How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x800f0900 on Windows 10?<\/h2>\n
Getting rid of the error involves resolving its root causes. Below, you\u2019ll find different guides on how to fix different issues, from faulty system files to device driver issues. It\u2019s important that you go through the fixes one after the other if you want to solve the problem quickly.<\/p>\n
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter<\/h3>\n
Microsoft included troubleshooting tools for different utilities, and you\u2019ll find one for Windows Update. The tool will work to resolve conflicts and activate certain services that are disabled. Running it is quite simple and straightforward; follow the steps below:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Go to the Start menu (tap the Windows logo key or click on the Start<\/em> button) and click on the cog icon above the power icon to open Settings. If you want to open the Settings app faster, go to your keyboard and tap the Windows and I keys together.<\/li>\n
- After the home screen of the Settings app shows up, go to the bottom of the page and click on Update & Security.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Click]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once you see the Update & Security interface, switch to the left pane and click on Troubleshoot.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Now, go to the right side of the window and click on Windows Update<\/em> under the Get up and running<\/em>\u00a0section.<\/li>\n
- Click on the Run the troubleshooter<\/em>\u00a0button that appears under Windows Update<\/em>.<\/li>\n
- The troubleshooter will now run and try to resolve issues plaguing the Windows Update utility.<\/li>\n
- Once the tool has done its job, you can restart your system and try downloading the update.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Get rid of temporary files<\/h3>\n
Windows applications and other third-party programs often store temp files on your disk that are only useful for a short period of time. These files can easily become corrupt or get in the way of the update process. Try getting rid of them and check if that will resolve the problem. You can either use the Disk Cleanup tool or clear out temp files via the Settings application.<\/p>\n
We\u2019ll be showing you what to do below.<\/p>\n
Using the Disk Cleanup tool:<\/strong><\/p>\n
- \n
- Go to Search and type \u201cdisk cleanup\u201d<\/em> (no quotes).<\/li>\n
- Select Disk Cleanup<\/em> from the results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Select]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Open Disk Cleanup.<\/li>\n
- Once the Disk Cleanup window appears, check the boxes beside the temporary files that you wish to delete, then click on the OK<\/em> button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Once]()
OK<\/em> button\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once the cleanup process is finished, restart your computer and check for the update error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\nAlso read:<\/strong> Disk Cleanup Tips: How to Compress a Drive to Save Disk Space in Windows 10<\/a><\/p>\n
\nGoing through the Settings app<\/h3>\n
- \n
- Right-click the Start button and select Settings<\/em> or tap the Windows logo and I keys together to open the Settings application.<\/li>\n
- After the Settings app shows up, click on the System<\/em> icon.<\/li>\n
- Once you see the System interface, go to the left pane and click on Storage.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Go to the right side of the screen and click on Temporary files.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Allow Windows to scan your temporary files.<\/li>\n
- Once the scan is complete, select the categories of temporary files that you want to get rid of, and then click on the Remove files<\/em> button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\tPRO TIP<\/div>\r\nThere is also a quicker way to get rid of temporary files and other unnecessary items that are slowing down your PC. Try Auslogics BoostSpeed<\/a> ! The program will scan your system for junk, temporary files, duplicates, leftover update files, and more.<\/p>\nIt will then safely remove them from your system, optimizing your PC for maximum speed and efficiency.<\/p>\n
And all it takes is just a few clicks!<\/div>\r\n
\r\n Download for Free<\/a>\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n
\nAlso read:<\/strong> So Easy to Do: How to Uninstall Programs and Apps on Windows 10\/11?<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMaking sure the Windows Update services are running<\/h3>\n
The error message could be appearing because certain services are disabled. These services include the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), the Update Orchestrator Service, and the Windows Update service. You must know that you will not be able to update your system if any of these services are not working.<\/p>\n
To make sure they\u2019re running, you have to go through the Services application. The steps below will show you what to do:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Open the Run dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking the Start<\/em> button and selecting Run or by pressing the Windows logo and R keys at the same time.<\/li>\n
- After the Run dialog box appears, type
services.msc<\/code> into the text box and hit the Enter key.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n![\"Type]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\r\n\tNote<\/div>\r\n\tYou can also launch the Services app by searching for \u201cservices\u201d<\/em> in the Start menu.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once the Services app opens, search for the entries of the following services:\n
- \n
- Background Intelligent Transfer Service,<\/li>\n
