How to Fix “Error 0x80004005” on Windows?

Error 0x80004005 is translated as an unspecified error and is usually seen when the user cannot access Shared Folders, Drives, Virtual Machines, Microsoft Account changes,  and also when the Windows Updates fails to install. Troubleshooting this issue depends on where and how the error message is being originated from and since the error does not specifically tells you what the actual problem is, even in the Microsoft Books it is defined as “Unspecified Error“.

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Error 0x80004005: Causes and Solutions

Repair Corrupt System Files

Before attempting any of the methods in this guide we highly recommend using Fortect to scan and restore corrupt and missing files from here, and then see if the issue is fixed if not then chose the issue from the index above and follow instructions given.

1. Error 0x80004005 on a VirtualBox

It usually is the registry key that causes issues.

Hold Windows Key and Press R. Type regedit and Click OK

regedit1-1

Go to the following registry path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers

"C:\Program Files\Oracle\VirtualBox\VirtualBox.exe"="DISABLEUSERCALLBACKEXCEPTION"

If this key exists, delete it and try again. If deleting the key does not help, then try disabling your antivirus.

If  it still doesn’t works then:

Uninstall your antivirus, test it and then reinstall it.
Replace your antivirus with another such as AVG or Security Essentials.

2. Error 0x80004005 when accessing a Shared Drive/Folder

We will use regedit to create a  LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy Value.

Hold Windows Key and Press R

regedit1-1

Type regedit and click OK

Navigate to the following path in regedit

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

For 32 bit system, create a new DWORD value called LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy.
For a 64 bit system, make a QWORD (64-bit) called LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy.

In either case, set the value to numeric 1 (meaning on), and remember to click OK.

Usually, the LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy value gets created before you have a chance to set the data value; no problem, just double-click and modify the data from 0 to 1.

Once this is done, restart your computer and see if you can now access the shared drives or folders.

If the problem persists after following all of the steps above; then

Hold the Windows key and Press R, and type hdwwiz.cpl to open Device Manager. Select Network Adapters  and then click View from menu, and choose View Hidden Devices. Expand Network Adapters, and if you see Microsoft 6to4 Adapters, then delete them all by right clicking and selecting Remove Device.

Once done, reboot your PC and then test.

3. Error 0x80004005 when Installing Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Download and Run CheckSUR from hereAfter the System Update Readiness Tool has finished checking the components on the system, run SFC Scan.

4. E_FAIL (0x80004005) When Setting Up VirtualBox on Ubuntu

If you are trying to allocate more then 3GB of RAM to the VM then make sure that the host is a 64-bit system, and true hardware pass through is allowed (VT-x)

4.1 Failed to open a session for the virtual machine

On certain sessions on a VM (VirtualBox) you may see the following error.

failed to open create the internetl network E_FAIL 0x80004005

To fix the issue, Open Network Center and choose Change adapter settings. Right-click your Virtualbox host-only adapter and select Properties. Enable “Virtualbox NDIS6 Bridget Networking Driver if it’s disabled, and test again. VirtualBox should start fine now. If not, Enable Virtualbox NDIS6 Bridget Networking Driver for every network adapter you have (Ethernet, WiFi…) and always uncheck the NDIS6 and test.

4.2 Uninstall Microsoft 6to4

In order to solve this issue, you should uninstall the Microsoft 6to4 devices from your task manager. Keep in mind that you might not see these devices because they are hidden by default. So, you will only see these once you turn on the Show hidden devices option.

Here are the steps for deleting these devices.

  1. Hold Windows key and press R
  2. Type devmgmt.msc and press Enter

  1. Click View and select Show hidden devices

  1. Double click Network Adapters
  2. Right click the Microsoft 6to4 device and select Uninstall. Repeat this step for all the Microsoft 6to4 devices you see in the list

Once you are done, restart your computer. Your issue should be solved once you log in to your Windows again.

5. Error 0x80004005 When Extracting Files

If you’re getting this error while trying to extract or open .zip or .rar files, you have a few potential fixes at your disposal.

5.1 Try a different extracting utility

First, make sure the file is not password protected and your extractor utility is not equipped to handle password protected files. You can do this by downloading another utility like 7Zip and see if you are asked to provide a password when trying to open or extract the same .zip or .rar archive.

5.2 Method 2: Disable the real-time protection of your AV

Another possible cause is an overprotective 3rd party security suite. Under certain conditions, several 3rd party antivirus suite will block the extraction of zipped files. If you’re using an external 3rd party antivirus instead of the default security suite (Windows Defender), you can try temporarily disabling the real-time protection or shielding of your 3rd party AV and see if the issue is resolved.

In the event that you no longer encounter the 0x80004005 error, consider uninstalling your current 3rd party suite and going for a different security suite. If you want to avoid other conflicts like this one, consider going for the built-in security solution.

5.3 Re-registering jscript.dll and vbscript.dll

If the first two possible solutions have failed you, let’s try a different approach. Some users have managed to get it fixed by re-registering a couple of DLL (dynamic link libraries) in an elevated Command Prompt. To be more precise, this method will attempt to fix the issue by re-registering jscript.dll (a library used when running JScript) and vbscript.dll (a module containing API functions for VBScript). Here’s a quick guide on how to do this:

  1. Press Windows key + R to open up a Run box. Then, type “cmd” and Ctrl + Shift + Enter and click Yes at the UAC (User Account Control) prompt to open up an elevated Command Prompt.
  2. In the elevated Command prompt, type the following command and press Enter:
      regsvr32 jscript.dll
  3. In the same elevated Command prompt, type the following command and hit Enter:
    regsvr32 vbscript.dll
  4. Restart your computer and see if you’re able to open or extract .zip or .rar files without receiving the 0x80004005 error.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hamza Mohammad Anwar


Hamza Mohammad Anwar is an intermediate JavaScript web developer with a focus on developing high-performance applications using MERN technologies. His skill set includes expertise in ReactJS, MongoDB, Express NodeJS, and other related technologies. Hamza is also a Google IT Certified professional, which highlights his competence in IT support. As an avid problem-solver, he recreates errors on his computer to troubleshoot and find solutions to various technical issues.