How to Fix Error Code 0x800703EE in Windows | Quick and Reliable Methods

Have you encountered the 0x800703EE error while downloading new features or cumulative updates for Windows 10/11? Don't worry; this issue can be resolved quickly! The 0x800703EE error in Windows might occur due to corrupted Windows Update components, problematic patches, third-party applications, or interference from security software.

Other reasons that might cause this error include a faulty USB controller, corruption of hidden system files, the volume for a file being altered externally, disabling Windows Backup, and so on. Hence, if you encounter the 0x800703EE error, this article will provide you with multiple troubleshooting methods. Let's get started with the fixes right away!

Solution 1: Resolve error 0x800703EE by Reinstalling the USB Controller

According to various user reports, the error 0x800703EE can also occur due to an incorrectly installed or corrupted Universal Serial Bus (USB) controller, which is used by an external device. In this case, you can fix the problem by uninstalling and reinstalling all USB controllers via Device Manager.

This action will restart your PC and automatically force the Windows operating system to reinstall the USB controller drivers. The steps to fix the 0x800703EE error by reinstalling the USB controller are as follows:

Step 1: Press "Windows + R" to open the "Run" dialog box.

Step 2. Type devmgmt.msc, and press Enter to launch the Device Manager. If a User Account Control prompt appears, click Yes to authorize administrative privileges.

Step 3: Scroll down the list of devices in Device Manager and expand the dropdown related to USB controllers. Right-click on each Host Controller and select "Uninstall device." Finally, click "Yes" to confirm the uninstallation.

Step 4: Repeat this process for every USB Root Hub listed. When you're done, close the Device Manager and restart your computer.

Step 5. During the boot process, Windows will detect that your computer is missing a USB driver and prompt you to install the missing host controller.

(6) After completing the previous steps, repeat them to uninstall the USB Host Controller driver.

If the above methods have resolved the 0x800703EE error, then congratulations! Share your good fortune and this solution on social media to help more users!

Solution 2: Fix the 0x800703EE issue by repairing the Windows file system

A corrupted Windows file system can lead to the error 0x800703EE. Hence, it's essential for users to check for any anomalies in the file system and repair them if necessary. If there are important files on the drive, users can leverage the built-in Error Checking feature in Windows to address damaged file systems and logical bad sectors. Here's how: 1. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the Start button, and then click on the File Explorer icon. 2. **Right-click on the affected drive**: In the File Explorer window, right-click on the drive where you encountered the error and select "Properties." 3. **Access the Tools tab**: In the Properties dialog box, click on the "Tools" tab. 4. **Error Checking**: Under the "Error Checking" section, click on the "Check" button. If prompted, confirm that you want to scan the drive for errors. 5. **Wait for the scan to complete**: The system will initiate a scan to detect and fix any issues with the file system or bad sectors. This process may take some time, depending on the size of the drive. 6. **Reboot your computer**: After the scan is finished, restart your computer for the changes to take effect. If the issue persists, consider running a more comprehensive disk utility, like the Windows Disk Utility (chkdsk), from the Command Prompt with administrative privileges. To do this: 1. **Open Command Prompt as an administrator**: Press `Win + X` and choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows PowerShell (Admin)". 2. **Run the chkdsk command**: Type `chkdsk /f /r C:` (replace 'C:' with the affected drive letter) and press Enter. The `/f` switch repairs any errors found, while the `/r` switch locates bad sectors and recovers readable information. 3. **Schedule the scan**: If the command prompt prompts you that the drive is in use, type `Y` to schedule the scan for the next system restart. 4. **Restart your computer**: After the system reboots, the chkdsk utility will run automatically. Wait for the process to complete, and then check if the error 0x800703EE has been resolved. Remember that these steps might not always guarantee a complete resolution, but they're a good starting point to diagnose and potentially fix the problem.

Step 1: Launch the File Explorer. Now, right-click on the drive and select Properties.

Step 2: Go to the Tools tab and select the Check button. The checker will automatically fix both issues while it scans.

If there are no important files on the disk or the disk is in RAW format, users can opt for a full format to resolve both issues. Additionally, if the format is not NTFS, you can convert RAW to NTFS by following these steps:

Step 1: Launch File Explorer, right-click on the drive, and select "Format."

Step 2. Deselect the "Quick Format" option and click on "Start" to change the file system to NTFS.

