Windows Update is an essential component on every major release of Windows 10, as it allows the OS to download and install the latest updates with bug fixes, security patches, and drivers. Also, on Windows 10, it’s also the mechanism to obtain new feature updates and preview builds. However, there will times when your device may not be able to download or install updates, because of a specific error message, Windows Update not being able to connect to the Microsoft servers, and many other problems.
Usually, users may come across this type of problems when the Windows Update agent related services stop working, there’s an issue with the update cache, or some components are corrupted. In these situations, you can reset the Windows Update on Windows 10 to fix most problems.
In this guide, you’ll learn the steps to reset the Windows Update components using the “Windows Update Troubleshooter” utility and the instructions to use Command Prompt to manually fix Windows Update and get security patches, drivers, and features downloading again on your computer. However, before using the Command Prompt option, make sure to use the instructions to install the most recent update manually, Service Stack Update (SSU), and repairing system files first.
How to reset Windows Update using Troubleshooter tool
Use these steps to reset the Windows Update components using the automated troubleshooter:
- Download the Windows Update Troubleshooter from Microsoft.
- Double-click the WindowsUpdateDiagnostic.diagcab file to run the troubleshooter.
- Select the Windows Update option.
- Click the Next button.
- Click the Try troubleshooting as an administrator option (if applicable). Re-select your option and click the Next button again.
- Click the Close button.
- Open Windows Update Troubleshooter again.
- Select the Windows Networking Diagnostics option to resolve any networking issues preventing updates from downloading.
- Click the Next button.
- Click the Close button.
- Restart your computer.
Once your PC restarts try to update Windows 10 one more time and now it should work as expected.
How to fix Windows Update installing latest update manually
Use these steps to install an update manually, which can help to fix problems with Windows Update on Windows 10:
- Open the Windows 10 update history website.
- In the left pane, browse the latest update for your version of Windows 10 and note the KB number of the update.Quick tip: You can check your current version on Settings > System > About, and under the “Windows Specifications” section, see the version information.
- Ddlc monika after story github. Silent hill psp iso android. Open the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
- Search for the knowledge base (KB) number of the update.
- Download the update for version of Windows 10 that you’re running (32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)).
- Double-click the file to install the update.
- Restart your computer.
Once you complete the steps, the device should have the latest update installed. The update should have also fixed the problem with Windows Update. You can check clicking the Check for updates button in the Windows Update settings page.
How to fix Windows Update installing latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU)
Use these steps to make sure your computer has the most recent Servicing Stack Update to fix Windows Update problems on Windows 10:
- Open Settings.
- Click on System.
- Click on About.
- Under the “System type” section, check whether you’re running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 10.
- Open the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
- Download the most recent Servicing Stack Update which is described as KB4090914 for version you’re running (32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)).
- Double-click the file to install the update.
- Restart your computer.
After restarting your device, you should now be able to download and install the update using the Settings app.
How to fix Windows Update repairing corrupted system files
Use these steps to repair system files using Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and System File Checker (SFC) to fix Windows Update problems:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following DISM command to repair corrupted system files and press Enter:
- Type the following SFC command to repair system files and press Enter:
After completing the steps, Windows Update should have been repaired, and you can check for updates again to verify.
How to reset Windows Update using Command Prompt
Use these steps to reset the Windows Update components manually using Command Prompt on Windows 10:
- Open Start.
- Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
- Type the following commands to stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows Update service, and Cryptographic service, and press Enter on each line:Quick Tip: You may need to run the command more than ones until you see the message that the service has stopped successfully.
- Type the following command to delete all the qmgr*.dat files created by BITS from your PC. and press Enter:
- Type Y to confirm the deletion.
