Fix: There were some problems installing updates

by Milan Stanojevic

Deputy Editor

Milan has been enthusiastic about PCs ever since his childhood days, and this led him to take interest in all PC-related technologies. Before joining WindowsReport, he worked as a front-end web developer.

Posted at: April 20 2021

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In case you’re experiencing difficulties trying to perform an update installation on Windows, there are ways to work around the issue.

Here are some solutions that can help you fix the update installation issues.

These issues usually trigger the following error: There were some problems installing updates but we’ll try again later.

On other occasions, the displayed error is We couldn’t install this update, but you can try again followed by an error code.

How can I fix the problems with installing updates?

1. Run Windows Update troubleshooter
2. Run the DISM tool
3. Manually reset Windows Updates components
4. Run a System File Checker scan
5. Temporarily disable your antivirus security software
6. Download updates manually

1. Run Windows Update troubleshooter

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
2. Choose Update & Security.
3. Select Troubleshoot from the left pane.
4. Expand the Windows Update troubleshooter and click Run the troubleshooter.

Does this let you continue with your update installation? If not, try the next solution.

The Windows Update troubleshooter automatically detects, and fixes most incorrect settings on your computer that bring the message there were some problems installing updates but we’ll try again later.

Sometimes you can’t perform an update installation if your computer can’t find the correct IP address when trying to resolve a URL for the Windows Update website, or for the Microsoft Update website.

This error, usually coded as 0x80072EE7, may occur if the hosts file contains a static IP address, so running Windows Update troubleshooter resolves any issues that prevent you from updating Windows.

2. Run the DISM tool

1. Enter Safe Mode with Networking.
2. Open Command Prompt as admin.
3. In the command line, copy-paste the following lines and press Enter after each:
   • DISM /online /Cleanup-Image / ScanHealth
   • DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
4. After it’s done, reboot your PC.

If you still can’t perform an update installation on Windows 10, run the DISM tool, or Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool.

The DISM tool helps fix Windows corruption errors when Windows Updates and service packs fail to install due to corruption errors, like if you have a damaged system file.

Once the repair is complete, reboot your computer and try to perform an update installation again.

If you find DISM too complicated to operate, learn everything there is to know about DISM from our detailed guide.

3. Manually reset Windows Updates components

1. In the Windows Search bar, type cmd.
2. Right-click on the Command Prompt and choose to 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%SoftwareDistributionSoftwareDistribution.bak
   • Ren %systemroot%system32catroot2catroot2.bak
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start bits
   • net start cryptsvc
4. Close Command Prompt and navigate again to Task Manager to ensure that the Windows Update service abnormal resource consumption is reduced.

Run a System Scan to discover potential errors

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Run a PC Scan with Restoro Repair Tool to find errors causing security problems and slowdowns. After the scan is complete, the repair process will replace damaged files with fresh Windows files and components.

Try running Windows Updates again to check if the issue has been resolved.

Back up the registry before you modify it, then restore it if a problem occurs.

It’s recommended to not uncheck the update option Give me updates for other Microsoft products when I update Windows. Windows Updates downloads and installs updates required to run Windows efficiently.

This solution contains steps that are part of modifying the registry. Please note that serious problems may occur if you do this incorrectly. Ensure you follow these steps correctly, and carefully.

4. Run a System File Checker scan

1. Click Start
2. Go to the search field box and type CMD
3. Select Command Prompt
4. Right click and select Run as Administrator
5. Type sfc/scannow
6. Press Enter
7. Restart your computer

A System File Checker scan checks or scans all protected system files, and then replaces the incorrect versions, with the genuine, correct Microsoft versions.

If you want to know all about System File Checker, we have an excellent guide that will teach you all the tricks.

If the update installation issue persists, try the next solution.

5. Temporarily disable your antivirus security software

You can uninstall third-party software on your computer such as computer cleaner or antivirus to check whether it can fix the issue.

For antivirus software, temporarily disable it because you need it to prevent your computer from security threats.

Immediately after you’re done fixing the update installation issue, re-enable your antivirus.

6. Download updates manually

If none of the previous steps proved to be a definite solution, we suggest navigating to Microsoft’s Update Catalog and downloading recent updates manually from there.

Besides the most recent system updates, some users specifically suggest that installing KB5001649 worked for them. So go to the Microsoft Update Catalog to download it and also look for other updates specific to your system version.

Be careful to install only the updates specific to the Windows version you are running (you can find this information in Settings > System > About).

Did any of these solutions get your update installation working? Let us know in the comments section below.

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