Patch Tuesday update problem

mrmatt · Monday at 9:02 AM

Have just tried Troubleshooters again. (Get Help).

For some reason the Windows Update automated diagnostic will not run.

mrmatt · Monday at 9:20 AM

Just tried unpausing updates, reinstalling it, and again same error messages as before

denvilledon · Monday at 10:00 AM

Had the exact same issue. I did all the things mentioned and then some. I had a backup so I knew I couldn't hurt myself to bad. Went to system recovery and ran fix problems using windows update. Held my breath and after reboots the fixes all went on.

spapakons · Monday at 10:43 AM

I am not sure if it is related, but a few builds ago I couldn't update. I thought it was the specific update so I just ignored it and waited for the next one only to see it doesn't install either. I had to use the SFC and dism commands to fix system files. Then I did a chkdsk to fix logical disk errors and also Registry errors. I then run Windows Update Troubleshooter which didn't fix the issue. So I eventually stopped some specific services along with the Windows Update service and renamed the C:\Windows\Software Distribution and another system folder. I restarted and enabled the services again, then Windows Update worked fine and currently I am at 26300.9711 build. I don't remember the steps, I was following Google AI instructions of how to fix the specific error code.

I found it: Open a Command Prompt as Administrator and execute the following commands:

Code:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptsvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver

Load Task Manager and switch to the Services section. Confirm all these services are stopped. If anything is not, click on it and click Stop. Then execute these commands to rename the specific folders:

Code:

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

Now restart the computer and restart the services replacing the previous commands with start instead of stop. Check if Windows Update is working.

mrmatt · Tuesday at 12:50 PM

I have recently done a chkdsk /f /r. (No errors found).

Have also recently ran Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool. Again no errors found.

spapakons · Tuesday at 1:16 PM

Repair Windows Update using the commands I posted.

Robbie64 · Wednesday at 2:54 PM

raptorex said:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{C8999AEC-AECE-4E27-9BCB-5358B13F9FF9}]
"AppName"="dfsvc.exe"
"AppPath"="C:\\Windows\\Microsoft.NET\\Framework64\\v4.0.30319\\"
"Policy"=dword:00000003

is it the registry ?
what else was there in your case ?
I did add those but still still fails

On my desktop PC I'd also been unable to get the update to install. I added this very registry entry and the update installed successfully. It was the only registry entry in ElevationPolicy on my desktop computer that was missing compared to my laptop where the update installed successfully.

mrmatt · 2026-10-22T10:56:08-0400

spapakons said:
I am not sure if it is related, but a few builds ago I couldn't update. I thought it was the specific update so I just ignored it and waited for the next one only to see it doesn't install either. I had to use the SFC and dism commands to fix system files. Then I did a chkdsk to fix logical disk errors and also Registry errors. I then run Windows Update Troubleshooter which didn't fix the issue. So I eventually stopped some specific services along with the Windows Update service and renamed the C:\Windows\Software Distribution and another system folder. I restarted and enabled the services again, then Windows Update worked fine and currently I am at 26300.9711 build. I don't remember the steps, I was following Google AI instructions of how to fix the specific error code.

I found it: Open a Command Prompt as Administrator and execute the following commands:

Code:

net stop wuauserv net stop cryptsvc net stop bits net stop msiserver

Load Task Manager and switch to the Services section. Confirm all these services are stopped. If anything is not, click on it and click Stop. Then execute these commands to rename the specific folders:

Code:

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

Now restart the computer and restart the services replacing the previous commands with start instead of stop. Check if Windows Update is working.

Hello, apologies for the delay in replying, and my absence. I have had many things to contend with recently (not just PC-related).

I will now try the steps you have already suggested.

mrmatt · 2026-10-22T10:56:52-0400

Right, entered those four commands in Command Prompt (admin). 1, 3, & 4 were reported as 'not started'.

Went to Task Manager. I only had to stop Cryptsvc.

Will now enter those other two commands, and restart the PC.

mrmatt · 2026-10-22T11:03:26-0400

Just tried those two commands and here is what it gave me:

Therefore, not restarting PC just yet until further instructed.

Thanks though.

spapakons · 2026-10-22T13:48:05-0400

Check the name of the folder for the first command. You might need to take ownership of the folder and grant you full access before you can rename it in the second command.

mrmatt · 2026-10-22T14:49:57-0400

Here is what FileExplorer gave me:

I don't really know what you mean by 'take ownership' and how I'd be able to go about doing that.

raptorex · 2026-10-22T16:08:04-0400

Robbie64 said:
On my desktop PC I'd also been unable to get the update to install. I added this very registry entry and the update installed successfully. It was the only registry entry in ElevationPolicy on my desktop computer that was missing compared to my laptop where the update installed successfully.

mine still fails so there gotta be something else going on

spapakons · 2026-10-22T16:34:33-0400

mrmatt said:
Here is what FileExplorer gave me:

View attachment 187510

I don't really know what you mean by 'take ownership' and how I'd be able to go about doing that.

Right-click on the folder or file and select Properties. Then switch to the Security tab. Click Advanced and you see the current owner is TrustedInstaller. Click to change it and type Administrators to set the Administrators group (all Administrator users) as the new owner. Then close the window and open it again this time changing the access rights from Read & Execute to Full access. Close all windows. Change the folder first and then the file inside it. You might see the owner of the file has already changed to the Administrators group, but you have to change the access rights. Since the file is in use by File Explorer, you must use a third-party file manager or the command prompt and terminate the File Explorer in order to replace it.

Banjoman301 · 2026-10-22T19:14:48-0400

You don't need to take ownership of any file or folder.

Make sure you're running commands in an elevated (Run as Administrator) Command prompt.

If you previously ran a Windows Update reset, the .old folders already exist and will need to be deleted each time you run it.

I run all the reset commands in a .bat file, and include the following...

if exist c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution.old rd /s /q c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution.old
if exist c:\windows\System32\catroot2.old rd /s /q c:\windows\System32\catroot2.old
::
ren c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution softwaredistribution.old
ren c:\windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

Banjoman301 · 2026-10-22T19:22:53-0400

The commands for a Windows Update Reset batch file...

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptsvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
::
if exist c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution.old rd /s /q c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution.old
if exist c:\windows\System32\catroot2.old rd /s /q c:\windows\System32\catroot2.old
::
ren c:\windows\SoftwareDistribution softwaredistribution.old
ren c:\windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
::
net start wuauserv
net start cryptsvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

Open Notepad.

Select all the commands in italics and Copy

Paste into Notepad.

Save the Notepad file on your Desktop as WUreset.bat

Right-click on the .bat file, and select Run as Administrator.

That's it.

Patch Tuesday update problem

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