Can’t Run Windows Update: Fix Error Code 0x80070002

The Problem: you’re trying to update Windows but keep getting error code 0x80070002. This error happens when you’re trying to install some Windows updates and rebooting your computer doesn’t help. Typically, the error message tells you that Windows failed to search for the update.

The Solution: in this article, we’ll explore three solutions that are most likely to fix error code 0x80070002.

Solution 1: Use Windows Update Troubleshooter

The easiest and the quickest way to fix error code 0x80070002 is to use the Windows Update Troubleshooter. It’s not a guaranteed fix but it will solve the problem in 90% of cases.

To launch the Troubleshooter, do the following:

1. Click on search bar next to Start Menu.

2. Type “Troubleshooting” without the quotes and click on Troubleshooting.

3. Click on View All on the left panel of the screen.

4. Click on Windows Update

5. Click on Next and follow the prompts to run the troubleshooter.

6. Reboot your PC and check if the problem is fixed.

Solution 2: Reset Windows Update Components

If using the Troubleshooter didn’t work, try resetting Windows Updated components to fix error code 0x80070002. This is how to do it:

1. Press Windows Key + X on the keyboard and then select “Command Prompt (Admin)” from the menu.
2. Stop the following services: BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and Windows Update by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt and pressing Enter after each command:
   • net stop wuauserv
   • net stop cryptSvc
   • net stop bits
   • net stop msiserver
3. Rename the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. You can do this by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt. Press Enter after each command.
   • ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   • ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
4. Restart the BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and the Windows Update services by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt and pressing Enter after each command.
   • net start wuauserv
   • net start cryptSvc
   • net start bits
   • net start msiserver

5. Type Exit in the Command Prompt to close it.

Solution 3: Check for Corrupted System Files

Sometimes corrupted system files might cause this error. If that’s the case, you should be able to fix error code 0x80070002 by checking your PC for corrupted system files and removing them. Here is how to do this:

1. Click on the Windows icon, type CMD, and then right-click command prompt
2. Choose to run the Command Prompt as administrator
3. In the Command Prompt window, type “SFC /scannow” and hit the Enter key
4. Wait for the process to finish

When the scan is finished, you should get a message that everything is OK now. Try running Windows Update again. If you get another error message, you may need to restart the Windows Update Service. Here is how:

1. Click on the Start button and go to the Control Panel. Search for Administrative Tools.
2. Now look for Services, type in your administrator password and confirm your action.
3. Click on the Name tab to sort the items alphabetically and find the Windows Update service. Right-click on it and select Stop.

Now make sure the service’s startup type is set to Automatic and restart your computer. When done, try downloading Windows Updates again.

We hope that these tips helped you to fix error code 0x80070002!