1.Restart Your Computer:
Reboot the system to stop any pending operations that might be conflicting with the update process.
2.Temporarily Disable Antivirus/Firewall:
Pause third-party antivirus or firewall software and retry the update. These tools sometimes block essential system operations.
3.Run Windows Update Troubleshooter:
Go to Settings → Update & Security → Troubleshoot → Additional troubleshooters → Select Windows Update → Click Run the troubleshooter.
4.Delete SoftwareDistribution Folder:
- Open Services (Win + R → type services.msc).
- Stop Windows Update (wuauserv) and BITS services.
- Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete all contents.
- Restart the services and try updating again.
5.Run SFC and DISM Commands:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and enter the following:
sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
These tools will scan and repair corrupted or missing system files.
6.Reset Windows Update Components:
Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:
net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv
net start bits
This clears update history and forces a fresh attempt.
7.Use Windows Update Assistant:
Visit the Microsoft Update Assistant page. Download and run the tool to manually install updates.
8.Check for Conflicting Software:
Uninstall or disable optimization tools, older drivers, or recently added apps that may interfere with updates.
9.Perform a Clean Boot:
Run msconfig → Services tab → Hide all Microsoft services → Disable all.
Go to Startup tab → Open Task Manager → Disable all startup items → Restart your PC.
10.Check Windows Update Service Dependencies:
Ensure dependent services like Cryptographic Services, Windows Installer, and TrustedInstaller are running.