- Update Orchestrator Service,<\/li>\n
- Windows Update.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Go to each service, right-click it, and then click on Properties.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Once the Properties window opens, stay in the General<\/em> tab, and then select Automatic<\/em> in the Startup type<\/em> drop-down menu.<\/li>\n
- Click on the OK<\/em> button, and then run the Windows Update utility to check for the problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Scan your PC for malware<\/h3>\n
It\u2019s possible that a malware<\/a> attack is causing the problem. Some malicious programs might have tampered with some of your system files or programs related to Windows Update. Some users reported that they got rid of the update error 0x800f0900 after running a full system scan.<\/p>\n
\nAlso read:<\/strong> How to Prevent Malware: Lock Down Your Online Safety<\/a><\/p>\n
\nFollow the steps below if your main antivirus program is Windows Security:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Navigate to the taskbar, right-click on the Start<\/em> button, and then click on Settings<\/em> in the Quick Access menu. You can also click on the cog icon in the Start button or use the
Windows + I<\/code> keyboard shortcut to summon the Settings app.<\/li>\n- After the home screen of Windows Settings shows up, click on the Update & Security<\/em> icon at the bottom of the page.<\/li>\n
- Once you see the Update & Security interface, go to the left pane and click on Windows Security.<\/em><\/li>\n
- Now, navigate to the Windows Security<\/em> tab and click on Virus & threat protection.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Virus]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- After the Virus & threat protection tool of Windows Security opens, click on Scan options<\/em> under Current threats<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"After]()
Scan options<\/em> under Current threats<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- On the Scan options<\/em> screen, select the radio button for Full scan<\/em>, and then click on the Scan now<\/em>\u00a0button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"On]()
Scan options<\/em> screen, select the radio button for Full scan<\/em>, and then click on the Scan now<\/em> button\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- The tool will now check all the programs and files on your hard disk for malware.<\/li>\n
- Allow the process to run its course, as this could take a while.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\tPRO TIP<\/div>\r\nIf you are looking for a more comprehensive solution to keeping your PC safe, try Auslogics Anti-Malware<\/a> . The software detects even the rarest forms of malware and can be set up to schedule automatic malware checks.<\/p>\n
The best part is that Auslogics Anti-Malware is designed for Windows and can run alongside other antivirus programs.<\/div>\r\n
\r\n Download for Free<\/a>\r\n Learn More<\/a>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\nScan for and get rid of corrupt system files<\/h3>\n
Missing or damaged system files are another major reason for the problem. These files might have been compromised by malware, and it\u2019s also possible that you tampered with them unknowingly. There are other elements that could damage or delete your system files, such as certain third-party programs with elevated privileges.<\/p>\n
Whatever the case, you have to scan your system and check whether there are corrupted or missing Windows Resource Protection (WRP) files. Use the built-in command-line utility, SFC (System File Checker), to check for broken system files and automatically replace them.<\/p>\n
You should note, though, that on Windows 10, you have to run the DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) tool before running the System File Checker. The job of the DISM is to provide the files needed for the repair process. If you don\u2019t know how to run the utility, follow the steps below:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Go to the taskbar and click on the magnifying glass icon to open the search box beside Start<\/em>. You can also open the search function by pressing the Windows and S keys together.<\/li>\n
- After the search utility opens, type \u201ccommand prompt\u201d<\/em> (without the quotes) into the text box.<\/li>\n
- Once Command Prompt shows up in the search results, right-click it, and then click on Run as administrator<\/em> in the context menu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Run]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once the User Account Control dialog window pops up, click on the Yes<\/em> button.<\/li>\n
- After Command Prompt appears, go to the black screen, type the following line, and then hit the Enter key:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
DISM.exe \/Online \/Cleanup-image \/Restorehealth<\/pre>\n
DISM will now fetch the system files that the SFC will use to run the repair. Normally, the tool uses the Windows Update utility to fetch these files; however, since you are having problems with the utility, you\u2019ll have to use a Windows 10 installation DVD or another bootable media as the repair source.<\/p>\n
Once you insert the bootable media, enter the following line:<\/p>\n
DISM.exe \/Online \/Cleanup-Image \/RestoreHealth \/Source:C:\\RepairSource\\Windows \/LimitAccess<\/pre>\n
\r\n\tNote<\/div>\r\n\tNote that the C:\\RepairSource\\Windows<\/em> parameter represents the path to the Windows<\/em> folder in the bootable media. If you have an ISO file for Windows, you can extract it and use the folder instead.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\nOnce the command executes, move on to the next step.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Now, type \u201csfc \/scannow\u201d<\/em> (without the quotes), then hit the Enter key.<\/li>\n
