Fix: “We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes” Error on Windows

We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes is an error that occurs when there are corrupted files in Windows update that cannot be installed on the computer. Therefore when the computer restarts for the installation process of the Windows update, the error occurs, and you cannot use your computer due to the error message on the screen.

If you restart your computer, the error will not fix as the Windows update is stuck in the middle of the installation. To fix this, you will need to boot the Windows in Safe Mode to perform troubleshooting methods.

The error We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes can occur due to the following causes:-

• Corrupt Windows Update- There is a chance of a corrupted Windows update delivered from Microsoft locally through the feature enabled by default to speed up the Windows update process.
• Corrupted Data in Software Distribution Folder- if the files are corrupted in the software distribution folder, you will find yourself receiving many errors just like this one, as the software distribution folder contains the temporary Windows update data that might be needed for Windows to be a successful installation.
• System File Corruption- If the system file gets corrupted, you will get an error when updating Windows to the latest. Therefore, we recommend repairing all the system files just to know as it may be the culprit for this issue.
• Windows Update Gets Broken- Your Windows Update may get broken due to the disconnectivity of the internet or the lack of storage. The issue can occur if the Windows update stops while downloading and you accidentally restart your computer.
• Bad Internet Connection- If you are experiencing a bad network connection, the error may occur as your Windows Update may not be downloaded successfully. So make sure your internet speed is good enough to download the Windows update; otherwise, you will need to delete the corrupt Windows update to boot Windows usually.

Now let’s jump into the potential solutions:-

1. Boot Windows in Safe Mode

Booting Windows in safe mode is a process that starts Windows without drivers and unnecessary services. The process is helpful when Windows does not usually start due to error messages and other reasons. Safe mode is especially for those who experience issues while booting up Windows. Therefore, to apply all the workarounds, you will need to run Windows in safe mode.

Below are the steps:-

1. Just press the power button and wait for the loading screen
2. Press F8 continuously until the Advanced Options Screen comes
3. Navigate to the following path
   Troubleshoot>Advanced option>Startup Settings
4. Click Restart
   

   

5. Then, press F5 to boot Windows in Safe Mode.

2. Clear Software Distribution Folder

Software distribution is a folder used to store temporary data for Windows updates to install successfully. If the content in the folder gets corrupted, you cannot update the Windows as the files in the software distribution are required to install the Windows update. To clear the software distribution folder, follow these steps:-

1. Press Windows + R to open Run Program.
2. Copy and paste the following path

   C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution

   

3. Click OK
4. Select all the files here by pressing Ctrl + A
5. Press Delete on the keyboard

   

6. Once done, restart your computer to see if it fixes the issue.

3. Rename Software Distribution Folder

Renaming the software distribution folder may help as it may require when users face issues while updating Windows. You cannot rename the folder directly as it holds the data regarding Windows updates. So You will need to stop the Windows update services, then renaming the software distribution folder may help:-

1. To rename the software distribution folder, type Command Prompt and right-click to run it as administrator

   

2. Then, execute the following commands

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
   rename c:windowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak
   net start wuauserv
   net start bits

3. Once done, restart your computer and see if the issue is fixed.

4. Perform Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows update troubleshooter is a feature used to troubleshoot issues regarding Windows updates. In most cases, when the error occurs while trying to update Windows, the utility will resolve it. For that reason, make sure to utilize a Windows update troubleshooter by following the below steps:-

1. Press and hold the Windows key, then press the “I” key to open Windows Settings app.
2. In the Settings app, Navigate to Update and Security
   

   

3. Click Troubleshoot from the left side bar.
4. Click Additional Troubleshooters

   

5. Select Windows Update and click Run The Troubleshooter
   

   

6. Once done, restart the computer to see if it fixes the issue.

5. Uninstall Windows Update

If the error is still bothering you, try uninstalling the recently downloaded Windows update, as it may be corrupted. Therefore, just to ensure that the update is not corrupted, uninstall the Windows update by following the instructions:-

1. Press Windows + R to launch Run Program
   
2. Type Appwiz.cpl and click OK
3. Click View Installed Updates from the left

   

4. Right-click on the recent download Windows update
5. Click Uninstall

   

6. Once done, restart your computer and check if the issue is resolved.

6. Manually Install Windows Update

if the issue still occurs, try to install the Windows update manually. Microsoft has a separate website for its operating system called Microsoft catalog. It allows users to download Windows updates via browser and install them manually. Below are the instructions:-

1. To manually install the Windows update, first, we recommend uninstalling the Windows update first by following the above method.
2. After uninstalling, go to the official website of Microsoft Catalog.
3. Search for the update. If you don’t know, you can check from the programs & features in the control panel.
4. Once you have searched, Download the Windows update according to the architecture and Windows version.

   

5. Once done, double-click on the update to install it on your computer
6. Once done, restart the computer to check if the error We Couldn’t Complete the Updates Undoing Changes is fixed.

7. Create some space

If you are facing the error due to the lack of space, we recommend clearing some of the data from the disk where the Windows has been installed.

8. Executing Repairing Commands

There are some commands that execute when the system files get corrupted due to malware infection or for other reasons. Therefore, we use system commands to repair the corrupted files. DISM and SFC commands play a significant role as these commands repair Windows images, DLL, and system files.

1. To repair the system files, type a command prompt from the Start Menu
2. Right-click on it to run as an administrator

   

3. Now type the following command and wait for the process to complete

   sfc /scanoow

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

Once done, restart your computer to check if the error is fixed.

9. Use System Restore

Another solution that could solve the issue is to take Windows to a previous state, but it requires a restore point that should be created before encountering the error message. Follow the steps:-

1. To utilize a restore point, type rstrui in the start menu to open the restore point settings.

   

2.  Click Next to proceed

   

3. Select the Restore Point and click Next
   

   

4. Click Finish to start the process.

10. Reset Your Computer or Reinstall Windows

If neither of the solutions worked, the last solution you can try is resetting the Windows operating system. It will remove all the corrupted data along with the damaged files. Another thing you can do is reinstall the Windows operating system. It depends on your preference. If you want to reset or reinstall, go for it, as it will work for you. Thank you.

1. To reset the Windows, type Reset This PC and open the settings
2. Click Get Started and wait for to process to start
3. Click Keep My Files

   

4. Click Local Install

   

5. Click Next and finally click on Reset

   

6. Once done, the error should be resolved.