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Windows Update Error 0x8000ffff: Solutions Made Easy

After the shift from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 many users are facing different types of bugs and error in their system and the error 0x8000ffff is one of them. It primarily happens during the process of updating Windows. But, some users have also encountered it while using the Windows Store.

In a normal situation, this error occurs due to a glitch of the Microsoft App Servers. That glitch acts as a connection blockage and stops all the flow of date. This creates a connection issue between the Windows Update/Store and Microsoft App Servers. And that thing is informed to you in the form of this error code. Apart from that, this error can also generate due to corrupted files and virus attacks.

However, all the causes of error code 0x8000ffff are connected with the software part of the system. That’s why they are quite easy to solve with the help of proper technical information.  

In this article, we have provided those important pieces of technical information let’s get into them

Ways to Solve the Error Code 0x8000ffff

 

In a Windows OS, there are many things which can interrupt the Windows Update process and generate the Windows 10 error 0x8000ffff. Hence, you need to apply solutions easily and efficiently through this guide. This will help you to eliminate this error very quickly.

In the below-section, we have gathered some prime solutions of the error code 0x8000ffff.

Let’s have a look at them:

  • Scan your System

There is a possibility that your Windows Updating process is disturbed by a malware or virus. That’s why before applying any kind of advanced solution you should verify about it. Although the Windows Defender is a great antivirus in itself. But still, you can use any third party Antivirus for scanning purposes.

To use the Windows Defender’s deep-scan follow the steps given below:

  1. First, you have to open the Windows Defender. You can easily do it with the help f notification area. Or use the Settings page to enter the Windows Defender section.
  2. To do it with the help of the Setting page, open that page by clicking on its option and then select on the Windows Defender option from there.
  3. On the Windows Defender section, you have to keep scrolling down untill you find the Windows Defender Offline option.
  4. Once you get that, click on the Scan Offline option and begin the scanning process. But before doing that, make sure you have saved everything because your system will get rebooted.


The scanning process will take 15-20 minutes to get completed. And once the process gets finished, it will start removing all the malware and antivirus present on your system. After that, you can restart your updating process to verify the existence of the error.

  • Use the SFC Tool to check the integrity of the files

Sometimes due to virus infection or any unapparent causes, the system files get corrupt. This thing can create a lot of problematic situation in a system and the code 0x8000ffff is one of them.
Hence, you need to verify that thing and then, repair it. And to do that, you would need help from the SFC tool.

  1. To begin it you have to launch the Command Prompt by using the WinX menu. Press the “Windows Key + X “ to fire up the WinX menu. On that menu, you will get the Command Prompt (Admin) option. Click on it
  2. Now, on the Command Prompt, type “sfc/scannow” and hit the enter key.

Once you do that, the SFC tool will begin the files scanning and repairing process. Now if it failed to fix this error code, then use the DISM tool.


In order to activate the DISM tool, you need to type  “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” command line on the Command Prompt Window. After you do that, the DISM file scanning and repairing process will begin.

When it finishes that process, reboot your system and test the Windows Update.

 

  • Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The next solution you can try on this error code is the Windows Update Troubleshooter. It is one of the most basic troubleshooting methods but it is a quite powerful weapon against the Error Code 0x8000ffff.

  1. To perform it first you have to open the Settings page
  2. There you will get the Update and Security option. Click on it and launch its page.
  3. Now on the Update and Security, tap on the Troubleshoot tab. It will be present on the left side of the page.
  4. Inside that tab, you have to find the Windows Update option.
  5. Under that option, you will encounter the  Troubleshooter button. Hit it and begin the troubleshooting process.  

Now, it will take some time and will eventually remove the Windows update error 0x8000ffff. Once it is done doing that, try the Windows updating process again to verify the presence of the error.

  • Restart the Windows Store Service and Remove Pending/Queued Updates

Another cause of this error code is the crashing of the Windows Store. It usually happens when updates, apps and pending downloads are corrupted. That’s why to fix it, you have to remove them from the Windows Store and then, restart it freshly. But don’t worry, it won’t hurt your original files or the update related to it. Once the issue gets resolved the process will begin again.

  1. To do this task first, you have to launch the Windows Run Dialogue Box by pressing Windows Key + R”
  2. On the  Windows Run Dialogue Box type”  wsreset.exe and then hit the OK button.

This command will remove all the process of Windows Store and restart it. Once it finishes that, the uncompleted App will start updating and downloading automatically.

Now, you can perform your Windows updating process again without the fear of the Windows Update error code.

