"Encountered an issue with Windows Update - How to fix it?"

While Windows updates are supposed to be seamless, you might encounter an error message that says "Windows Update failed". This means that something is preventing your update from installing correctly. Have you been experiencing this issue lately?

In this article from Tools, you'll discover the common reasons behind encountering this error message in Windows 11. You'll also learn six fix methods that can be applied to resolve the issue and proceed with your Windows updates and installations. Keep reading and stay tuned.

Why does the "Error" message appear when updating to Windows 11? When you attempt to update to Windows 11 and encounter an "Error" message, this can be caused by several factors. Here are some possible reasons and corresponding solutions: 1. **Network Issues**: Ensure your device is connected to a stable internet connection, as the update process requires downloading significant amounts of data. 2. **Insufficient Disk Space**: Check if your C drive has enough space for the update. Generally, Windows updates require at least 16GB of available space. 3. **Update Services**: Make sure all essential Windows update services are running. You can check and start them in the Services Manager, if needed. 4. **Software Conflicts**: Certain third-party applications might interfere with the update process. Try booting your computer in Safe Mode and then perform the update. 5. **Corrupted System Files**: Run Windows' built-in "System File Checker" (SFC) or "DISM" tool to repair any damaged system files. 6. **Installer Issues**: Sometimes, the update files themselves may be corrupted. You can try manually downloading and installing the update from the Microsoft Update Catalog. 7. **Hardware Compatibility**: Windows 11 has specific hardware requirements. Make sure your device meets these requirements, or the update might not complete successfully. 8. **Update Settings**: Check your update settings to ensure you have selected the option to "receive updates automatically." If none of these steps resolve the issue, you may need to contact Microsoft Support for professional assistance. Additionally, regularly checking for Windows updates is recommended, as Microsoft often releases patches to address known issues.

Encountered an error message during Windows Update: (Something went wrong. Try setting it up again later.)
Posted by /u/IYToxic on /r/WindowsHelp

There can be multiple reasons behind the "Update failed, something went wrong" message on Windows. The main causes include:

To fix the Windows 11 update stuck issue, you need to address the issues mentioned above. The next section will discuss how to resolve the “Windows Update failed” problem.

Read more: Solved: Windows Recovery Environment servicing failed. [KB5034441 Update Error]

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How to fix errors encountered during Windows 11 updates

Keeping your Windows operating system up to date is crucial for ensuring the smooth functioning of your computer. Hence, it's important to address any issues that arise during the update process promptly. This section will outline six methods to fix the "Windows Update failed" issue, including:

1. Solution 1: Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
2. Solution 2: Enable the Update Orchestrator Service
3. Solution 3: Run an SFC Scan
4. Solution 4: Edit a Registry Key
5. Solution 5: Reset Windows Update Files
6. Solution 6: Reset Windows Settings

Solution 1: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

When dealing with Windows Update issues, one of the simplest solutions is to run the troubleshooter. This Windows feature can help you fix most problems you encounter with system updates. By using the Windows Update Troubleshooter, it will automatically scan for possible causes of errors and guide you on how to address them. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Navigate to the search bar, type in "troubleshoot," and click on the "Troubleshoot settings" option.

Step 2 Next, click “Other troubleshooters,” and then click “Windows Update.”

Click on the “Additional troubleshooters” option.

Step 3. Under Windows Update, click the "Run the troubleshooter" button. This will initiate a scan for any errors. If this doesn't resolve the issue, proceed to Fix 2.

Click the “Run the troubleshooter” button.

Fix 2: Enable the Update Orchestrator service

If you attempt to update Windows and the Update Orchestrator Service is disabled, you might encounter errors. To prevent this, you should first enable the service. Follow these steps to activate the Update Orchestrator Service on your Windows 11 computer:

Step 1: Open the Run command box and type services.msc, then click OK.

2. In the window that appears, scroll down and double-click Update Orchestrator Service.

Step 3. Next, click on the drop-down menu under Startup type and select Automatic.

Finally, click “OK,” then select “Apply.” Restart your computer and check if the error has gone away.

Click “OK,” and then click “Apply.”

Fix 3: Run an SFC scan

If you suspect that corrupted system files are causing the update to fail, run the SFC command to fix the issue. This will scan and possibly repair damaged files on your computer. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Run Command Prompt as an administrator

Step 2: Type the following command and press Enter:

sfc /scannow is a command in the Windows operating system that runs the System File Checker utility. It scans the system's system files and checks for any damaged or missing files. If any issues are found, it attempts to repair them.

Step 3: Run the command to check for any errors in the files. The "sfc /scannow" command will fix any issues that it finds. When it's done, restart your system and see if the update can run normally.

Fix 4: Edit the Registry Entry

Sometimes, an entry key in the Windows Registry might get modified or corrupted, leading to error when attempting to update Windows. You need to edit the registry key to resolve this issue. You can do this by following these steps:

Step 1: Press Win + R to open the Run command box. Type "regedit" and press Enter.

Step 2: Once the Registry Editor is up, navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\UsoSvc. Then, go to the right pane and double-click on the “Start” entry.

Double-click on 'Start'.

(3) Type 2 in the Number box, and then click OK.

Type 2 under “Numeric Data,” and click “OK.”

Step 4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 for the following registry keys:

These registry entries translate to:
• Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WaaSMedicSvc
• Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv
Here, "WaaSMedicSvc" and "wuauserv" refer to service names, corresponding to the Windows Update Assistant service and the Windows Update service, respectively.

Step 5: Finally, restart your computer and check for errors again.

