While Windows updates can lead to unexpected issues for IT administrators, there are some simple steps they should always take to find the cause of the update issue.
Applying Windows updates in a timely manner is one of the most important things that IT administrators can do to keep Windows 10 desktops secure and performing well
Although the Windows update process is often a simple task, things can go wrong. Fortunately, there are some relatively easy steps that you as a desktop administrator can take when a Windows update won’t work.
Simple fixes to ensure Windows 10 updates work
If you’re having problems getting a Windows update to work, then the first thing that you should do is to reboot the endpoint. Although starting off with the reboot might sound cliché, rebooting often fixes Windows update problems. This is particularly true if you have already applied a Windows update, but the system has not rebooted. Failing to reboot the system can cause Windows to reject additional updates until after the reboot is complete.
If you have checked the basics and are still unable to perform a Windows 10 update, then you should try running the Windows update Troubleshooter for Windows 10.
If you have rebooted the endpoint but you’re still having trouble getting updates to install, take a moment to make sure that the endpoint is still connected to the internet. Remember, the Windows update Service depends on the endpoint’s ability to connect to either the internet or to an update server.
It’s also important to make sure that the PC has sufficient disk space available. In 2019, Microsoft made a change to Windows systems and began setting aside some disk space as a reserved storage. The idea behind this was that if Windows begins to run low on disk space, it can use the reserved storage to ensure that updates succeed.
Despite the reserved storage, it is still possible for updates to fail due to lack of disk space. Even if no one has tampered with the reserved storage, it’s possible that the reserve storage is simply inadequate. Some PCs reserve as little as 7 GB of storage, which may not be enough to accommodate large updates. As such, it’s a good idea to make sure that the hard disk contains a reasonable amount of free space.
Use the Window Update Troubleshooter
If you have checked the basics and are still unable to perform a Windows 10 update, then you should try running the Windows Update Troubleshooter for Windows 10.
Here’s how to access this troubleshooter:
Opening Settings
Click on Update and Security
Select the Troubleshoot tab
Click on the Additional Troubleshooters link
The Additional Troubleshooters screen contains a link to the Windows Update Troubleshooter (Figure 1).
The Windows Update Troubleshooter finds and fixes most Windows update problems.
If the aforementioned techniques don’t fix the problem, then there is one more thing that you can do. On rare occasions, an update file may become corrupt. This can happen due to a disk error or an error during the download process. The result is that the folder where Windows stores the update files will contain a partial or corrupted update. Because Windows is unable to install this update, subsequent Windows updates may not work as well.
To fix this problem, you will need to manually remove the bad update from the Windows system. To do so, log in to Windows using administrative credentials. Next, open the Service Control Manager by entering the Services.msc command at the Run prompt.
Once the Service Control Manager opens, you will need to stop the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (Figure 2). You can stop these services by right-clicking on them and choosing the Stop command from the shortcut menu.
To purge corrupted updates, you will need to stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and the Windows Update Service.
With these services stopped, delete the contents of the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder. If Windows has trouble deleting these files, you will need to reboot your computer, stop the previously mentioned services, and try again.
Once you have deleted the folder’s contents, restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and the Windows Update Service. You should now be able to update Windows.
What to do if none of these Windows 10 update fixes work?
Most of the time, the techniques described in this article will fix your Windows update problems. In some situations, however, a Windows update can fail due to a third-party application or driver interfering with it. As such, you should ensure that your drivers are correct and up to date.
If you are still unable to update, you should check that the group policy is not pointing your computer to an invalid update source. Additionally, you could search the internet for known issues with the particular Windows update that you’re trying to install.
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