Hello there, For the best part of a year I have been struggling with the exact same issue. I am unable to install these 2 pending updates. Consequently, I am unable to update further and am stuck on an old version of Windows 10 exposed to several. Restart the computer, then turn Automatic Updates back on. Open Windows Update, select Change Settings. Under Important Updates, click the dropdown and select Install updates automatically (recommended). Click OK to save your changes, and then select Check for updates to download and install any remaining updates. Did this resolve the issue?
If you find that your Windows Update is stuck downloading updates at 0 % or any other figure in Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista as well, then this post will help you fix the issue.
Windows Update stuck downloading updates
If your Windows Update is showing available updates and your computer starts downloading them, it may happen that at some point it just gets stuck and stops downloading. It will show a constant figure but there will be no progress. The figure in your case could be 0%, 23%, 33%, or any other, but every time you try to download the updates, you find that they are stuck on that particular figure, even if you leave it for an hour or two. I faced this issue and my downloading was stuck at 23%, when I was trying to get Windows Insider Builds.
This is what helped me and I am sure that it could help you too. You may click on the images to see their larger versions.
From the WinX Menu, open Command Prompt (Admin). Type the following one after the other and hit Enter:
This will stop the Windows Update related Services.
Next browse to the C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the files and folders inside. Press Ctrl+A to Select All and then Delete.
If the files are in use, and you are unable to delete some files, restart your device. After rebooting, run the above commands again. Now you will be able to delete the files from the mentioned Software Distribution folder.
After you have emptied this folder, you may restart your computer or you may type the following commands one at a time in the CMD, and hit Enter to restart the Windows Update related Services.
Run Windows Update again and see.
You will be able to download and install the updates successfully. Once done, you will see that a restart has also been scheduled.
I suggest you restart immediately to complete the process.
This worked for me and I hope it does for you too.
If it does not, you may try this:
Run Windows Module Installer
Unable To Download Windows Updates Vista
The Windows Module Installer is a built-in Windows 10 service. It lets you fix the Windows updates which are stuck.
To use this, open a command prompt with admin privileges.
Type the following and hit Enter:
Once successfully executed, you should see [SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS display within the Command Prompt console.
Exit the command prompt, and check if the buttons are back to normal.
See this post if Windows Updates fail to Install.
If nothing helps, you can download Windows 10 ISO and make a fresh install too.
Read: Why does Windows 10 Update bring grief to some?
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Sometimes, some Windows Update fail to install, and just refuse to get installed on your computer even when you try a couple of times. If you face this problem where Windows Updates will not install, this tutorial will help you identify and troubleshoot the problem. Do create a system restore point first. You may then try any of these, in no particular order.
Windows Update Fail To Install
If Windows Update fail to install, is not working, updates will not download or keep failing, on your Windows 10/8/7 then these suggestions will help you troubleshoot & fix Windows Updates. Go through the entire post and then see which of these may apply to your system.
1. If you are unable to install Windows Updates, first clear up your Temporary Files and Internet Cache, reboot and try again. See if this helps resolve the issue. Best and easy to use the built-in Disk Cleanup utility or CCleaner.
2. Disable your Firewall and Anti-virus software and try again. Here is a list of Windows files and folders you may exclude from Antivirus scans.
3. As mentioned earlier, many times, an update may fail to install in the first instance, but for some inexplicable reason, succeeds in the 2nd or 3rd try. So try a couple of times.
4. Search on Microsoft, for the patch using the Update KB number, and download its stand-alone installer. Now apply the patch manually. Search for just the number; don’t include KB! Also, go here to see the Complete Master List of Windows Update Error Codes.
5. Use the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Microsoft. It resets Windows Updates settings to defaults.
Unable To Download Windows Updates 8.1
6. Use our Fix WU tool and see if it helps. It re-registers all the dll, ocx and ax files required for the proper functioning of Windows Updates.
7. Fix corrupted Windows Update system files using DISM Tool or CheckSUR. Run System Update Readiness Tool. It can help fix problems that might prevent Windows Updates and Service Packs from installing.
8. Right-click Computer > Manage > Services > Stop the “Cryptographic Service” and rename the Catroot2 folder situated in C:WindowsSystem32Catroot to something else like say Catroot2X.
Reboot.
Now run the update or the installers again. This action will re-generate a new Catroot2 folder and the updates or hotfixes, should hopefully install.
9. If still, you have a problem then, go to C:WindowsWindowsUpdate.log and look for the most recent entry. This will be present towards the end of the log. Any failed updates will have error code/s written next to them. Note them down. If you find just too many entries too confusing delete this WindowsUpdate.log and try installing the problematic updates again.
Now open the newly re-created WindowsUpdate log file and have a look at its contents.
The warnings will probably appear as -: WARNING: Failed to find updates with error code XXXXXXXX.
Now Right-click Computer > Manage > Event Viewer > Applications and Service Logs > Microsoft > Windows > WindowsUpdateClient > Operational . Check out for any Critical Message or Warning.
Next, refer the Windows Update Error Codes. This will give you the direction in which you may have to look for the solution.
11. Flush the Software Distribution Folder. Run Command Prompt as administrator. In the CMD box that appears on the computer screen, enter the following strings of text, one at a time, and hit Enter.
Now browse to the C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the files and folders inside.
If the files are in use, restart your device. After rebooting, run the commands above again. Your Windows Store App needs to be closed, by the way, so do not start it.
Now you will be able to delete the files from the mentioned Software Distribution folder. Now in the Command Prompt windows, type the following commands one at a time, and hit Enter:
Reboot. If you are using Windows Update, try using Microsoft Updates or vice versa.
12. Reset the Catroot folder and see. To reset the catroot2 folder do this:
Open an elevated Command Prompt, type the following command one after the other and hit Enter:
Next, delete all the contents of the catroot2 folder.
Having done this, in the CMD windows, type the following and hit Enter:
Your catroot folder will be reset, once you start Windows Update again.
13. Open an elevated command prompt windows, type the following and hit Enter:
This will rename pending.xml file to pending.old. Now try again.
14. Clear the BITS queue of any current jobs. To do this, type the following in an elevated CMD and hit Enter:
15. Delete incorrect Registry values.
Open Registry Editor and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINECOMPONENTS
Unable To Download Windows Update 0x800704cf
Right-click COMPONENTS. Now in the right-pane, delete the following if they exist:
- PendingXmlIdentifier
- NextQueueEntryIndex
- AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving
Restart your computer and try again.
16. Boot in Clean Boot State and run Windows Update and see if this helps. Ater deleting the contents of SoftwareDistribution folder, try it. It works in most cases.
17. Read this, if Windows Update is not working or the Windows Update page itself is blank. Add the mentioned few websites to the whitelist.
18. This will help you if Windows Update is stuck downloading updates.
19. See this if Windows Update Page Is Blank.
20. Go here if you get error Failure configuring Windows updates. Reverting changes.
21. Use the Reset Windows Update Components Tool and see if it helps you.
22. See this post if you receive Windows 10 Update Error Code 0x8024a105 while downloading updates.
23. See this post if Windows 10 Creators Update is not installing.
24. This post will help you if you receive Potential Windows Update Database error detected error message.
25. See this if you receive Windows Update error 0x80070643.
These links may also interest you:
Unable To Download Updates Windows 10
- There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later.
Post ported from WinVistaClub.com, updated and posted here.
Unable To Install Update
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