Windows 10 Updates won’t install

I noticed my computer was giving me the “your computer will restart later” notification every time I used it, it looks like it was trying every day to install the latest update. Windows Update shows it keeps failing, I’ve tried to install the 2 that it can’t do manually from the Microsoft Update Catalogue” but they still fail.

Anything else I can try? Does it matter? I’ll probably update to Win 11 when it gets offered to me, but will the lack of updates stop it getting to the Win 11 update?

Cheers!

These are the ones it’s stuck on….

Windows Update Troubleshooter

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-troubleshooter-19bc41ca-ad72-ae67-af3c-89ce169755dd

I had a similar issue – ended up just reinstalling Win 10 in the end. Went through troubleshooter etc but didnt work. You can reinstall Windows 10 easily and keep your existing files etc.

I agree Windows 10 is easy to install, but try task #2 on this page, before going to that extent?

Had a similar issue on an old PC with Windows that was upgraded for free to Windows 10 from 7. I called Microsoft about it who said it was because some hardware in my pc wasn’t compatible with the updates. They did a load of high tech stuff on my PC that took ages so stop windows requesting these particular updates which worked for a few months but then came back.

Bought a new PC in the end cos it just got painful and the pc was too old and slow anyway.

Disabled them years ago
Life is too short.

Cheers
I’m just trying @z1ppy ‘s link, it’s trying the update again so I’ll see how it goes.

Bought a new PC in the end cos it just got painful and the pc was too old and slow anyway.

This seems a bit extreme!

I’m a 2nd line tech: Try uninstalling the last successful update by going to uninstall updates.

See how that works.

If that fails google how to clear softwaredistribution folder.
In a nutshell it should tell you to stop wuauserv and bits services, delete all files in the softwaredistribution folder. Restart the services and then try checking for updates again

cheers Chris, I’ve just uninstalled the latest ones back to April.

And trying to update again.

I’ve done the softwaredistribution folder but it didn’t fix it.

Disabled them years ago
Life is too short.

You do understand the need for software updates?

Presumably there’s plenty of free space on the hard drive?

From a command prompt as Administrator, try sfc /scannow

Look in Event Viewer, does that give you any further information? Google-able error codes as to why it’s failing?

Failing that I’d probably just reinstall rather than cock about with random guesswork. It’s straight-forward these days.

You do understand the need for software updates?

At this point in my life I feel like King Canute. I made the executive decision that I’m just not dealing with the fallout from this sort of intentional daftness any more. You’ve got a malware infection you say, you haven’t made any backups ever and you’ve lost 20 years of family photos / coursework / music / invoices / porn?

Life, as someone once said, is too short.

Yup
Don’t care. Anything I want kept is stored.
I’d rather deal with malware than wait two hours to use a laptop every time.

You’ve got a malware infection you say, you haven’t made any backups ever and you’ve lost 20 years of family photos / coursework / music / invoices / porn?

Hang on – you mean my 20 years of carefully curated porn music is in jeopardy?

Backups ahoy!

I’d rather deal with malware than wait two hours to use a laptop every time.

I’m out…

Presumably there’s plenty of free space on the hard drive?

Yup, about 38GB

From a command prompt as Administrator, try sfc /scannow

Just running that now cheers. Has just finished and repaired a few things apparently.

Look in Event Viewer, does that give you any further information? Google-able error codes as to why it’s failing?

There’s one that relates to it, this page https://www.ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/configuration/0x80070002-error/ has some suggestions which is mostly what has been mentioned by everyone. I’ve just set the time zone to auto & re-synced the time, which I think is clutching at straws.

Failing that I’d probably just reinstall rather than cock about with random guesswork. It’s straight-forward these days.

I’ve got 2 options under reset windows, either keep or delete files. No option to keep installed software / apps – is that right?

I’d rather deal with malware than wait two hours minutes to use a laptop every time once a month.

FTFY.

I’ve got 2 options under reset windows, either keep or delete files. No option to keep installed software / apps – is that right?

“Keep” should keep everything. TBH though, I wouldn’t do it via ‘reset.’ I’d start here.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Yup
Don’t care. Anything I want kept is stored.
I’d rather deal with malware than wait two hours to use a laptop every time.

I don’t want to get involved in this argument, but this computer has been running for maybe 3 years and this is the first time I’ve had to wait for it to do anything, usually it happily updates itself over night or when I shut it down.

Oh, and it is still working perfectly well and as quick as ever.

“Keep” should keep everything. TBH though, I wouldn’t do it via ‘reset.’ I’d start here.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows10

Cheers, I’ve just clicked to update to the latest version of Win 10 from your link, will try that first then re-install if no joy.

@Cougar. Boom, all up to date now cheers. Using the update assistant on your link appeared to roll me back to the latest version pre a couple of updates, the latest one has just installed.

👍👍

Glad to hear it, windows updates are the bane of our life in my role…. All fine for 6 months then one screws it up and I can tell you now on Intune we don’t test our updates before deploying! We should but we don’t and sadly it’s not my decision!

And whilst I was playing around with it decided to stick Win 11 on it. Seems to have gone without a hitch

Maniac.

😁

I can tell you now on Intune we don’t test our updates before deploying! We should but we don’t and sadly it’s not my decision!

How odd. It’s the easiest thing ever in Intune (especially if it’s linked to SCCM/SCEM in the case of on premise AD) to set a few machines to receive updates earlier than the rest to allow testing. 🤷‍♂️

All fine for 6 months then one screws it up

I have just had three messages from staff, all with identical laptops, which have have laptops refusing to move beyond the blue ‘just updating’ screen and 0%…. We too have rare problems with updates – then out the blue something falls over.

Oh well, that is what we have tech support for.