This post shows tips for students and new users that will help fix Windows update issues when using Windows 11. Windows Updates helps keep your computer running smoothly and securely.
These updates are released regularly so your computer is protected and issues you’re running into are fixed. If your computer does not get these updates, you run the risk of having your computer hacked or running into stability issues. That’s why Windows is configured for automatic updates.
If you discover that your computer is not getting updated or not completing its updates, you should take care of it as soon as possible. We will show you some steps below that you can take to help resolve the problem.
Windows computers stop updating for many reasons, but these items should be looked at before anything. Getting it right may be the only step to returning your computer to work.
To get started with fixing Windows update issues in Windows 11, follow the steps below:
Free up drive space in Windows 11
Make sure that your device has enough space. Windows requires free drive space to update. Windows updates will not download and install if your computer runs low on free space.
You’ll need to free up some drive space to complete Windows updates. You can read the post below to learn how to do that in Windows 11
How to Free up Drive Space in Windows 11 – Website for Students
Repair hard drive error in Windows 11
Another common reason Windows updates files is because of a system drive error. If your computer’s drive is not functioning correctly, Windows updates will not install or fail to download.
To run disk repair, open, click on Start, search for the command prompt, and then select Run as administrator from the list of options.
When the Command Prompt app opens, type the following command, including the space as shown:
chkdsk/f C:
Press Enter after typing the command. Repairs will automatically start on your hard drive, and you’ll be asked to restart your device.
Rename the software distribution folder
Another reason Windows updates will fail is if there’s a corrupt update in the software distribution folder. You can fix this by renaming the software distribution folder and rerunning the update. A new folder will be created when Windows updates begin to download the latest updates.
To rename the folder, go to the Start menu, search for Command Prompt, right-click the Command Prompt apps, and select Run as administrator.
When the command prompt app opens, type the commands below.
Stop the Windows update process
net stop bits net stop wuauserv
Then rename the software distribution folder
ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak
The Start of the Windows update process
net start bits net start wuauserv
After that, restart your computer and try rerunning Windows updates.
Restore and repair Windows 11 system files
The last step is to repair and restore Windows 11 system files. If none of the steps above work, they should be the previous step performed to fix this issue.
Open the Command Prompt as administrator again, like the above steps. Then run the commands below when the command prompt app opens,
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
After typing the command, press the Enter key. This may take a while. However, when the operation is done, you should see a message “The restore operation completed successfully” or “The operation completed successfully.”
Next, run the commands below.
sfc /scannow
Wait until the process reaches 100%, close out, restart Windows 11, and try updating Windows. I hope these steps help resolve your issues.
Conclusion:
In summary, if you’re facing issues with Windows updates in Windows 11, consider the following steps:
- Ensure you have sufficient drive space for updates to download and install.
- Check for and repair any problematic drive errors using the Command Prompt.
- Rename the software distribution folder to eliminate corrupt updates.
- Restore and repair system files using DISM and SFC commands.
By following these steps, you can enhance your system’s performance and ensure it remains up to date, thereby protecting it from vulnerabilities and stability issues.
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