How to Fix Windows 10/11 Won’t Install or Download Updates?

And why would you want to do this?

Thanks. This was helpful

Would not let me rename softwaredistribution to softwaredistribution.Old

So far so good. It says it fixed the update issues. We will see if it actually installs the updates this time (after like 12 failed attempts since June!)

Thank you.

It worked. Solution 3. Good job. Thank you very much!

Thank you for posting this information! I only had to go with Step 1, and the latest update installed successfully after several unsuccessful attempts.

Thank you so much, solution 3 has worked for me.

Option no 3 works fine on my laptop. My storage was low and I use airtel 1GB/day data, so I wanted not to update windows. Thank you so vary much developer.

mine says windows update service cannot be stopped for solution three first step can anyone help

Boot laptop with Windows 10. Before allowing it to connect to the internet, disable the Windows Update service. Problems SOLVED! (And be careful what you click on in future).

Hi, I’m having an issue where the update fails to install, the update troubleshooter tells me to update the BIOS but I have the latest BIOS version installed! Help!

Okay I just spent 5 hours doing every single step and finally got it to work using something else. I just it replace SC config trustedinstaller start= auto as a command for service.msc. I did everything else including renaming to the .old extensions. Can I now delete the .old extensions are they are taking up space? Oh and thank goodness for having a solidstate drive so I could boot well into 100 times. I tried using MS’ recommendation and disabled all services and startup as well which isn’t listed in this article. AKA Clean booting.

I did Solution 3 above and it worked!! But patients was in order as I had to ignore the many cycles of it saying it was installing then it saying it was undoing the install so I just left it to run and sort itself out overnight. In the morning it was all good.

But Solution 3 stopped the updates, i don’t want to stop the updates i want to install them, i already downloaded them but it does not want to install and the installation is freezing at 75% (please check the attached https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/b690a9cfe2da5b49eed7150c10fd711fd81819591613d3ca7a6fa8a083b834e0.png screen shot)

Stop calling Window 10 the latest and greatest. The reality is it is garbage and has been nothing but trouble since it was released.

It worked through windows update troubleshooter. thanks a lot.

the ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution and en C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 catroot2.old commands deny my access

I’m finding that Windows 10 will report it checked for an update and that everything is up to date. Just today, Update Status reports as “Your device is up to date. Last checked: Today 4:05 pm”.

So I clicked on “Check for updates” and it reports that there is an update (apparently released on March 22) and proceeds to download and install it. I’ve noticed this behaviour several times over the past 3 or 4 months – does not find anything automatically, but manually check and an update is available. Very strange.

Using Windows Update Troubleshooter usually finds something and corrects it. Something in the last major Win10 update broke Windows Update.

Used step 2 and found BITS not running. Set it to automatically start. Restarted CPU and everything went through perfect. Thank you

for solution 3 the first “ren” one doesn’t work for me. It says the syntax is incorrect if i have a space between ren and C: and then without a space it says that “The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.”

Anything else? I tried it all and nothing. I’m so frustrated. Is there a way to manually update

When i try solution 3 it says “system error 5 has occured… access denied”

Are those instructions ok for both 32 bit and 64 bit systems?

I typed in ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old and it said access was denied.

Solution 2 worked for me, namely the BITS part was set to Automatic (delayed) and after changing to just Automatic everything was fine.

Thank you! This was the only thing that helped me install the latest Windows 10 release, after about 7 attempted tries and failures. It hung at one stage for 17 hours. This worked perfectly.

Worked nicely. Most appreciated.

Super useful

Sadly, none of these steps work.

Thank you, solution three worked for me and got rid of a very annoying “Update and shutdown” in my startmenu for quite some time.

No 2 worked for me – thanks for this – has been a real headache!

Solution #2 seems to be working for me, I’ll know soon. However I have a question about 32 bits and 64 bits .Are the instructions applicable to both?

Thank you Kevin! Step number 2 worked for me.

Thank you Kevin! Step number 2 solved the issue. Automatic-delayed

Thank you Kevin! Step #2 resolved our issue

No. 3 worked for me! Thanks!

I had to take ownership of the SoftwareDistribution folder, then step 3 worked for me. Albeit, without the last service start of “msiserver” where it would hang.

I did Solution 3 and it worked!! Updates are all downloading. Thank you so much.

Solution 3 worked for me, thanks! Went round and round trying to get Windows Updates to work but to no avail and then Google brought me to this site! Much appreciated! 🙂

I haven’t been able to install an update for well over 6 months now. Just fails every single time. It’s getting annoying to say the least. Hopefully something here will work.

solutions do not work

Window supdate troubleshooter, like ALL microsoft troubleshooters is COMPLETELY workthless.

