How to fix Windows Update error 0x8000ffff

What is Windows Update error 0x8000ffff

Update errors are quite a ubiquitous thing touching every Windows user. Once upon a time, whoever used Windows regularly would see some issues arriving along the way. It is just the nature of all operating machines, which target the vast majority of users. When new updates occur, it is quite hard to forecast the problems that emerge on different systems. After the problem has struck, it becomes a thorny task to get over without professional and advanced help. This time around Windows has dawned another update problem on users – the error code 0x8000ffff preventing the successful installation of updates. Some users reported that this issue appears when trying to download and install a cumulative update for Windows 10 Version 1709 (KB4058258). Also, this error can be seen when trying to open Windows Store and install apps. Luckily, it should not be hard to solve. More than enough methods listed below will help you get rid of the problem and update your system eventually. So just follow the guided walkthrough presented down below.

1. Use Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows has an in-built option to solve temporary issues. This is called Windows Troubleshoot, which is able to detect and solve problems in various segments. Let’s try to use it for fixing update-related errors. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Open settings as we did above and navigate to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
2. On the right pane, locate Windows Update and click Run the troubleshooter.
3. Finish the process following the on-screen instructions and restart your PC.

2. Set time and date to update automatically

Whilst this method may seem too easy and pointless to run, it can actually solve the 0x8000ffff error. Some Windows services cannot establish the right connection with servers without proper time settings. Therefore, try to do the following and check if it helped. If not, now you do not have to get back to this easy step and can move on to the harder ones below.

1. Press Windows key + I together.
2. Choose Time & Language.
3. In Date & time turn on the toggle to Set time automatically.
4. After this, close the windows and try to install the update again.

3. Run a System File Checker (SFC) scan

The next method to follow is checking system file integrity. Some files could become corrupted or lost after performing an update or installing some third-party software. To find it out and restore the problematic files, do the steps listed below:

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching box next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.
5. After you finish this step, try to install the update again. If the error still reminds about itself, continue reading this guide to try other options below.

4. Run DISM

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is similar to running an SFC scan. However, it may look deeper and find corrupted data that SFC could miss. Therefore, let’s try to run it using Command Prompt as we did already.

1. Open Command Prompt as we did in the previous step.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and install the update again.

5. Scan your PC for malware

There are cases when malware makes a negative effect on different parts of the system. This means that malicious or even unwanted programs can alter or damage certain settings correlated with updates. To make sure this is not the case, scan your system for malvertising or unwanted software using a native Windows Defender or third-party program. Our advice is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which has wide databases of malware along with tools able to find and rectify threats. To download it, click on the button below.

6. Try disabling anti-malware software

In case you have some other anti-malware software running on your PC apart from Windows Defender, it might conflict with the installation of updates. Sometimes protection tools run extensive control over the system which prevents certain mechanisms from working correctly. Thus, to check whether it is the case, simply turn off your antivirus and find the update again. If it finally worked, think of deleting or changing your antivirus to a more compatible one.

7. Install the necessary update in Safe Mode

Trying to install new updates may be restricted by third-party software. To prevent it from interacting with update services, you can boot your PC in safe mode and try to install the problematic update. Here is how:

1. Open Settings via the Start menu or press Windows key + I buttons together.
2. Navigate Update & Security > Recovery > Advanced Startup.
3. Then, click Restart Now.
4. Your system will restart and boot with the Windows Recovery Environment.
5. Whilst there, choose Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.
6. Now click on Restart and choose Enable Safe mode with Networking once it reboots.

Now, being in Safe Mode, try to install the conflicting update as usual.

8. Restore Windows Store

The next step on our list is easy and simple. It will require one little command to wipe out the unnecessary cache that may block some Windows processes from running correctly:

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching tab next to the Start Menu button.
2. Type the wsreset command and click Enter.
3. When finished, restart your PC and download the update once again.

9. Update drivers

One more culprit that may prevent Windows from updating successfully is obsolete or corrupted drivers. We recommend scanning your drivers and update them if necessary. You can do it manually or use a special utility for a faster solution. Both options are discussed below:

1. Left-click on the Start Menu button and choose Device Manager.
2. Ideally, you should update all devices available. If there is something marked with a yellow rectangle, this means you should update in the first order.
3. To do it, right-click on the driver, choose Update, and follow the on-screen instructions.
4. Let Windows search for new drivers and download them eventually.

Drivers are key to the proper configuration of your system. They are the ones providing a stable connection between hardware and your operating system. Updating a number of drivers manually may take a lot of time rehearsing the same steps. Here you can download the best driver update utility, which will deal with this task on its own – Driver Booster from IObit:

Driver Booster start screen

Driver Booster scan results

Driver Booster tools section

10. Try to download a conflicting update from Microsoft Catalog

In cases when Windows struggles to establish a server connection and download the necessary update, it runs into an error like 0x8000ffff. To get over this problem, you can download the update directly from Microsoft Website. Here are the steps:

1. Press Windows + I at the same time.
2. Then navigate to Update & Security.
3. On the right side of the window, choose View update history.
4. After this, find and note the most recent KB update (on top of the list).
5. Once done, search and download the noted update in the Microsoft Update Catalog.

11. Restart Windows components and Update service

This method ensures you reset and reboot Windows Update settings. The whole procedure involves restarting BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update services as well as renaming some update folders (SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2). These folders contain special signatures for Windows Updates. Based on this, we will force Windows to delete corrupted elements and create update components from scratch. We are going to use the console to run the necessary commands. This is more advanced, but will not take too much time and knowledge to do it. Follow the steps below:

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching box next to the Start Menu button.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
3. Copy-paste this list of commands one-by-one clicking Enter after each. (This action will disable services responsible for Windows Updates)

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver

Then, we have to rename the above-mentioned folders. Simply paste these commands by clicking Enter after each.

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

Finally, all left to do is to turn the disabled services back. So apply these commands likewise previously.

net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

Now we are all done with it. Go to the Windows Update center and try to perform the installation again.

12. Use Media Creation Tool

Another option to install updates is via Media Creation Tool. It allows users to upgrade the system to the latest version existing. This procedure will not touch your personal data but simply update the PC. In order to do it, follow the steps listed below:

1. First, you have to download the utility from the Microsoft website.
2. Then, execute the downloaded file.
3. After agreeing with the Terms of use, there will be two options to choose from. Select Upgrade this PC now.
4. Choose to Keep Personal Files to ensure they will be untouched.
5. Finally, launch the process and wait until it ends.
6. Hopefully, this method helped you tackle the 0x8000ffff code. If not, and it continues to press the line, proceed to the final method of this article.

13. Create a new local account

The last thing that we would advise you to do is creating a new user account. Sometimes it may restore certain settings and let the new update reach successful installation. Also note that new accounts do not contain data you stored previously, so make sure you move your files to it. After this, you can delete your original account and try to see if the issue is fixed. Below, you can find the steps to create a new account:

1. Right-click on the Start Menu button and choose Settings. You can also do Windows key + I combination.
2. Go to Accounts > Family & Other users.
3. On the right pane, scroll down to the Other users section and click Add someone else to this PC.
4. Now choose I don’t have this person’s sign-in information below.
5. Select Add a user without a Microsoft account at the bottom.
6. Then enter the username and password for the new user and click Next.
7. Now, you can switch to a new account (by clicking on the user icon in Start Menu) and try to install the update again.

Summary

We hope our guide has made your attempts to fix the issue more ambitious and successful eventually. Keep in mind that all of these solutions are quite versatile and can be applied to solving a number of similar issues. Do not hesitate to use our website for removing malware or other system-related issues like 0x8000ffff.