I can not configure Windows updates - what should I do? Instructions, tips

Unfortunately, even the latest versions of the "operating systems" from Microsoft do not always allow you to install Windows updates correctly. In principle, if they are not needed by the user or simply turned off, there is nothing to worry about. Fundamentally, this will not affect the operation of the system. But what should I do when a user follows the recommendations of Microsoft, and updates are not installed?

Why can not I configure Windows updates: common failures and errors

If we talk about the root causes, which entail a failure of the system to search for and perform the installation of constantly released updates, they can be quite a lot. In this case, and messages containing notifications about the inability to update the system, too, can be completely different.

For example, the system can issue the same "Windows failed to upgrade" warning, but the various error codes that correspond to these or those failures are listed below. The most common malfunctions are considered to be errors with codes 643, 800b0100 and 0xc0000005 (in more details they will be considered later). Also, you should not discount the possibility of a virus infection, as a result of which not only the file responsible for the update is corrupted, but the entire service of the update center. In addition, often enough as a reason, there may be programmatic conflicts between the Windows security system (firewall, the same firewall) and the installed antivirus software. However, basically this problem applies only to free utilities like AVAST and to it similar.

However, the constantly disconnecting connection in terms of connecting to the Internet can also cause such problems. However, in this case, we will not consider them, but we will focus only on the most basic problems.

Now let's see what can be done to correct such situations without affecting the cases associated with a complete reinstallation of the system, especially since most users resort to such a measure only in the most extreme case, which is understandable and understandable.

Windows Update: Check the main settings and settings

First you need to find out exactly which parameters and settings are involved in the update center itself. You can get to it through the standard "Control Panel". In Windows 10, you can use the properties menu, which is called by the right click on the "This computer" icon.

First of all, you should check whether the automatic update of Windows is installed (this is the recommended option by default). If this setting is disabled or changed, you can simply turn it on. In theory, if you have an Internet connection, the system will immediately start searching for updates. If this process is not activated immediately, it may sometimes be necessary to reboot the computer system so that the settings change takes effect. But the trouble is that the usual activation of the main update mode is not always working, and the system again reports that it is still not possible to configure Windows updates (initially it is searching for available packages), not to mention the installation.

Using Manual Update

One of the simplest ways to test a system for operability in terms of installing updates is to use the update in a manual mode (Windows Update also suggests this option).

To start the search, you must first use the search function represented by the corresponding button, and then confirm the installation by clicking the "Install Now" button, of course, provided that the updates are found.

What does this mean? The fact that the file responsible for the search and installation of updates has been damaged. How to fix this situation? To begin with, you can try to rollback (restore the system) to a fixed point of state, when such failures were not observed. In extreme cases - check the system drive for errors with their automatic correction. But it's better to do this from the command line using commands like chkdisk c: \ f \ r or other varieties. However, perhaps the reason is different. There are several important points.

Virus scan

The damage to the file sought is most often due to the impact of viruses that not only violate its integrity, but also prescribe its own commands in the content. In what it is expressed, let's see.

The fact is that when trying to search for updates, any Windows operating system in which such a function is provided, refers directly to the official source (in our case this is the Internet update resource of Microsoft Corporation). When a virus is exposed, it creates another link, which uses redirection (redirection) of the system request to another location, often even not existing. Therefore, as it is not hard to guess, the system reports that it can not configure Windows updates, in the sense of finding them and installing them.

To solve this problem, it is highly recommended not to use standard scanners to check for viruses, but to prefer third-party utilities, preferably portable ones. Among them, I think, the most worthy look are such powerful programs as Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool (KVRT), Dr.Sc. Web Cure It! And the like.

These applications are good because, unlike most other tools, they do not delete infected files or put them in quarantine, but are treated. Agree, deleting the file responsible for the operation of the update center will not lead to anything good, but if it is cured, it is likely that the problem will disappear and the system will work in normal mode.

Firewall and antivirus conflicts

Now we come to the question, when the installation of updates is not possible, several on the other hand. The essence of this section boils down to the fact that conflict situations, for example, when updates for Windows 7 or 8 should be installed (however, without a difference), can appear in the fact that the firewall and the installed antivirus, so to speak, can not divide the field between themselves Activities. This affects many programs, and at the same time partially affects the system of search and installation of updates.

The situation is simple: the same requests by these two services are interpreted in different ways. One considers the redirect to be secure, the other - on the contrary, and because of this, the active services themselves start blocking each other. What to do in this case? To begin with, you can try to add the antivirus to the exception list in the same firewall.

Does not help? Try at the time of the update in the same manual mode, disable either the firewall, or antivirus, or both services simultaneously (which is the best solution). When the process of finding and installing updates is completed successfully, no one prevents you from activating these services again.

In general, if you look at this problem globally, it's better to use AVAST-type antiviruses or something like that, and install, albeit conditionally free, but commercial software. Undoubtedly, such programs will consume much more resources, but in most cases they will not miss the viruses, and they will not conflict with the components of the Windows OS .

Windows problems after installing updates

But that's not all. Quite often there can be situations when, for example, updates for Windows 7 are installed (albeit not automatically, but in manual mode), but now after installing them, real problems begin, leading even to the complete inability of the computer or laptop.

As practice shows, basically such failures are associated with several packages of updates themselves, which, as already clear, are far from perfect. To solve such a problem they will have to be disposed of, and it is not always possible to do this from the menu for uninstalling programs or disabling Windows components.

Let's see how and what Windows updates should be removed. The problem itself is related to two components, these are the packages KB2872339 and KB2859537 (error 0xc0000005). To get rid of them you can not even restore the system, when you re-scan it, it will try to install them again. Here you will have to use the "Run" menu or the command line in which you will be given the command wusa.exe / uninstall / kb: 2872339 and the same, but with a different update number, for the second package.

You can do otherwise and use the update log, for example, if the system allows you to boot in Safe Mode or from the Recovery Console. Updates in the log should be sorted by date. After that, delete (disable) them in turn with each subsequent reboot of the computer to restore the normal operation of the entire system.

The .NET Framework Update

A fairly common problem after the update can be called the appearance of an error under the number 643. It signals that there are failures in the work of the Microsoft .NET Framework.

Here the simplest solution is to download the latest version of the installation package and install all components with full integration into the system. Find the latest version, of course, you can on the official Microsoft website in the sections of updates and downloads.

Automatic Failover Programs

However, if you can not configure Windows updates after all this, you can use automatic utilities such as Fix It and System Update Readiness Tool, released by Microsoft.

In some cases (not always, the truth) they help to fix the error of the update completely in automatic mode and do not require any special knowledge from the user.

Conclusion

It remains to add that we have considered the most common situations with the problem of updating Windows. Of course, before applying this or that solution, it is desirable to identify the root cause of the failures, and only then to give preference to some particular method. And not always automated utilities should be used in the first place, because they also have limited capabilities.