What to do if Windows Update is not working

Windows Update

Update Windows, traditionally, has always been a nightmare for various reasons. One of the most annoying we find when we are working and suddenly the computer forces us to restart to install the updates, some updates that take several minutes to install.

Fortunately, that problem was solved by Microsoft a few years ago with Windows 10. Another of the problems that Windows users can face is when updating our equipment, since, sometimes, it does not want to update. What to do if Windows Update is not working?

The problem that Microsoft usually faces with the new versions of Windows that it launches on the market is that it has to design an operating system that must work on millions of devices different, a problem that Apple does not face with macOS.

Due to its idiosyncrasy, Windows works quite well despite that complexity. If you have reached this article, it is because your Windows-managed computer (regardless of the version you have installed) is not updated.

Which versions of Windows are updated

Windows 7

The first thing to keep in mind is that today (January 2022), Microsoft it is only releasing updates to Windows 8.1, Windows 1o and Windows 11.

If your computer is managed by Windows 7 or Windows 8, you can forget about updating your device, because Microsoft already does not offer support for both versions (although the updates it released at the time are still available).

If you would like to receive new updates in Windows 8.0, first of all, you must upgrade to Windows 8.1.

Although the best you can do, if your team is compatible with windows 10, you should upgrade for free (if you have an official license) and take advantage of the fact that Microsoft continues to update it today. for now, will continue to do so until 2025. Starting in 2025, you will only receive Windows 11 updates.

Although Windows 7 and Windows 8 already do not receive new security updates, the ones that Microsoft released at the time are still available for download.

Windows Update not working in Windows 7

If Windows Update doesn't work in Windows 7, we must change the name of the software distribution backup folders by performing the steps that I show you below:

  • First of all, we run the cmd app as administrator from the search box.
  • Next, we will write the following command lines, pressing Enter at the end of each one.
    • net stop bits
    • net stop wuauerv
    • ren% systemroot% \ softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak
    • ren% systemroot% \ system32 \ catroot2 catroot2.bak
    • net start bits
    • net start wuauserv

Finally, we close the command prompt window and check if Windows Update is working again.

Windows Update not working in Windows 8.0

As I mentioned above, if you are on Windows 8.0, you will not be able to receive new updates until you upgrade to Windows 8.1 for free.

Windows Update not working in Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1

If your computer is managed by Windows 8.1 and there is no way to update the computer to the new updates, we must perform the same process as in Windows 7, changing the name of the software distribution backup folders, performing the steps that I show you below.

  • We run the cmd application as administrator from the search box.
  • Next, we will write the following command lines, pressing Enter at the end of each one.
    • net stop cryptsvc
    • net stop bits
    • net stop wuauerv
    • ren% systemroot% \ softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak
    • ren% systemroot% \ system32 \ catroot2 catroot2.bak
    • net start cryptsvc
    • net start bits
    • net start wuauserv

Finally, we close the command prompt window and check if Windows Update is working again.

Windows Update not working in Windows 10

Windows 10

Restart the system

In most cases, including the problem we are dealing with in this article, they are solved with a simple reboot of the system, for all be back in your place.

Download the Microsoft app

The simplest and fastest solution for force our team to update to the latest version available At that time, regardless of whether it is Windows 10 or Windows 11, it is to use the tool that Microsoft makes available to all users and that we can download through this link.

Once we have installed the application, we must run it to check which is the latest version of Windows that we have installed and download all updates that have been released since then.

Restore to a previous version of Windows

restore system

Yes, once we have installed the Microsoft application that forces the computer to update, this still not updating the problem is more serious than it appears and we will be forced to restore to a previous version of Windows.

Windows restore points, are created automatically when we install applications that modify the system, so if you haven't taken the precaution of doing them previously, don't worry, the system has taken care of doing it for you.

For go back to a previous restore point In Windows 10, we must perform the steps that I show you below:

  • We go to the Windows search box and write Create restore point and click on the first result shown.
  • Next, we go to the bottom of the window and click on System Restore.
  • Then a window will be displayed inform us what the restoration process consists of
The restoration process does not affect the documents, images and other personal data that we have stored.
  • It is recommended use the immediately previous restore point, the last one we did, which is also the option that Windows recommends, however, we can also choose any other restore point
  • For restore the computer using the last restore pointn that we have in our team, click on Recommended restoration. If we want to use another restore point, we select Choose another restore point.

If nothing works

reset windows

The only option left to us, before reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch, goes through reset the computer through the Windows recovery options.

This function is found within the configuration options of Windows – Update and Security – Recovery. This option allows us to keep our personal files or delete them after reinstalling Windows.

This process it is very similar to reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch, but with the advantage of not having to format the computer and make a backup of all the data that we want to keep.

Windows Update not working in Windows 11

Steps to fix a problem with Windows Update not working in Windows 11 they are exactly the same as with Windows 10. It should be remembered that Windows 10 is the basis of Windows 11, and they share practically all the functionality, including both problems and solutions.


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