I have yet to see a Microsoft “trouble shooter” that ever worked. EVER

msiserver wasn’t actually started and in my opinion not needed as well. It’s possible that the SoftwareDistribution folder is not renamable because the wuauserv service is started by windows automatically again. stop it again and then as quickly as possible rename the folder. that should work and you shouldn’t have to take ownership (except you have messed up permissions anyway).

My updates are working using method #3 Thanks!

it worked like a charm after completing step#2 thank you so much peeps

When I hit ”

net stop msiserver”

It says “The Installer service is not started”

Solution 3 failed – wouldn’t stop msiserver or rename directories.
Solution 2 worked. Solution 2 is so simple why can’t MS build it into their update processes.
I consider myself quite computer savvy but for naive users this is beyond them and they shouldn’t have to do it or get someone else to do it for them.

do you get an exact error code?

They are valid for both.

There is, download the iso from Microsoft’s website and create a bootable USB. Install fresh windows from the USB.

Open the command prompt with administrative privileges.

Some users do face issues with the Windows but it does provide better functionality than the previous operating systems by Microsoft.

It won’t stop it, if you notice there are also the start commands listed which will start the services again. This is a way to refresh the services and get rid of any corrupt cache.

Instead of updating the BIOS downgrade it to a more stable version and check if it helps.

Download the iso from Microsoft’s website and create a bootable USB. Do a fresh install of Windows using the USB and you will be up to date with the latest version provided by Microsoft.

This issue was occurred to me personally a while ago, first of all, try to click on the retry button repeatedly a couple of times which might kickstart them into working. If that doesn’t work, try to put the computer in safe mode and try to install updates. Also, try to switch networks and check if it works. Also make sure that the network that you are using is set to “Private” in the settings. If that doesn’t work, download the latest ISO from the Windows’ website and create a bootable USB. Install a fresh copy of Windows from the Microsoft website and install them on the computer to get the latest updates installed automatically.

Thank you for sharing your solution it will be added to the article shortly.

None of the solutions work for me since the SoftwareDistribution folder was access denied. What I did was booted into safe mode where I renamed it to SoftwareDistribution.old and it started working after rebooting back.

Did you get the “Cant connect to the update services” and fix it through there?

An ASUS laptop downloads all minor updates but it stopped downloading the big ones (i.e October 2020 20H2). All settings that will allow for Win Updates to work are OK. All drivers upated, no corrupt media. A msg “You system is not ready for update ” or smth pops up in every attempt.

Any idea what might be wrong with this? The May 2020 update never happened..

Step #2 worked for me. Thank you

none of these solutions work for the 2020 bug…

I just had this problem and this was the saving grace

Solution 5 is what the problem was but I did solution 2 and it’s installing now slowly but it’s updating but for my device it’s either Windows Update which can be changed but Windows Update Medic Service is denied to change.

Her Barrett Smith,

Which update are you trying to download and Install? I suggest you head over to the Microsoft Update Catalog here: https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/

Then search for the update you are trying to download, once downloaded you can manually Install it by double-clicking on the file and following the on-screen instructions.

You can update your Windows by using the Media Creation Tool, which will automatically install the latest version of Windows for you. You can follow the steps shown on this article:- https://appuals.com/update-20h2-wont-install-on-windows-10/

The following setting saved me and windows updates started installing updates that were stuck at 0% downloading. Also Windows Store started downloading apps again.

Group policy editor -> Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Delivery Optimization -> Download mode -> Set to 100 (Bypass)

Diagnosed with powershell command: Get-WindowsUpdateLog

Found:
DO job {….} hit a transient error

DO stand for delivery optimization.

I have tried everything suggested all to no avail I have tried all the methods given by Microsoft sill fails to load. If the only way I can update to windows 11 is by a clean install Windows 11 is not ready to role out as no other operating system asks you to wipe the drive before upgrading. Rant over

Solution 4 worked for me, thank you very much!

Solution 4, worked for me, thank you.

Solution 3 worked for me. Thanks KA

didnt work for me

We have a dedicated article written on this error: https://appuals.com/we-couldnt-connect-to-the-update-service/

https://appuals.com/repair-install-windows-11/

Try this!

Sorted, thank you.

None of the solutions worked unfortunately. One of them did as was intended and reset the downloads so I could check for updates but the download button still won’t click, and the downloads still won’t download. I’m trying the windows install media next and if that doesn’t work I’m doing a windows reset.