Windows Update - Reset

How to Reset Windows Update in Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8​

   Information

This will show you how to reset Windows Update view update history, and how to reset and re-register Windows Update Components if you are having a problem updating with Windows Update.

OPTION ONE

To Only Reset Windows Update History

   Note

Resetting Windows Update using this option will clear the view update history details list (cache).

This will not actually uninstall any of your currently installed Windows Update. They will just not be listed anymore. Any new Windows Update installed after the reset will show up in the view update history list as normal though.

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download this file below.
Reset_Windows_Update_History.bat


Download


2. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.

3. Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.

4. If prompted by UAC click/tap on Run, then Yes/Continue (if administrator) or type in administrator's password (if standard user).

5. You will now see an elevated command prompt open and run. When it's finished, it will close automatically.

6. If opened, close and reopen Windows Update to verify that it has been reset.




7. Resetting the Windows Update history will also restore the default language packs being listed in Windows Upate again in the Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions after you check for updates next.

OPTION TWO

To Reset and Re-register Windows Update Components

NOTE: This option is the Windows version of: How do I reset Windows Update components?. It will reset Windows Update Components and re-register the BITS files and the Windows Update files to help fix Windows Update errors. This option will not clear the view update history details list as it does in OPTION ONE above.
1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download this file below.
Reset_Reregister_Windows_Update_Components.bat


Download


2. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.

3. Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.

4. If prompted by UAC click on Run, then Yes/Continue (if administrator) or type in administrator's password (if standard user).

5. You will now see an elevated command prompt open and run. When it's finished, it will close automatically.

6. Restart the computer afterwards to apply.

7. If this still does not help, then run the Microsoft Fix it tool here:
How do I reset Windows Update components?

See also: Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

OPTION THREE

To Reset and Re-register Windows Update Components AND Reset Update History in One Easy Click

   Note

This option combines OPTION ONE and OPTION TWO above in one .bat file.

1. Click/tap on the Download button below to download this file below.
Reset_Windows_Update_Full.bat


Download



2. Save the .bat file to your Desktop.

3. Right click or press and hold on the downloaded .bat file, and click/tap on Run as administrator.

4. If prompted by UAC click/tap on Run, then Yes/Continue (if administrator) or type in administrator's password (if standard user).

5. You will now see an elevated command prompt open and run. When it's finished, it will close automatically.

6. Restart the computer afterwards to apply.

7. If this still does not help, then run the Microsoft Fix it tool here:

Download



How do I reset Windows Update components?

See also: Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2
That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

---

• Windows Update Error 80246008 in Windows 7 - Fix
• How to Create a "Windows Update" Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Change the Windows Update Settings in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Windows Updates from Automatically Restarting the Computer
• How to Uninstall a Windows Update in Windows 7
• How to Hide or Restore Hidden Windows Updates in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Create a Installed Windows Updates Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Create a Windows Update Troubleshoot Shortcut in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Uninstalling Windows Updates in Windows 7
• How to Enable or Disable Access to Windows Updates in Windows 7
• How to View Windows Update History Details in Windows 7 and Windows 8
• How to Reset the Common Log File System (CLFS) Logs
• How to Enable or Disable the Windows Update "Who can install updates" Setting
• How to Download the Standalone MSU Installer File of a Windows Update
• How to Restore Default Services in Windows 7
• How to Trace what Windows Update a Manifest File Originated From
• How to Use DISM to Fix Component Store Corruption in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

 

[rbstoltz]

Thanks for the info Shawn! I have not had much luck with System Restore -only about 10% of the time have they corrected the issues I have run into. So I'll just bite the bullet for now...

I keep a journal on modifications I perform on my system(s) to include when updates are installed and there is nothing in the notes that could lead to this problem.

I worked 34 years on computers before retiring and some issues just escape identification as to the cause!

Bob

 

[Brink]

I can understand that Bob.

 

[mbouy]

If none of this works... Try Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver

Your tutorial described my symptoms, but none of the batch files helped. What finally resolved my issue was an Intel Storage driver.

Background: After installing a new hard drive in a HP desktop and going through the recovery process using the supplied disks, I had a system that refused to run Windows Update. I got errors running SFC, the Update Readiness tool, and SP1 refused to install too.

I spent 3 days looking for rootkits (the hdd had been exposed to other systems) and trying to repair what is essentially a fresh install of Windows 7 HP.

I finally found a site that described the same issues on a HP DV7 laptop, with a link to a HP page with the fix; but the link was invalid. It took a while but I found the page with the resolution. HP describes it as resolving issues with HP laptops with WD drives, but my system is a desktop (all-in-one) with a Seagate drive, and the fix worked. I've now installed SP1 and Windows Update is working fine.

This link is currently valid:

Error Messages Appear During Windows Update, When Inserting Card or Using Live Mail | HP® Support

If that doesn't work, search for SP47845 or Intel Rapid Storage Technology Driver.