- If you see a completion message that reads, \u201cWindows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them,\u201d<\/em> restart your system, and the error should not occur again.<\/li>\n
- If you see a different completion message, however, such as \u201cWindows Resource Protection could not perform the requested operation,\u201d<\/em> you have to start your system in Safe Mode and run the SFC tool.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The steps below will show you what to do:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Open the Settings application by right-clicking the Start<\/em> button and selecting Settings<\/em> or by using the
Windows + I<\/code> keyboard combination.<\/li>\n- After the Settings app opens, click on Update & Security<\/em> at the bottom of the home screen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Update]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once the Update & Security interface shows up, go to the left pane and click on Recovery.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Once]()
Recovery<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Go to the right pane, scroll down, and then click on Restart now<\/em> under Advanced start-up<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Go]()
Restart now<\/em> under Advanced start-up<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Once your PC reboots to the Advanced Startup environment, click on the Troubleshoot<\/em> tile.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Once]()
Troubleshoot<\/em> tile\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- On the Troubleshoot screen, click on Advanced options<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"On]()
Advanced options<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Now, click on Startup Settings<\/em> once you see the Advanced Options interface.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Click]()
Startup Settings<\/em> once you see the Advanced Options interface\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Click on the Restart<\/em> button under Startup Settings<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Click]()
Restart<\/em> button under Startup Settings<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- After your computer reboots to the Startup Options environment, tap F4 on your keyboard to start Windows in Safe Mode or tap F5 for Safe Mode with Networking.<\/li>\n
- Once your PC boots into Safe Mode, go to the %WinDir%\\WinSxS\\Temp<\/em> folder (you can enter it in Run) and make sure the PendingDeletes<\/em> and PendingRename<\/em> folders are located there.<\/li>\n
- Now, run the SFC tool, as explained above.<\/li>\n
- Reset the Winsock component<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\tThe Windows Socket is the component responsible for transferring data from web-based applications like Windows Update to your system\u2019s network infrastructure. It is a DLL file that resides on your hard drive. The Winsock component, like any DLL file, can become corrupt or contain wrong configurations. It could very well be the cause of the 0x800f0900 error.<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\nYou can easily reset the Winsock component to get rid of corruption or any wrong data configuration. The steps below will walk you through the process:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Go to the taskbar and click on the magnifying glass beside the Start button to summon the search bar. You can also tap the Windows logo and S keys simultaneously to launch the search utility.<\/li>\n
- After you see the search bar, type \u201ccommand\u201d<\/em> (no quotes) into the text field.<\/li>\n
- Once you see Command Prompt<\/em> in the search results, right-click it and select Run as administrator<\/em> from the context menu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\r\n\r\n![\"Run]()
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n- \n
- Click on the Yes<\/em> button once the User Account Control confirmation dialog opens.<\/li>\n
- Now, type the line below into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
netsh winsock reset<\/pre>\n
- \n
- Restart your system once the command executes, then check for the error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Reset the Windows Update components<\/h3>\n
This process involves resetting the SoftwareDistribution<\/em> and Catroot2<\/em> folders. These folders contain previously downloaded updates that are yet to be installed. The error could be showing up because the files in these folders are corrupt, hence the reason you have to clear them to start the update process afresh. We\u2019ll be showing you how to do that and how to also reset the security descriptions for the Background Intelligence Transfer Service.<\/p>\n
Follow the steps below:<\/strong><\/p>\n
First step<\/strong>: Stop Windows services such as the Background Intelligent Transfer, Windows Update Application Identity, and Cryptographic services to gain access to the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Right-click the Start button and click on Run<\/em> in the Quick Access menu or open the dialog window using the
Windows + R<\/code> hotkey.<\/li>\n- Once Run opens, type \u201cCMD\u201d<\/em> (no quotes) into the text field and hit Enter.<\/li>\n
- Click Yes<\/em> when you see the User Account Control dialog.<\/li>\n
- Once the elevated Command Prompt window appears, type the following lines into the black screen and hit Enter after each:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
net stop bits\r\n\r\nnet stop wuauserv\r\n\r\nnet stop appidsvc\r\n\r\nnet stop cryptsvc<\/pre>\n
Second step<\/strong>: Delete the file named qmgr*.dat<\/em> by entering or copying and pasting the command line below into the admin Command Prompt:<\/p>\n