- Type the following commands to clear the Windows Update cache to allow Windows 10 re-download the updates, instead of using the files already downloaded on your system that might be damaged and press Enter on each line:Quick Tip: We’re using the remove directory
rmdir
command with the/S
switch to delete the specified directory and all subdirectories within the main folder, and the/Q
switch is used to delete directories quietly without confirmation. If you get the message “The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process.”, then repeat step 1 and try again, as one of the services might have restarted unexpectedly. - Type the following commands reset the BITS and Windows Update services to their default security descriptor, and press Enter on each line:
- Type the following command to move to the System32 folder and press Enter:
- Type the following commands to register all the corresponding BITS and Windows Update DLL files on the Registry, and press Enter on each line:Note:
regsvr32
is a command-line tool that will help you to register .DLL files as command components in the registry, and we’re using the/S
switch to specify the tool to run the command silently without prompting additional messages. - Type the following commands to reset the network configurations that might be part of the problem (but do not restart your computer just yet), and press Enter on each line:
- Type the following commands to restart the BITS, Windows Update, and Cryptographic services, and press Enter on each line:
- Restart your computer.
Once you have successfully completed the process Windows Update should have reset and it should be working again on your Windows 10 device.
You can also use the above instructions to fix the problem when Surface Pro 6, Surface Book, Surface Laptop, or any other Surface can’t seem to download a new firmware update.
Update May 30, 2019: This guide has been updated to reflect to work with the latest version of Windows 10. (Originally published on February 2016, updated on May 2018.)
Alvin Nyau - Updated on So, you have a problem with your Windows Update and you ran the Windows Update Troubleshooter downloaded from Microsoft website. Instead of fixing the issue, the troubleshooter returns an error that reads “Potential Windows Update Database Error Detected 2018 Windows 10“.
The potential Windows Update database error detected 2018 Windows 10 error suggests that there were potentially database error during Windows Update in Windows 10. Usually, this error could happen when there are corrupted Windows system files, or when Windows update have problem accessing to the C:Windows due to corrupted files or bad registry entries.
Thus, when you run Windows Update troubleshooter, you may get the potential Windows Update database error detected not fixed Windows 10 2018 error, or sometimes Windows Update components must be repaired. Here’s how to fix it.
Fix: Potential Windows Update Database Error Detected 2018 not fixed in Windows 10
Since the error is most likely to be caused by corrupted or missing system files, we will run a series of repair tools trying to repair the corrupted files in Windows 10. We will also try to run another troubleshooter and restart Windows Update service. If nothing works, we would suggest you to reset Windows 10 without losing files. Read below for instruction.
Run System File Check command
System file check is a powerful Windows 10 built-in tool to automatically scan and repair missing and corrupted Windows system files. Here’s how to run the tool via Command Prompt.
- Go to Windows search or start menu.
- Type cmd.
- Right-click Command Prompt from the search result and then select Run as administrator.
- In the command prompt, type the following command and press Enter key.
Sit back and wait while the system file check does it job. It may take some time to scan your system files depending on the size of your system files and the performance of your HDD.
When it’s done, restart your computer and run Windows Update troubleshooter again. If it shows no error, run Windows Update to see if it works.
Run Deployment Imaging and Servicing Management (DISM)
DISM is another Windows 10 built-in tools capable of repairing Windows 10 image and correct Windows Update and other services’ problems. It’s also one of the most widely used and the possibly the second tool (after SFC) that come to mind first when we meet a Windows 10 error.
To run DISM, open Command Prompt with admin privilege as instructed above. In the CMD, enter the following command.
DISM may also take a long time to complete its scan and repair. When the scan is completed, restart your computer and verify if the potential Windows Update database error detected 2018 not fixed in Windows 10 error still persists.
Troubleshoot Windows update via Windows 10 Settings app
Instead of using the WU troubleshooter you downloaded earlier, try to run the built-in troubleshooter from Windows 10 settings. Here’s where you find the Windows Update troubleshoot option in Settings.
Go to start menu. Click on Settings which appears as a gear icon at the left. Select Update & Security. From the left pane, click on Troubleshoot. Select Windows Update under Troubleshoot, then click on the Run the troubleshooter button.
