Windows Update keeps Windows 10 up to date by downloading and installing the latest updates, drivers, and fixes released by Microsoft.
Sometimes you may have problems with Windows Update like unable to download or install updates, error messages, unable to search for new updates etc. These types of problems can occur. when the Windows Update database or components are corrupted, one or more Windows Update-related services do not run, and so on.
Note: You must be logged in with admin rights to reset Windows Update.
How to reset Windows Update with the Troubleshooter tool
1. Download Windows Update Troubleshooter from Microsoft.
2. Double-click the WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.diagcab file to run the troubleshooter.
3. Select the Windows Update option.
4. Click the Next button.
5. Click the option Try troubleshooting as an administrator (if available). Select the option again and click the Next button again.
6. Click the Close button.
7. Open Windows Update Troubleshooter again.
8. Select the Windows Networking Diagnostics option to resolve any network issues preventing updates from downloading.
9. Click the Next button.
10. Click the Close button.
11. Restart the computer.
Once the PC restarts, try updating Windows 10 again and everything should work as expected.
How to reset Windows Update using Command Prompt
Use these steps to manually reset Windows Update components using Command Prompt on Windows 10:
1. Open Command Prompt with admin rights.
2. Type the following commands to stop Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows Update and Cryptographic (press Enter on each line):
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc
Quick Tip: You may need to run more commands than commands until you see a message that the service has stopped successfully.
3. Type the following command to delete all qmgr*.dat files created by BITS from the PC and press Enter:
Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*.*”
4. Type Y to confirm deletion.
5. Type the following commands to clear the Windows Update cache, allowing Windows 10 to re-download updates, instead of using downloaded files that may be corrupted on the system, and press Enter on each line:
rmdir %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution /S /Q
rmdir %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 /S /Q
6. Type the following commands to reset the BITS and Windows Update service to default (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)
7. Type the following command to move to the System32 folder and press Enter:
cd /d %windir%\system32
Type the following commands to show all the respective Windows Update and BITS DLLs in the Registry (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
Note: regsvr32 is a command line tool that will help you to indicate that .DLL files are command elements in the registry and the article uses the /S switch to specify the tool to run the command without displaying additional messages.
8. Enter the following commands to reset the network configuration, which may be part of the problem (but not restart the computer yet). Press Enter on each line:
netsh winsock reset
netsh winsock reset proxy
9. Type the following commands to restart the BITS, Windows Update and Cryptographic services (press Enter on each line):
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
10. Restart the computer.
When the process is complete, Windows Update will be reset and working again on your Windows 10 device.
