Question:

I am experiencing a persistent issue with Windows 11 21H2 that prevents me from updating the system or installing any Microsoft features or products. I have checked that I do not have any programs or services that interfere with the update process, and I have followed the common troubleshooting steps from various sources, but none of them resolved the problem. I have also tried to manually install the updates from the Microsoft Update Catalog, but it only affected the taskbar. I have attached some screenshots to illustrate the issue. How can I fix this problem and update my system successfully?

Answer:

How to fix Windows 11 update issues

Windows 11 is the latest operating system from Microsoft, and it offers many new features and improvements over Windows 10. However, some users may encounter problems when trying to update their devices to the latest version of Windows 11 or install any Microsoft features or products. In this article, we will show you some possible solutions to fix Windows 11 update issues and get your device up to date.

Before you try any of the advanced methods, make sure you have met the basic requirements for updating Windows 11. These include:

• Having an active internet connection and enough data to download the updates.
• Having enough free space on your device to install the updates. You can check the available space by going to Settings > System > Storage. If you need to free up some space, you can use the Storage Sense feature or delete some unnecessary files manually.
• Having a compatible device that meets the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. You can check if your device is compatible by using the [PC Health Check app] or by going to Settings > System > About and looking at the Device specifications section.
• Having administrator privileges on your device to run the updates. If you are not an administrator, you can ask someone who is to help you with the updates or create a new administrator account by going to Settings > Accounts > Family & other users > Add someone else to this PC.

Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

If you have met the basic requirements but still have problems updating Windows 11, you can try running the Windows Update troubleshooter. This is a built-in tool that can automatically detect and fix common issues with Windows Update. To run the Windows Update troubleshooter, follow these steps:

• Open Settings and go to System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.
• Click the Run button next to Windows Update and follow the on-screen instructions.
• If the troubleshooter finds any problems, click the Apply this fix option (if available) and restart your device.

Reset the Windows Update components

Sometimes, the Windows Update components may get corrupted or misconfigured, causing problems with downloading or installing updates. To fix this, you can try resetting the Windows Update components manually. This involves stopping some services, deleting some files, and restarting some services. To reset the Windows Update components, follow these steps:

• Open Start and search for Command Prompt. Right-click the top result and select Run as administrator.
• In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each one. These commands will stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), Windows Update, and Cryptographic Services.

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net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

net stop appidsvc

net stop cryptsvc

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• Next, type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each one. These commands will rename the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders, which store the update files and signatures.

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ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.bak

ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 Catroot2.bak

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• Finally, type the following commands one by one and press Enter after each one. These commands will restart the services that you stopped earlier.

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net start bits

net start wuauserv

net start appidsvc

net start cryptsvc

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• Close the Command Prompt window and restart your device.

Use the Media Creation Tool

If none of the above methods work, you can try using the Media Creation Tool to update your device to the latest version of Windows 11. The Media Creation Tool is a tool that allows you to create a bootable USB drive or DVD with the Windows 11 installation files. You can use this tool to perform a clean installation of Windows 11 or an in-place upgrade that keeps your files and settings. To use the Media Creation Tool, follow these steps:

• Download the [Media Creation Tool] from the Microsoft website and run it as administrator.
• Accept the license terms and select the Upgrade this PC now option.
• Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the latest version of Windows 11.
• If you are asked to choose what to keep, select the Keep personal files and apps option to keep your files and settings. If you want to perform a clean installation, select the Nothing option, but make sure you have backed up your important files before doing so.
• Wait for the installation to complete and restart your device.

Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you fix the Windows 11 update issues and get your device up to date. If you have any questions or feedback, please leave a comment below.

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