Fix 5: Reset the Windows Update files

If the update files you downloaded are corrupted, you might also see a “Something went wrong” error with Windows. To fix this, you'll need to get your computer to redownload the updates. Do this by following these steps:

Run Command Prompt as Administrator

Step 2 Next, paste each of the following commands into the Command Prompt window, one at a time, and press Enter after each one:

Please paste the following command into a text file:

1. Stop the wuauserv service
2. Stop the cryptSvc service
3. Stop the bits service
4. Stop the msiserver service
5. Rename the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder to SoftwareDistribution.old
6. Rename the C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 folder to catroot2.old

Step 3. Restart the four services using these commands (press Enter after each one):

These are commands in the Windows operating system to start specific services: 1. net start wuauserv: Starts the Windows Update service, which checks for and installs system updates. 2. net start cryptSvc: Starts the Cryptographic Services, responsible for encrypting and decrypting files as well as certificate management. 3. net start bits: Starts the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, used for transferring files in the background, such as downloading updates. 4. net start msiserver: Starts the Windows Installer service, which handles installation, modification, and removal of software based on MSI (Microsoft Installer) packages.

Step 4: Finally, exit the Command Prompt, restart your computer, and try running Windows Update again to see if the error has gone away.

Fix 6: Reset Windows Settings

During a Windows update, the Settings app might not function correctly, causing interference. To resolve this, you can consider resetting Settings. This should fix any issues affecting the update process. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen to open the Start menu.

Click on the Start menu.

Step 2: Right-click on Settings and select More. Then, click on App settings.

Click on App Settings.

Step 3: In the next window, scroll down and click on “Reset.” Confirm your choice to start the resetting process, which will reset your Windows settings and may fix issues affecting updates.

Click on Reset.

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Expert tips: How to protect your PC from Windows Update gone wrong

Sometimes, a Windows Update error can put your PC data and files at risk. To make sure you don't get into such a predicament, you should use an efficient backup and recovery tool like Todo Backup to back up your data. With this free backup software, you can still access your files when your computer runs into errors.

It lets you save backup files to an external hard drive, cloud storage, network, or NAS, ensuring the safety of your backups and enabling you to back up multiple drives, files, systems, PC applications, and more. It gives you unrestricted access to your backup data whenever you need it.

Its main features for backup and recovery include:

• Guided backup and recovery, along with multi-path backup storage
• Install Windows on a new PC without an operating system
• Password-protected backups and multiple backup options
• Ease of cloning hard drives and imaging disks
• 250GB of free cloud space for backing up your computer to the cloud

To ensure your computer is protected from Windows Update errors, it is recommended that you download and install the free Todo Backup tool immediately. The steps to use this utility are straightforward, making it user-friendly for you.

Step 1: Launch Todo Backup on your computer, and then click “Create Backup” on the home screen. Click the big question mark to choose what you want to back up.

Step 2: To back up the Windows operating system, click "OS" to start the backup job.

Step 3: The system should automatically select the Windows operating system information and all system-related files and partitions, so you shouldn't need to choose anything here. Next, click on the area highlighted in the image below to choose where you want to save your system image backup.

Step 4: The backup location can be another local drive on your computer, an external hard drive, a network, cloud storage, or a NAS. Typically, we recommend using an external physical drive or cloud storage to save your system backup files.

Step 5: If you need, click on "Options" to enable automatic backup schedule (daily, weekly, monthly, or event-based), and to perform differential and incremental backups. Then click "Backup Now", the Windows system backup process will begin. The completed tasks will be displayed as cards on the left side.

Overall

You might encounter the "Windows Update failed" error, which could be due to corrupted system files, incorrect registry keys, the Orchestrator Windows Update service being disabled, or damage caused by third-party antivirus software or temporary files. To address these issues, ensure that you follow the troubleshooting methods discussed in this article.

Aside from applying the fixes we discussed, it's crucial to protect your data from Windows Update errors. One of the best data backup and recovery tools you should try is the Todo Backup software. This tool allows you to back up your data to different locations and access it anytime. Make sure to download and use Todo Backup today to cater to your file backup needs.

Frequently Asked Questions About Windows Updates: Something Went Wrong

Here are some common issues regarding "Windows Update failed":

Why can't Windows 11 update?

Your Windows 11 update might fail due to corrupted system files. For a successful Windows update, all files need to be functioning properly. Other possible causes for this issue include incorrect registry keys, the Update Orchestrator service being disabled, interference from third-party antivirus software, or damaged temporary files.

Why can't I install Windows updates?

A corrupted file in the Software Distribution folder can prevent Windows Updates from installing. Since this folder stores temporary files, any sign of damage to these files can lead to the update installation failing. You can resolve this issue by deleting these files and restarting the update process.

How do I force Windows to install updates?

You can force Windows updates to install by running the "Update Troubleshooter." This tool checks for and fixes any errors that might be preventing your system from working correctly. Here's how:

Step 1: Go to the search bar and type in troubleshoot. Click on the Troubleshooting settings option.

Step 2: Next, click on Other troubleshooters, and then click on Windows Update.

Step 3: Under “Windows Update,” click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. This will initiate a process that checks for possible errors, fixes them, and then forces the installation of any available Windows updates.

How do I clear the Windows Update cache?

One way to clear the Windows Update cache is through the Command Prompt. Follow these steps to do so:

Step 1: Run Command Prompt as an administrator

Step 2. Type each of the following commands in turn, pressing Enter after each one:

• Stop the Windows Update service: net stop wuauserv
• Navigate to the C drive: C:
• Change directory to %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution: cd %Windir%\SoftwareDistribution
• Delete the Download folder and all its contents (forcefully and silently): del /f /s /q Download

Note: This command will delete all Windows cached files from your computer.