Windows update error 0x80070020 in Windows 10

I have Windows 10 on my PC. When going to settings, I see that my version is out of date and I should update. When doing the updates, I get error 0x80070020. Tried several times without success.

Original title: Updates to Windows 10

This issue can occur if a program is interfering with the automatic update process. For example, antivirus programs that use real-time scanning can interfere with the automatic update process.

So, place the computer in a clean boot state to determine if there are any third party application/software to be causing the issue. After you place the PC in a Clean Boot state, now try performing a Windows update and see if it works this time.

Clean Boot Disclaimer: Please go through the section: How to reset the computer to start as usual after troubleshooting with clean boot of the Kb article to boot the computer in normal startup after fixing the issue.

Also, verify that you have disabled any other third party real-time antimalware products that were installed on your PC, to check if any how incoming/outgoing connections to the PC are affected by the firewall.

Disclaimer: Antivirus software can help protect your computer against viruses and other security threats. In most cases, you shouldn’t disable your antivirus software. If you have to temporarily disable it to install other software, you should re-enable it as soon as you’re done.

If it still does not help, refer to the below methods and check if it helps to resolve the issue.

Method 1

Follow these steps to run the Windows in built troubleshooter. This is a diagnostic which helps to identify any potential issues related to Windows update present in your PC.

a)      Write Troubleshooting in the search box and hit enter.

b)      Click on Troubleshooting tab.        

c)      Click on view all option on the upper left corner.

d)      Select the Windows Update option from the list.

e)      Click Next to run the Troubleshooter.

Note: Also, run BITS from the view all list

Method 2

If the issue still remains, try manually reset the Windows Updates Components once again and then reinitiate the Windows Update process.

Resetting Windows Update Components will fix corrupt Windows Update Components and help you to install the Windows Updates quickly. 

Please follow the below steps to reset the Windows Updates Components:

1. Press Windows Key + X on the keyboard and then select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.

2. Stop the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and the Windows Update Services. To do this, type the following commands at a command prompt. Press the “ENTER” key after you type each command.

                           net stop wuauserv

                           net stop cryptSvc

                           net stop bits

                           net stop msiserver

3. Now rename the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folder. You can do this by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt. Press the “ENTER” key after you type each command.

                          ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

                          ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

4. Now, let’s restart the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and the Windows Update Services. Type the following commands in the Command Prompt for this. Press the ENTER key after you type each command.

                        net start wuauserv

                        net start cryptSvc

                        net start bits

                        net start msiserver

5. Type Exit in the Command Prompt to close it and then restart the computer.

6.After restarting the computer, now retry to install Windows Updates.

Ref: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/971058

Registry disclaimer:

Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. Therefore, make sure that you follow these steps carefully. For added protection, back up the registry before you modify it. Then, you can restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up and restore the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

How to back up and restore the registry in Windows.

Also, use the following tutorial to  Reset Windows updates completely and check if it helps:

Full Reset Windows updates

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