How to fix Windows Update error code 0xc190011f

What is error code 0xc190011f

A number of users raised concerns towards the 0xc190011f error, which appears when trying to download and install new Windows updates. This issue has mostly been evident in affecting Windows 10 users. As a rule, the error is accompanied by the following message:

The most common reasons for its appearance are usually rare system update glitches, corrupted integral file elements, faulty Windows update components, incorrect regional settings, or third-party software conflicts. If you are facing the 0xc190011f issue, it is likely that you will fix it by the end of this guide. Simply try each solution in the sequence below until the issue becomes resolved eventually.

1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

The first method to try comes down to launching the in-built Windows Troubleshooter. This easy solution may sometimes address issues like the 0xc190011f error and remove the need for trying more complex solutions. Troubleshooter is a native Windows utility designed to find and remove existing problems in various segments. You can use it to detect update issues and try to fix them eventually. Here is how:

1. Right-click on Start Menu and open Settings. You can also press Windows key + I buttons instead.
2. Navigate to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
3. On the right pane, locate Windows Update and click Run the troubleshooter.
4. Finish the process following the on-screen instructions and restart your PC.
5. After this, try to perform the update again. If this does not work, there are plenty of other potential solutions ahead in our tutorial.

2. Check integrity of system files

Some integral system files may be damaged or missing and therefore cause the oxc190011f error. We will use SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) scanning utilities to detect and restore absent components if any will be eventually found. Make sure to use both utilities as they may have a different impact on solving the problem. This is how:

Using SFC

1. Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the searching loop 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.

Using DISM

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.

After performing both of these scans, attempt to install the update again.

3. Make sure you have the right regional settings

Some update issues may appear if users have an incorrect region selected in settings. Thus, make sure your region is set to your actual country location. Sometimes this has an effect on how updating works. Do the following to check it:

1. As we did in the first method, right-click on Start Menu and open Settings.
2. Navigate to Time & Language and go to Region on the left pane.
3. Choose the country in which you are located under Country or region.
4. Once done, try to install the update again.

4. Disable/Uninstall VPN software

If you have a third-party VPN program installed on your system and it is currently working, we recommend you disable it and see if doing so will change anything. Some users reported the Checkpoint VPN to be guilty of conflicting with updates. After disabling or uninstalling it, some users managed to update their system successfully. Thus, a similar situation may be with other VPN software as well.

5. Reset Windows Update components

One more recommendation to try is about resetting Windows Update settings. Statistically, this method has proven itself to be very effective when combating many update problems. 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 temporary files necessary for implementing Windows Updates. Based on this, we will force Windows to delete corrupted elements and create update-related components from scratch. This method requires typing and executing each console command in a manual sequence. Although the entire procedure may seem advanced and complicated, it will not take too much of your time and knowledge. Just follow the sequence 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. 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


4. 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


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


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


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

6. Use Media Creation Tool

If nothing worked out but you still want to update your Windows without getting the error, then Media Creation Tool may help. This is a special Microsoft utility designed to obtain the latest updates and bypass various errors. The utility will find relevant updates and install them in your system without touching personal data. Follow the steps listed below in order to do it:

1. At 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 combat the 0xc190011f error.

Summary

Being unable to update your system due to unexpected errors may indeed be a shame. However, with the right solutions like those suggested in our guide such issues no longer remain something to worry about. We hope you managed to bypass the 0xc190011f error and update your Windows. Note that these solutions are versatile and can be used while dealing with other similar errors in Windows. Thus, feel free to use them if you end up facing a similar issue some day in the future.