Fix 3: Resolve error 0x800703EE using the DISM and SFC tools Follow these steps: 1. Open Command Prompt (run as administrator). 2. Type the following command, then press Enter: ``` DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ``` This command will scan and repair any corrupted or missing files in the system image. 3. Wait for the process to complete, which may take some time. 4. After it's done, type the following command, and press Enter again: ``` sfc /scannow ``` This command scans system files and repairs any damaged or missing ones. 5. Restart your computer after the scan is finished. 6. Check if error 0x800703EE has been resolved. If the issue persists, try alternative solutions.

The error 0x800703ee can pop up anytime if the system files get corrupted due to various reasons like virus infection or some internal factors. Hence, you can use in-built utilities like DISM and SFC to fix the corrupted system files. The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Type Command Prompt or cmd in the Windows search box.

Step 2: Right-click on it, and select “Run as administrator.”

Step 3: Type sfc /scannow and press the “Enter” key. Wait for the process to complete.

After the "Run as administrator" window opens, type in the command

To fix the error 0x800703ee, you can run the System File Checker (SFC) utility to replace any missing, corrupted, or overridden system files. If the SFC command fails to resolve the issue, follow these steps to troubleshoot using the Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management (DISM) tool: 1. Open Command Prompt (run as administrator): Click the "Start" button, search for "cmd," find "Command Prompt" in the search results, right-click it, and select "Run as administrator." 2. Enter the following command to check the status of the DISM service and ensure it's running properly: ``` DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth ``` Press Enter to execute the command. 3. If the above command returns a successful result, try the following command to scan and repair issues within the system image: ``` DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth ``` This process may take a few minutes to hours, depending on your internet speed and system size. 4. After completion, run the SFC command again to confirm if the issue has been resolved: ``` sfc /scannow ``` This command will scan all protected system files and automatically fix any problems it finds. 5. Restart your computer for the changes to take effect. 6. If the above steps still don't solve the problem, you might consider updating your operating system or reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance. Please note that these operations might impact your system, so it's recommended to create a system restore point or back up important files before proceeding.

Step 1: Click on the "Command Prompt" button and choose "Run as administrator."

Step 2: Type the following command:

Step 3: Close the Command Prompt window when the process is finished, and check if the error has been resolved.

Solution 4: Disable Antivirus to Fix Error 0x800703EE

Your antivirus software is causing the error code 0x800703EE. This issue might occur due to overprotective operating system settings that block file transfers on your computer. Here are the steps to resolve it: 1. **Temporarily Disable Antivirus Software:** - Shut down your antivirus program. You can usually do this from the system tray or by searching for it in the Start menu. - If it doesn't have an option to disable temporarily, try right-clicking on the antivirus icon and selecting "Pause protection" or a similar option. 2. **Run Windows Update:** - Press `Win + X` and select "Windows Terminal (Admin)" or "Command Prompt (Admin)" to open an elevated command prompt. - Type `sfc /scannow` and press Enter. This will run a System File Checker scan to repair any corrupted system files. - Wait for the process to complete, which may take several minutes. 3. **Check for Updates:** - Open "Settings" and navigate to "Update & Security." - Click on "Check for updates" to ensure your operating system is up to date. 4. **Reset Windows Update Components:** - In the elevated command prompt, type the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each: ``` net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ``` - Now, navigate to `C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution` and rename the "Download" folder to "Download.old." - Restart the services by typing: ``` net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver ``` 5. **Retry Windows Update:** - Check for updates again to see if the error has been resolved. 6. **Re-enable Antivirus Software:** - After the update process, turn your antivirus back on. Make sure to enable real-time protection as well. If the issue persists, you may need to consider updating your antivirus software or seeking assistance from the software provider.

Step 1. Launch the "Antivirus" program, depending on the antivirus software installed on your computer.

Step 2. Click on "Settings."

Step 3: You might find an option to quit the program here.

If you're using Windows Defender, you can open the Windows Defender Firewall settings and turn off Defender from there.

