Windows Update not working

The issue may be caused by several factors, such as corrupted system DLL files, a corrupted Windows Update temporary folder, or stopped update services. In order to narrow down the cause of this issue and resolve it, let’s refer to the following steps. Please access the Windows Update website to check the result after finishing each step.

NOTE: Some third party programs can also affect the Windows Update service. If you are running any the third party applications such as Spyblocker, Internet or Web accelerators (programs associated to boost up the speed of the Internet connection), security or anti-virus programs (Norton, McAfee, etc.), I recommend we temporarily disable or shut them down and then try accessing the Windows Update site later. Please be sure to enable them again when completing the update process.

Step 1: Register DLL files

By trying this step, we can check if the update engines are working
properly.

1. Close all instances of Internet Explorer.
2. Click Start and Run, type “REGSVR32 ATL.DLL” (without quotes) in the
Open box and click OK.

Note: There is a space between REGSVR32 and ATL.DLL

3. Similarly, one by one, register the files listed below:

REGSVR32 MSXML3.DLL
REGSVR32 WUAPI.DLL
REGSVR32 WUAUENG.DLL
REGSVR32 WUAUENG1.DLL
REGSVR32 WUPS2.DLL
REGSVR32 WUCLTUI.DLL
REGSVR32 WUPS.DLL
REGSVR32 WUWEB.DLL
REGSVR32 QMGR.DLL
REGSVR32 QMGRPRXY.DLL
REGSVR32 JSCRIPT.DLL

Note: Please try and register all the files. While registering each .DLL file you should get a “succeeded” message. If you encounter any error message, please let me know the exact wording.

If the issue persists, let’s move on to the steps below to verify Windows Update services and temporary folders.

Step 2: Verify the relevant Windows Update services

1. Click Start->Run, type “services.msc” (without quotation marks) in the open box and click OK.
2. Double click the service “Automatic Updates“.
3. Click on the Log On tab, please ensure the option “Local System account” is selected and the option “Allow service to interact with desktop” is unchecked.
4. Check if this service has been enabled on the listed Hardware Profile. If not, please click the Enable button to enable it.
5. Click on the “General” tab; make sure the “Startup Type” is “Automatic“.
Then please click the button “Stop” under “Service Status” to stop the service.
6. Then please click the button “Start” under “Service Status” to start the service.
7. Please repeat the above steps with the other services:

Background Intelligent Transfer Service
Event Log

Note: The event log service is enabled on all of the hardware profiles. This service does not have an option to enable or disable on certain hardware profile.

If it still does not help, let’s proceed to step 3.

Step 3: Reload the Update temporary folders

One possible cause is that the temporary folder for Windows Update contains corrupted files. Let’s erase all the files there to get the system clean.

1. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

Net stop WuAuServ

2. Click Start, Run, type: %windir% and press Enter.
3. In the opened folder, rename the folder SoftwareDistribution to Sdold.
4. Click Start, Run, type: cmd and press Enter. Please run the following command in the opened window.

Net start WuAuServ

By this point Windows Update should work, if not please post your issue here.