 

  • Re-register The Windows Store

If the method provided in the above section is unable to help you remove the 0x8000ffff code of the Update Error, then the next thing you can try is the Re-register method. In this process, you have to Re-register your Windows Store with the assistance of Powershell.

  1. To execute this process first, Click on the Windows Start Icon and type Powershell on the search section.
  2. On the result section, you will get a Powershell shortcut option. Right click on it and launch the context menu. On that menu, you will find the  Run As Administrator… option. Click on it and fire up the Powershell window with administer permission.
  3. Now there, you have to type the following command line and then hit the Enter key.

“powershell -ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register $Env:SystemRoot\WinStore\AppxManifest.xml”

After this, your system will reboot itself. And once it has done that, check about the error code

  • Set The Correct Date And Time

Now if your system’s Date And Time isn’t set properly then the Windows Store will unable to connect with the Windows App servers and that thing will create this error code. Hence it is quite a necessary thing to do.

Check your date and time and if it is correct, then move onto the next solution. But if it is incorrect, then follow the steps given below.

  1. Click on the clock and open its section. There you will get the Change Date and Time Settings option. Click on it and launch the Date and Time’s Setting page.
  2. There you have set proper date and time according to your region and then save it.

After doing that, you have to relaunch the Windows update/store in order to check about the Error Code 0x8000ffff.

  • Delete the Software Distribution content & Reset catroot2

The Software Distribution folder is system oriented folder. It mainly stores those temporary files which will be required during any updating process. Now, it is possible that the Software Distribution folder contains some corrupted update files. And the files are causing issues in the Window Updating process.

That’s why to remove those corrupted update files you have to delete the contents of The Software Distribution.

 

To do that, open that folder by following this path “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution”. Once you get there, delete all of its content

After doing that, you have to reset the Catroot & Catroot2 folder. They are also one of those system oriented folders which are connected with the Windows updating process. Hence there resetting process is a mandatory step in the path of Error Code 0x8000ffff solution.

  1. To operate this reset ask first you have launched the Command prompt window. To do that, press the “Windows key + R “ and open Run dialog box.
  2. On the Run dialog box, type “cmd” and the Enter key. This action will instantly fire-up the Command Prompt window
  3. Now, on the Command Prompt window, you have to type following command linens

“net stop cryptsvc

md %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old

xcopy %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 %systemroot%\system32\catroot2.old /s”

  1. After that, you have to delete all the contents present inside the catroot2 folder and then restart the service. To perform that task you have to type following command lines on the Command Prompt Window.
    “net start cryptsvc”

 

Now you can launch the Windows Update again and continue the updating process.

 

  • Create A New User Account

In some situations, it has been found this error code appears due to improper user account settings. However, that thing can easily be solved with the creation of a new User Account.

  1. To do this task, launch the Command prompt Window.
  2. There you have to type the following commands

“net user /add [username] [password]
net localgroup administrators [username] /add

Now at the place of username and password, you have to type the combination of letters of your choice. After that, hit the Enter key and reboot your system.

Once your system, login into your New User Account and verify about the presence of the error. If it is not appearing then move your old date there.

To do that, visit this location c:\users\previous-user-name and copy data from there.

Now, on the same Command Prompt Window, you have to type “shutdown /l /f” and hit the Enter.

This command will log you off, then you can log in again into your newly created account. There you have to test the Windows Updating process once more and if still running well, then use it as your primary account. To do that, you can use your old Microsoft account or you can create a new one.

  • Remove the Problematic Application

If you are facing this error while the updating process then it might be possible that it is causing by a third-party application. But almost any third-party or system applicant can interfere with the updating process. That’s why, if you want to find the problematic application, then you have to check the installation log.

  1. To do that first you have to open up the  C:$WINDOWS.~BTSourcesPanther directory. In most of the situations, this directory is hidden by default. Hence we suggest you that set your Windows Explorer as “ view Hidden Folder.
  2. Now on that directory, find the “<array_of_symbols>_APPRAISER_HumanReadable.xml” file and open it with the Notepad Application
  3. There you will get a lot of information. In order to get the problematic application, you have to navigate through that information and then locate that application which has assigned as BlockingApplication=True.

After that, remove that application because that application is the cause of the Error Code 0x8000ffff. For that purpose, you can use the traditional application removal method or you can do it with the help of an application removal tool. Once you completed the removal process, reboot your system and give another try to the updating process.

We hope our solutions are able to help you with the Windows update error 0x8000ffff situation. To know about more tech-related problems and their solutions keep following our articles.