Solution 5: Perform a clean boot to fix error 0x800703EE

If you're unsure or need clarification on which programs might be blocking your update files, follow these steps to clean and restart your Windows PC: 1. **Reboot your computer**: Simply restarting your device can often resolve temporary issues. 2. **Boot in Safe Mode**: While starting your computer, press the F8 key to access the "Advanced Boot Options" menu and choose "Safe Mode." In this mode, only the most essential drivers and services are loaded, helping you identify and troubleshoot problems. 3. **Scan for viruses and malware**: Run a full system scan using your installed antivirus software to ensure no malware is interfering with the update process. If you don't have antivirus software, download and run Microsoft's free tool, "Windows Defender Offline." 4. **Temporarily disable antivirus and firewall**: Although not recommended, temporarily disabling your antivirus and firewall after scanning in Safe Mode might help identify the issue. Remember to re-enable them immediately after completing the update. 5. **Update drivers**: Outdated hardware drivers can sometimes affect Windows updates. Access Device Manager (through Control Panel or by right-clicking the "Start" button), check for any drivers that need updating, and download and install the latest versions from the manufacturer's website. 6. **Clean temporary files**: Open the "Disk Cleanup" tool (search for "disk cleanup"), select the system drive (usually C:), and check "Temporary Files" and other recommended cleanup options. This will remove temporary files that might be hindering the update. 7. **Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter**: In Settings, navigate to "Update & Security" > "Troubleshoot" > "Windows Update," then run the troubleshooter. It will automatically detect and fix update issues. 8. **Reset Windows Update components**: Open Command Prompt (run as an administrator) and enter the following commands one by one, pressing Enter after each: - `net stop wuauserv` - `net stop cryptSvc` - `net stop bits` - `net stop msiserver` - `ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old` - `ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old` - `net start wuauserv` - `net start cryptSvc` - `net start bits` - `net start msiserver` 9. **Try updating again**: After completing these steps, restart your computer and attempt to run Windows Update. If you still encounter problems, you may need professional assistance or contact Microsoft Support. Be cautious while executing these steps to avoid accidentally deleting important files. Before making any changes, it's advisable to create a system restore point or back up crucial data.

Step 1: Type msconfig in the Windows search box.

Step 2: Click on the "Services" tab, then check the box that says "Hide all Microsoft services."

Step 3: Select the “Disable all” option.

Step 4: Click on the "Start" tab and open the Task Manager.

Step 5: Disable each startup service one by one.

<Step 6> Close Task Manager, and then restart the computer.

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How to Fix Error 0x800703EE Without Losing Data

While performing these steps, you might lose data. In case of data loss, how would you deal with it? The easiest way is to download the Data Recovery Wizard tool to fix the 0x800703EE error without worrying about losing your personal information.

This advanced three-step data recovery utility allows you to retrieve data on Windows operating systems. Most importantly, unlike other third-party apps, this program installs safely. The main features of the tool include:

This tool aids in the recovery of deleted files from local disks and external storage devices. It retrieves formatted, deleted, lost, and damaged files from crashed systems, USB drives, cameras, and more. It supports hard disk drives, laptops, flash drives, and memory cards for file retrieval. Most importantly, the software helps you recover files after a Windows update.

Follow the steps below to restore files lost due to the 0x800703EE error:

Step 1. Launch the Disk Drill data recovery wizard on your Windows 11/10/8/7 and choose the location of the lost data. Click “Search for lost data”.

Step 2: After the scan, you can use the file type filter on the left or in the top-right corner to locate the needed files. Then, you can click the "Preview" button or double-click a file to preview its content.

Step 3: Check the box next to the files you need and click “Recover” to save the lost data to a secure location.

Download the professional data recovery software now! If you find this tool useful, please share this article with your friends on social media.

Conclusions

Raising awareness is key to addressing the 0x800703EE issue. There are several ways to tackle this problem, but we've selected the top 5 simplest methods that require no prior technical knowledge.

That said, starting with the basics, such as reinstalling the USB controller, closing programs, and disabling antivirus software, is always recommended. These methods often resolve the issue and are quick and easy to do.

Owing to the issue 0x800703EE, file transfer may be hindered, potentially causing data loss. Data Recovery Wizard is an excellent tool for retrieving lost or deleted files and retrieving data in various formats.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Windows Error 0x800703EE

Please review the following FAQ to resolve this error:

< b > What might cause error code 0x800703EE on Windows? < /b >

An invalid settings file, a corrupted file system, a corrupt registry, incompatible drivers, antivirus software, and other issues can cause this. Furthermore, users might encounter the error code 0x800703ee, preventing them from upgrading the Windows operating system, activating, or sharing information.

How long will it take to fix error 0x800703ee?

The quickest way to fix error code 0x800703ee is to restart the USB controller. Alternatively, you can disable antivirus programs and remove filter drivers to resolve the issue.

What does error 0x800703EE mean in Windows 10?

When transferring content to a USB tool, many Windows-based devices can encounter the error code 0x800703EE. Users of Windows 10, in particular, might come across this warning, which hints at a conflict between third-party applications.