, nor does it have an easy solution. It can come alone, or accompanied by a blue screen. Sometimes a simple restart of Windows and a new attempt can repair it.
Errors 0x8024401f and 0x8024402f
These two errors are related to each other. They can appear both when trying to update an app from the Microsoft Store and when trying to download and install updates for the operating system. It is usually due to a corrupt cache, a connection problem caused by a proxy or VPN, or a third party software that is interfering.
Error 8020002E
This error message usually appears when a Windows Update component cannot load correctly. It can also appear if a vital system process is not running, or when software is interfering with the update process.
Error 0x8007043c
This error message usually appears when any of the processes or services required for Windows updates to work are not running, or are blocked. It usually happens, especially when trying to install an update from Safe Mode.
Error 0x80240FFF
This bug can appear randomly on any computer when trying to download and install the new patches. But it’s usually related to a problem with the services needed for Windows Update to run properly.
Error 80072EFE
This is one of the Windows Update errors that we can consider as more serious. This directly prevents us from downloading updates from Microsoft servers. Usually it is usually due to a connection failure, or something is preventing the tools from connecting to the company’s servers.
Error 0x80073712
This is also another of the most frequent error messages that we can find when trying to download and install the latest Windows 10 patches. Although Microsoft has never admitted it, it is usually related to a compatibility problem, specifically with some internal file of Windows that must be corrupt.