Windows Update Error 0x80004005 [SOLVED]

Besides the obvious UI changes, the novelty with the largest impact on the Windows 10 overall experience must be the Windows Update.

One common Windows Update error goes by the error code 0x80004005 and it prevents users from updating.

In order to provide you with the final resolution of the problem, we enlisted the best-suited workarounds. In case you’re stuck with this error in Windows 10, check the possible solutions below.

If you’re getting the error 0x80004005 in Windows 11, we have another dedicated guide to check out.

How can I fix the 0x80004005 Windows Update error?

1. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

First things first. Let’s give a shot to a basic system tool before we move to more difficult troubleshooting steps.

Windows 10 Creators Update brought the unified Troubleshoot menu with a variety of troubleshooting tools.

This list, of course, contains a Windows Update Troubleshooter. If we take into consideration how much problems mandatory updates caused in Windows 10, this tool is a basic need.

Once you run the Windows Update Troubleshooter tool, it will scan for the update-related errors, restart certain services, and give updating another try.

If you’re unsure how to run this tool, make sure to check the steps below:

1. Press Windows key + I to open the Settings app.
2. Choose Update & Security.
3. Open Troubleshoot from the left pane.
4. Select Windows Update and click on Run the troubleshooter.
5. Follow the instructions until the procedure ends.

In case this solution fell short, we’ll probably need to get the big guns into play. Continue with the further steps.

2. Run SFC

The System File Checker or SFC is a built-in tool run through the elevated command prompt. Its main purpose is to check the integrity of the system files and, if needed, repair them.

Occasionally, due to viruses or misuse, update-related system files can get corrupted or incomplete.

That will, consequently, cause problems with the further updates, and inflict an error like the one we’re addressing today.

That’s where the SFC comes in handy and that’s why it’s an essential troubleshooting tool.

Follow the instructions below to run the System File Checker tool on your PC and check for system errors:

1. In the Windows Search bar, type cmd.
2. Right-click the Command Prompt and run it as an administrator.
3. In the command line, type the following command and press Enter:
   • sfc /scannow
4. The scanning procedure should last approximately 15 minutes.

Still, if the tool hasn’t located any system errors and the problem is persistent, try the remaining solutions.

3. Reset Update services

Update Services are, as the name itself suggests, the services in charge of everything that even moderately relates to updating in Windows 10. Literary everything.

Now, most of the time they’ll work as intended in the background, but (and there’s always ‘but’ with Windows 10 updates lately) they’ll start misbehaving occasionally. So, what you’ll need to do is restart them completely.

In addition, we advise you to delete or rename the folder where the installations for recently downloaded updates are stored.

Once you’ve done that, the system will automatically create a brand new folder and start the downloading from a scratch.

Now, both of these actions can be done manually, through the standard system interface. Or you can do it with a little help of Command Prompt and a few precise commands.

We’ll show you the latter way because it’s much faster, but please do pay attention or things can suddenly go south. And we certainly don’t want that.

Here’s how you can reset the Windows Update services:

1. In the Windows Search bar, type cmd.
2. Right-click the Command Prompt and run it as an administrator.
3. In the command-line, type the following commands and press Enter after each:
   • net stop wuauserv
   • net stop bits
   • net stop cryptsvc
   • Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistributionDataStore *.bak
   • Ren %systemroot%SoftwareDistributionDownload *.bak
   • Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 *.bak
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start bits
   • net start cryptsvc
4. After that, check for updates again.

4. Check your PC drivers

Bad drivers are also known instigators of the concerning error. Namely, it’s not unusual for an essential driver to create a stall within the updating procedure.

Meaning, you might pass with the lack of a proper peripheral driver, but not the GPU or sound driver.

Without those, the Update service will constantly look for the fitting drivers and that will, eventually, result in a never-ending loop and error.

For that purpose, it’s highly advised to inspect your drivers and update them respectively. If you’re not sure how to sort them out in the Device Manager, make sure to check the instructions below:

1. Press Windows key + X to open the Power User menu.
2. Choose Device Manager from the list.
3. Look for the yellow exclamation point. Those are the devices without the proper drivers.
4. Now, depending on the type of device you can:
   • For lesser devices like a webcam or universal serial bus controllers: right-click on the device and choose Update Driver.
   • For GPU and sound devices, navigate to the official OEM’s site and download certified drivers.
5. Once you’ve dealt with the missing drivers, restart your PC and check for updates again.

4.1 Update drivers automatically

In order to prevent PC damage by installing the wrong driver versions, we recommend doing it automatically by using a specialized driver updater tool that will download and update the correct version.

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

5. Download the update manually

As we already stated, renewed Windows 10 Update features caused a lot of problems and critical errors.

Some of them are minor difficulties, while others can render the whole system completely unusable. Either way, it’ll eventually make your life unpleasant, to say the least.

On the other hand, there’s more than one way to access and download the available updates, and that’s where you might find the resolution for the update error we’re addressing today.

All major updates, cumulative updates, or small security patches are preserved in the Microsoft Update Catalog. From there, you can download and install updates just like any other third-party program.

You can easily resolve the problem by removing the stall created by one problematic update file.

Follow the instructions below to install Windows 10 updates manually:

1. Copy the name of the troubled update file.
2. Go to Microsoft Catalogue here.
3. Paste the name in the dedicated search box.
4. Download the file. Make sure that it responds to your system architecture (x86 or x64).
5. Install the update file.
6. Restart your PC.
7. Check for additional updates to look for changes.

6. Perform a clean reinstall

Finally, if none of the previous steps worked for you, there stands clean reinstallation is your last resort.

Especially if you upgraded to Windows 10 rather than performed a clean install. Read all you need to know about the detailed explanation of the reinstallation procedure.

Therefore, make sure to check it out if you’re not sure how to do it on your own.

Read more about this topic

• Windows installation error 0x80070017 [Fixed]
• Microsoft fixed the Intel SST driver incompatibility with Windows 11, finally allowing users to upgrade their devices

7. Clean boot your PC

Conflicting software may also block the updates and trigger this error code. You can fix this problem by clean booting your computer so as to strip down the startup programs and start Windows with minimal drivers.

Here’s how you can do that:

1. Go to Start > type msconfig > hit Enter
2. Go to System Configuration > click on the Services tab >  check the Hide all Microsoft services check box > click Disable all.
3. Go to the Startup tab > Open Task Manager.
4. Select each startup item > click Disable
5. You can now close Task Manager > restart the computer.

With this, we can conclude the list.

In case you have any questions or alternative solutions regarding the update error 0x80004005, make sure to share them with us. You can do that in the comments section below.