Installer Encountered An Error 0x800f0905: Solved

As someone familiar with how Windows operates, I understand the importance of keeping it up-to-date. I too have encountered the frustrating 0x800f0905 error while trying to update Windows.

This not only prevents us from accessing new features but also impacts our system’s performance and security overall.

In this article, I’ll showcase some solutions for the 0x800f0905 Windows Update error on both Windows 10 and Windows 11 and ensure that our systems are running smoothly and securely once again.

What does 0x800f0905 mean?

The Installer encountered an error 0x800f0905 message indicating the operating system’s inability to install the requested updates. Unfortunately, the error is quite persistent and not easily fixable.

There are a bunch of reasons behind the 0x800f0905 error encountered by the installer, and we have listed the most prominent ones below:

• Corrupt system files – If your computer has corrupt system files, it’s likely to lead to several issues, including Windows Update errors.
• Problems with Windows Update components – In some cases, users reported issues with the WU components, and resetting the Windows Update components did the trick.
• Misconfigured settings – You may receive the error message if the update or network settings are misconfigured.
• Third-party applications – Several third-party applications are known to conflict with the update process and throw errors. The simplest solution, in case of the Installer encountered an error 0x800f0905 message, is to uninstall the problematic app.

How can I fix Installer encountered an error 0x800f0905?

Before we walk you through the slightly complex solutions, here are a few simple ones:

• Disable any third-party antivirus, security software, or firewall installed on the computer.
• If you have a VPN connection set up, disable it and use the regular connection to install the Windows update.

If that’s the case with you, the following solutions should get things up and running.

1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

1. Press Windows + I to launch the Settings app.
2. Click on Troubleshoot on the right in the System tab.
3. Next, click on Other troubleshooters.
4. Locate the Windows Update troubleshooter and click on the Run button next to it.
5. Windows will now detect and fix problems that might be leading to the 0x800f0905 error encountered by the installer.

Alternatively, you can try dedicated third-party repair software to automatically fix Windows Update-related errors.

This kind of tool can scan the whole system and identify any corrupted or broken files, after that with just a few clicks you can have this software download genuine and clean replacement files. Your system will be as good as new in just a few minutes.

2. Reset Windows update components

1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Windows Terminal in the text field at the top, right-click on the relevant search result, and then select Run as administrator from the context menu.

2. Click Yes on the UAC (User Account Control) prompt that pops up.

3. Up next, click on the downward arrow at the top, and select Command Prompt from the list of options. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + 2 to launch the Command Prompt tab.

4. Now, type/paste the following commands to stop the BITS and Windows update service, and hit Enter after each to execute them:

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

5. Next, enter the following command to delete the qmgr*.dat files:Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%Application DataMicrosoftNetworkDownloaderqmgr*.dat”

6. Now, enter the following commands to rename some critical folders:

Ren %Systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore DataStore.bak

Ren %Systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\Download Download.bak

Ren %Systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

If this is your first attempt at resetting Windows Update components, skip this step.

7. Paste the following commands and hit Enter to reset the BITS and Windows Update services:

sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

8. Next, paste the following command and hit Enter:cd /d %windir%\system32

9. You will now have to execute each of the following commands to reregister the BITS and Windows Update files to fix the 0x800f0905 error encountered by the installer:

regsvr32.exe atl.dll

regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll


regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll


regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll


regsvr32.exe browseui.dll


regsvr32.exe jscript.dll


regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll


regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll

regsvr32.exe msxml.dll


regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll

regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll

regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe softpub.dll

regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll

regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll

regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll

regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll

regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll

regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll

regsvr32.exe ole32.dll

regsvr32.exe shell32.dll

regsvr32.exe initpki.dll

regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll

regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll

regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll

regsvr32.exe wups.dll

regsvr32.exe wups2.dll

regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll

regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll

regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe wucltux.dllregsvr32.exe muweb.dll

regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll

10. Execute the following command to reset Winsock: netsh winsock reset

11. Finally, execute these commands to restart the BITS and Windows Update service:

net start bits

net start wuauserv

Resetting the Windows Update components is one of the best fixes for any issues related to updating the OS.

Though the process is slightly longer, it’s known to eliminate the install error – 0x800f0905 encountered by installer in Windows for a lot of users.

3. Perform a system restore

1. Press Windows + S to launch the Search menu, enter Create a restore point in the text field at the top, and click on the relevant search result.
2. Next, click on System Restore.
3. If no recommended restore points are listed, click on Next.
4. Choose a restore point from the ones listed here and click on Next.
5. Finally, review the restore settings and click on Finish to start the process.
6. Your computer will restart during the process, so save any open files.
7. After the computer restarts, check if the 0x800f0905 Windows Update error encountered by the installer is fixed.

System restore takes your computer back to a state where the error didn’t exist altogether. For example, say it’s misconfigured settings or a conflicting application causing the error, and restoring the system works perfectly here.

Read more about this topic

• Fix: Fatal Error 1603 during installation in Windows 10
• Windows 10 updates will be much smaller from now to suit slow Internet speeds

4. Manually install the updates

1. Go to Windows 11 update history and identify the latest version’s KB (Knowledge Base) number. The KB number below is for the last update when writing this article; it could be different for the update you install in the future.
2. Now, go to the official Microsoft Update Catalog, paste the KB number in the search box, and then hit Enter.
3. Click on the Download button next to the update that matches your system.
4. Next, click on the link to download the file.
5. Double-click on the downloaded file to launch the installer setup, and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

After manually downloading and installing the Windows update, the 0x800f0905 error encountered by the installer should be eliminated.

5. Perform an in-place upgrade

1. Go to Microsoft’s official website, scroll to the Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) section, select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO) from the dropdown menu, and click Download.
2. Choose a language, preferably English (United States), and then click Confirm.
3. Now, click on the 64-bit Download button.
4. After it’s downloaded, double-click on the file.
5. Click Open in the confirmation prompt.
6. Now, run the setup.exe file.
7. Click Yes in the UAC prompt.
8. Now, click Next.
9. Click Accept in the Applicable notices and license terms window.
10. Finally, verify that it lists Keep personal files and apps, then click on Install.
11. Now, wait for the installation to complete. It may take some time and should let the process run uninterrupted.

That’s it! If none of the previous methods worked, performing an in-place upgrade should most certainly get things up and running when receiving the Installer encountered an error 0x800f0905 message.

If it still doesn’t work, you can factory reset Windows 11 or even roll back to Windows 10.

Tell us which fix worked or whether you had to reset Windows 11 in the comments section below.