 

[ripbox]

Fantastic little batch file.... seemed to clean up 1GB worth of space too!
Does this work the same as the old vista method by clearing out left over files from the update store where windows update became corrupt?

 

[Brink]

Hello ripbox,

Yep, that's correct. Part of what it does is clear the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder for that.

 

[Nio9345]

To the one who post the fixes .... THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have finally solved this stupidity for problem ! Because I installed Windows in a partition of one of my 1TB HDDs in Intel system, the Windows update decided to stop functioning for no reason.... thanks again you guys.

 

[BGMcoder]

Thank you! I was recovering from some malware that removed windows update capability. I ran your batch file to restore the services and it worked like a charm! God bless you.

 

[Logikos]

Just wanted to add something else -- I'll be honest I didn't read all 15 pages.. But I tried a ton of the fixes here and nothing worked.

This was on a Sony Vaio -- The services were all running fine,.. but the update just didn't work (and said the service wasn't running).

Turns out it was the Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers!

So I went into device manager and rolled back the driver on my Hard Drive, and problem solved. So you never know, that certainly didn't seem related but it was the issue for me.

May be something just to try even if you don't remember any Intel Rapid Storage Technology drivers...

Take care,

 

[Brink]

Hello Logikos, and welcome to Seven Forums.

Thank you for posting your findings.

 

[kenshigros]

Help needed please

Hi.
My name is Alex and I am writing from Saint-Tropez/FRANCE.
Sorry for syntaxes mistakes I didn't go to school far enough..

Very interesting help here and thank you it is working for me (second try actually).
What I do not underestand is after every update it is doing it again.blank screen in the windows update window so I have to start again and again using your method...
I would like very much to understand why it is happening and how to manage in repairing it forever?
Anyone?

Thanks.

Regards,
Alex

 

[Brink]

Hi.
My name is Alex and I am writing from Saint-Tropez/FRANCE.
Sorry for syntaxes mistakes I didn't go to school far enough..

Very interesting help here and thank you it is working for me (second try actually).
What I do not underestand is after every update it is doing it again.blank screen in the windows update window so I have to start again and again using your method...
I would like very much to understand why it is happening and how to manage in repairing it forever?
Anyone?

Thanks.

Regards,
Alex

Hello Alex, and welcome to Eight Forums.

Do you have a 3rd party AV or firewall program installed? If so, you might see if temporarily disabling or uninstalling it before doing the next Windows Update may help if it may be causing an issue.

For now, it wouldn't hurt to run a sfc /scannow command to see if it finds and repairs any corrupted or modified system files.

Hope this helps for now,
Shawn

 

[lawyer1973]

Shawn: Great!! Handy tutorial. Solved my problem!!! Didn't know you could erase the list; I don't like lists anyway. Thanks!!! Hav'a Happy!!! Lawyer1973.

 

[Brink]

Glad it could help Lawyer1973.

 

[candy2381]

Didnt work

 

[Brink]

Hello Candy, and welcome to Seven Forums.

What Windows Update error number and message are you getting? In addition, please provide more details about your issue.

 

[NoN]

i did checked my links lately and found this article as part of the reset setting methods for the Windows Update error code numbers. Could it find a place near the Kb971058 that is already mentioned in a link of the tutorial at "Option Two"...or stay here as an informative purpose.

-Article ID: 2509997 - Last Review: May 15, 2014 - Revision: 6.0
Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
Unable to install updates in Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

 

[Brink]

Thank you NoN. Most of that is already included in the .bat file, but I added the link at the bottom of Option Two and Three to help.

 

[King Savage]

Hello. First post here and longtime member of many other forums. I didn't read through all 11 pages but wanted to post my results from page 1. I have an Acer Aspire One, D255, silly little red thing running Windows 7 Starter. I found it in my son's room after missing for a year and decided to see if the thing would run.

Something was hogging the HD every time I tried to do anything...long story short, I upgraded from 1GB RAM to 2GB RAM and same result. Removed all Norton and McAfee programs, installed Malwarebytes, did the scan things, and tried to update Windows using Windows Update.

Windows Update would find updates, announce how many were available (146 in my case,) and I would then try to download them, all at once or one at a time. No matter how many I selected, I would time out, never showing anything other than 0% downloaded in the progress bar. (Windows Update error 80246008.)

After some internet reading, I found BITS (Background Intelligent Transfer Service) wasn't running. I was able to click the 'Start' feature from the Services/BITS application, but I don't think it ever really started as when I checked it many seconds later, it was off again.

After many checks, searches, overwrites, etc., what finally worked was using option 3 from page 1 of this post.

After a reboot, I immediately checked BITS and it was running. First time I had seen that since I powered this little laptop up.

Windows Update is running fine and downloading updates.

I like to make sure and detail my use of decent forums and this one fixed my issue.

Thanks!

 

[Brink]

Welcome to Seven Forums King Savage. I'm happy to hear that this tutorial was able to help you.

 

[b0ss]

after resetting when i check for updates it just continues to check without stopping