Del \"%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\\Application Data\\Microsoft\\Network\\Downloader\\qmgr*.dat\"<\/pre>\n
- Once Run opens, type \u201cCMD\u201d<\/em> (no quotes) into the text field and hit Enter.<\/li>\n
- Right-click the Start button and click on Run<\/em> in the Quick Access menu or open the dialog window using the
- Now, type the line below into the Command Prompt window and hit the Enter key:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Once you see Command Prompt<\/em> in the search results, right-click it and select Run as administrator<\/em> from the context menu.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Click on the Restart<\/em> button under Startup Settings<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Now, click on Startup Settings<\/em> once you see the Advanced Options interface.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- On the Troubleshoot screen, click on Advanced options<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Once your PC reboots to the Advanced Startup environment, click on the Troubleshoot<\/em> tile.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Go to the right pane, scroll down, and then click on Restart now<\/em> under Advanced start-up<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- After the Settings app opens, click on Update & Security<\/em> at the bottom of the home screen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- If you see a completion message that reads, \u201cWindows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them,\u201d<\/em> restart your system, and the error should not occur again.<\/li>\n
- After Command Prompt appears, go to the black screen, type the following line, and then hit the Enter key:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- After the search utility opens, type \u201ccommand prompt\u201d<\/em> (without the quotes) into the text box.<\/li>\n
- Go to the taskbar and click on the magnifying glass icon to open the search box beside Start<\/em>. You can also open the search function by pressing the Windows and S keys together.<\/li>\n
- On the Scan options<\/em> screen, select the radio button for Full scan<\/em>, and then click on the Scan now<\/em>\u00a0button.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- After the home screen of Windows Settings shows up, click on the Update & Security<\/em> icon at the bottom of the page.<\/li>\n
- Once the Properties window opens, stay in the General<\/em> tab, and then select Automatic<\/em> in the Startup type<\/em> drop-down menu.<\/li>\n
- After the Run dialog box appears, type
- After the Settings app shows up, click on the System<\/em> icon.<\/li>\n
- Right-click the Start button and select Settings<\/em> or tap the Windows logo and I keys together to open the Settings application.<\/li>\n
- Once the cleanup process is finished, restart your computer and check for the update error.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Select Disk Cleanup<\/em> from the results.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
- Now, go to the right side of the window and click on Windows Update<\/em> under the Get up and running<\/em>\u00a0section.<\/li>\n
- After the home screen of the Settings app shows up, go to the bottom of the page and click on Update & Security.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"Click](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Screenshot-1-1.png\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Select](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Screenshot-4-4.png\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Once](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/Screenshot-2024-06-06-190126.png\")
OK<\/em> button\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Type](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/open-services-1.png\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Virus](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Virus-and-Threat-Protection-Windows-10.png\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"After](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/virus-and-threat-protection-scan-options.png\")
Scan options<\/em> under Current threats<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"On](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Windows-Security-Scan-now.png\")
Scan options<\/em> screen, select the radio button for Full scan<\/em>, and then click on the Scan now<\/em> button\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Run](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Run-Command-Prompt-As-Admin-3.webp\")
\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Once](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Windows-10-Recovery-1-1.png\")
Recovery<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Go](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Recovery-restart-now.png\")
Restart now<\/em> under Advanced start-up<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Once](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Windows-Troubleshoot-choose-an-option.webp\")
Troubleshoot<\/em> tile\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"On](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Windows-Troubleshoot-Advanced-Options.webp\")
Advanced options<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Click](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/unnamed-130.png\")
Startup Settings<\/em> once you see the Advanced Options interface\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n ![\"Click](\"https:\/\/www.auslogics.com\/en\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/unnamed-131.png\")
Restart<\/em> button under Startup Settings<\/em>\" class=\"lazyload screenshots__image\">\r\n <\/div>\r\n