Reset Windows 10
If nothing works, we suggest to reset your Windows 10. By reset, it means to reinstall Windows 10 entirely. The new reset Windows 10 method allows users to keep their files so that you won’t lose your files during the reset. Here’s how to do it.
Go to start menu. Click on Settings, then select Update & Security. Click on Recovery from the left panel. Under reset this PC, click on Get started. Follow the on-screen instruction to complete the reset. Make sure to select keep my files if you prefer to keep your personal files when Windows 10 reset.
If in any case you can’t boot into Windows, you may want to read: How to reset Windows 10 without losing files. Resetting your Windows 10 should solve the potential Windows Update database error detected 2018 not fixed in Windows 10 error.
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Categories: Windows Update
I am running Windows 10 on my new toshiba laptop (pre-installed) and nothing ever works - after reconfiguring the computer for 5 times in 4 months with several problems I now have problems with the updater.
Although it is set to automitcally updating I always have to start searching for windows updates myself by opening the updater. I ran the Update troubleshooter repeated times, most of the times it says
The location where Windows Update stores data has changed and must be repaired. - then says fixed
Or
One or more Windows Update components are configured incorrectly. And then fixed -
but the problem remains.
I could get the new March updated installed after 3 hours of repeatedly rebooting, troubleshooting and so on - but the problem remains, I have to open the update myself for something to happen.
I am desperatly longing for the time where you could go on the windows website and they had an easy fix for everything (say you downloaded a tool that fixed it all), but now everything should go automatically and since this is the component that doesn't work I can't do anything.
I don't know what to do anymore with this laptop, I am preparing myself to running linux instead as I am sick of reconfiguring a brandnew laptop that is apparently just not compatible with windows 10.
Windows Update Components Must Be Repaired Windows 10 2
Any suggestion before I do this?
Lirik lagu gugudan believe in this moment hangul song. Thank you, I really appreciate your time!
Hi Wilton. I'm Greg, an installation specialist and 8 year Windows MVP, here to help you.
There is a new guided walk-through from Microsoft for repairing Windows Update that leads up to resetting components if necessary: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10164/.. Try running that first.
There's a lot of turmoil in Windows Updates right now. So unless it's interfering with performance I'd give them a few weeks to sort it out.
You can try installing Updates manually from Microsoft Update catalog by searching for them here: http://test.catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/sit..
You can also install this tool to tell you exactly your level of protection needed for the CPU threat, how it may affect performance, and what you can do about it: https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm
You can get more control over Windows Updates with some new features in the last two versions at Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update under Restart Options and set Active Hours when you don't' want to be bothered.
You can block Windows Updates and Version Updates using these methods: https://www.askvg.com/fixing-windows-10-automat..
You can set a Metered Connection or turn off Windows Update service and only install the Version Updates twice a year when you are ready via the most stable method - which isn't Windows Update anyway, but by running it from Media Creation Tool or the media it creates: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m.. All previous Updates are rolled up in the Version Update.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.
There is a new guided walk-through from Microsoft for repairing Windows Update that leads up to resetting components if necessary: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/10164/.. Try running that first.
There's a lot of turmoil in Windows Updates right now. So unless it's interfering with performance I'd give them a few weeks to sort it out.
You can try installing Updates manually from Microsoft Update catalog by searching for them here: http://test.catalog.update.microsoft.com/v7/sit..
You can also install this tool to tell you exactly your level of protection needed for the CPU threat, how it may affect performance, and what you can do about it: https://www.grc.com/inspectre.htm
You can get more control over Windows Updates with some new features in the last two versions at Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update under Restart Options and set Active Hours when you don't' want to be bothered.
You can block Windows Updates and Version Updates using these methods: https://www.askvg.com/fixing-windows-10-automat..
You can set a Metered Connection or turn off Windows Update service and only install the Version Updates twice a year when you are ready via the most stable method - which isn't Windows Update anyway, but by running it from Media Creation Tool or the media it creates: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/m.. All previous Updates are rolled up in the Version Update.
I hope this helps. Feel free to ask back any questions and let us know how it goes. I will keep working with you until it's resolved.