The Windows 10 updates are failing to finish.
The Windows 10 updates are failing to finish.
Hello everyone, I want to share how I’ve been handling this issue. I’m not very tech-savvy with Windows, so I rely on online searches and then just try to work it out. I’m using Windows 10 Home, version 21H1. For a few months now, I’ve been facing problems with Windows updates. I’ve tried several suggestions from the internet, but so far nothing has worked. I’ve created a new access profile and granted full access, but the error about restrictions keeps appearing. I also used Chris Titus’ tool, which includes a reset feature for updates, but that didn’t help either. Quality updates seem to install without issues, though feature updates aren’t working. Recently, the update failed with error code 0x80070005. After restarting, it showed the update was 9% done and then restarted again, displaying a message about undoing changes before the restart. I’m still trying to figure out what more information you might need to help me. Please let me know if you can assist further.
Open the search bar in the start menu, select "cmd" and run it with admin privileges. Execute the following commands in the window: check disk integrity on C: /f /r, then restart the computer. Run sfc /scannow DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /ScanHealth DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestoreHealth. Restart again and observe the results.
Review the event viewer for more details about the problem. Usually, the main reasons are: a driver can't be upgraded because it isn’t supported. Ensure all your drivers—especially GPU, audio, printer, chipset, SATA controller, keyboard, mouse—are fully current. If a security or peripheral software is missing, it might prevent the upgrade. Update or remove it and reinstall after applying the update. Occasionally, a program relying on a driver (like anti-cheat or DRM) won’t allow upgrades. Make sure all your applications, including games, are updated too. The error code 0x80070005 relates to permission issues, but this isn’t necessarily about file permissions. It could mean a system file failed during the upgrade, possibly due to a driver not handling the task correctly. It might seem like a permission problem, but it’s more about an underlying failure in the process rather than a simple file access issue.
It looks like your system has significant issues with the operating system and important files are damaged. You might need to fix Windows using a Windows installation media or perform a full reinstall.
Thank you for your input. I updated my GPU driver and verified all other devices in the Device Manager. The drivers appear current, and the same holds true for the games I have installed. I also don’t run any additional security software besides Windows Defender’s scanner, so there’s nothing further to check.
Save the installation on a bootable USB drive. Select to repair your computer and proceed with the setup guide. For a fresh installation backup, decide what files you wish to retain and opt for a clean install instead of repair.