Pureinfotech

How to reset Windows Update components on Windows 10

Techniques to reset the Windows Update components to fix stuck updates trying to download
and install on Windows 10.

Mauro Huculak @Pureinfotech

January 22, 2024

Reset Windows 10 Update / Image: Mauro Huculak

 POST SHARE SUBMIT FLIP

KEY POINTS
To reset the Windows Update system on Windows 10, open Settings > Update
& Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters, run the Windows
Update troubleshooter, and continue with the on-screen directions.
You can also download and install updates manually to resolve the issue,
repair the system using DISM and SFC commands, or reset the Windows
Update components with Command Prompt.

Windows Update is an essential component of Windows 10, as it allows downloading and

installing the latest updates with bug Gxes, security patches, and drivers. Also, it is the
mechanism to download new feature updates and preview builds (if enrolled in the Insider
Program). However, there will be times when your device may not download or install updates
because of a speciGc error message, Windows Update not connecting to the Microsoft
servers or other problems.

Usually, you may encounter this type of problem when the Windows Update agent-related
services stop working, some components get corrupted, or Windows 10 has an issue with the
cache. If this is the case, you can reset Windows Update on Windows 10 to Gx most problems.

In this guide, I will teach you how to reset the Windows Update components using the
“Windows Update Troubleshooter” utility. Also, you will learn the instructions to use Command
Prompt to Gx Windows Update manually to download security patches, drivers, and features
again. However, before using the Command Prompt option, use the instructions to install the
most recent update manually, Service Stack Update (SSU), and repair system Gles.

CONTENTS
Reset Windows Update from Troubleshooter

Fix Windows Update by installing latest update manually

 Fix Windows Update by installing latest Servicing Stack Update

Fix Windows Update repairing corrupted system Mles

Reset Windows Update from Command Prompt

Reset Windows Update from Troubleshooter

To reset Windows Update using the troubleshooter tool on Windows 10, use these steps:

1 Open Settings on Windows 10.

2 Click on Update & Security.

3 Click on Troubleshoot.

4 Click the “Additional troubleshooters” option.

5 Under the “Get up and running” section, select the Windows Update option.

6 Click the “Run the troubleshooter” button.

 7 Continue with the on-screen directions.

Once the computer restarts, try to update Windows 10 one more time, and now it should work
as expected.

Fix Windows Update by installing latest update manually

To install an update manually to Gx problems with Windows Update on Windows 10, use these
steps:

1 Open the Windows 10 update history page.

2 ConGrm the “KB” number for the latest update for your version of Windows 10.
 Quick tip: You can check your current version on Settings > System >
About, and under the “Windows SpeciGcations” section, conGrm the
version information.

3 Open the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

4 Search for the knowledge base (KB) number of the update.

 5 Click the download button for the update that corresponds to your version of
Windows 10 (32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)).

6 Double-click the Gle to install the update.

7 Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, the device should have the latest update installed. The update
should have also Gxed the problem with Windows Update.

Fix Windows Update by installing latest Servicing Stack Update

To ensure that Windows 10 has the most recent Servicing Stack Update to Gx Windows
Update problems, use these steps:

1 Open Settings.

2 Click on System.
 3 Click on About.

4 Under the “System type” section, check whether you have the 32-bit or 64-bit version
of Windows 10.

5 Open the Microsoft Update Catalog website.

6 Download the most recent Servicing Stack Update for the version you have (32-bit
(x86) or 64-bit (x64)).

7 Double-click the Gle to install the update.

8 Restart your computer.

After you restart the computer, you can download and install the update using the Settings
app.

Fix Windows Update repairing corrupted system files

To Gx the system Gles using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and
System File Checker (SFC) tools to Gx Windows Update problems on Windows 10, use these
steps:
 1 Open Start.

2 Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as
administrator option.

3 Type the following DISM command to repair corrupted system Gles and press Enter:

dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

4 Type the following SFC command to repair system Gles and press Enter:

sfc /scannow

After you complete the steps, the Windows Update components should start working again,
and you can try checking for updates to verify that the Gx works.

Reset Windows Update using Command Prompt

To reset Windows Update manually from Command Prompt on Windows 10, use these steps:

1 Open Start.
2 Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as
administrator option.

3 Type the following commands to stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service
(BITS), Windows Update service, and Cryptographic service, and press Enter on each
line:

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc

Quick tip: You may need to run the command more than once until you
see the message that the service has stopped successfully.

4 Type the following command to delete all the qmgr*.dat Gles created by BITS from
your PC. and press Enter:

Del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application
 Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*.*"

5 Type Y to conGrm the deletion.

6 Type the following commands to clear the Windows Update cache to allow Windows
10 to re-download the updates instead of using the Gles already downloaded on the
system that might be damaged, and press Enter on each line:

rmdir %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution /S /Q
rmdir %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 /S /Q

Quick tip: We use the remove directory rmdir command with the /S
option to delete the speciGed directory and all subdirectories within the
main folder and the /Q option deletes directories quietly without
conGrmation. If you get the message “The process cannot access the
Mle because it is being used by another process,” repeat step 1 and try
again, as one of the services might have restarted unexpectedly.

7 Type the following commands to reset the BITS and Windows Update services to their
default security descriptor, and press Enter on each line:
 sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)
(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)
(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)
(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)
(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

8 Type the following command to move to the System32 folder and press Enter:

cd /d %windir%\system32

9 Type the following commands to register all the corresponding BITS and Windows
Update DLL Gles on the Registry and press Enter on each line:

regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe /s browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe /s scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe /s actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe /s dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe /s gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe /s slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe /s cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe /s oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe /s initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuapi.dll
 regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe /s qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe /s muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe /s wuwebv.dll

Quick note: The regsvr32 helps to register “.DLL” Gles as command

components in the Registry, and we use the /S option to specify the
tool to run the command silently without prompting additional
messages.

10 Type the following commands to reset the network conGgurations that might be part
of the problem (but do not restart your computer at this time), and press Enter on
each line:

netsh winsock reset

netsh winsock reset proxy
 11 Type the following commands to restart the BITS, Windows Update, and
Cryptographic services, and press Enter on each line:

net start bits

net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc

12 Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, Windows Update should reset and work again on Windows 10.

It’s also possible to use the above instructions to Gx the update problems when Surface Pro,
Laptop, Studio, or any other Surface cannot download a new Grmware update.
Update January 22, 2024: This guide has been updated to ensure accuracy and rebect some
changes to the process.

About the author

Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows expert and the Editor-in-Chief who started Pureinfotech in 2010
as an independent online publication. He is also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly
a decade. Mauro has over 12 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating
professional videos about Windows, software, and related technologies, including Android and
Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In
total, Mauro has over 20 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career,
he achieved different professional certiGcations from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP),
VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft
MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me.

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