When updating Windows , different errors may arise that will prevent the process from continuing. One of those faults appears with the code 0x800700a1 . We are going to explain why this problem appears and what you need to do to solve it and get Windows to have the latest version installed. Luckily, the operating system will always launch a message with a code and that helps us find a solution.
Why does the error 0x800700a1 appear?
You may be wondering why you get error 0x800700a1 when trying to update Windows. The truth is that there is no single reason, so you will have to carry out certain steps depending on the reason and thus try to solve it. However, we are going to show what the main reasons are.
One of them is that you have a problem with the Internet connection . The system starts to update, but there is a small break in the connection and that causes it to stop. It can lead to errors of this type, which appears if some file is not installed correctly. If you’re on Wi-Fi and have a weak signal, this is more likely to happen.
Another reason is that there are corrupted files in the system or even the hard drive is full . In both cases the installation process could not continue. It would stop automatically and you would get the error code 0x800700a1. It is more common that there are corrupted files, for example from a previous update.
It is also common for it to appear due to a problem in Windows update services . There may be a configuration error and they are disabled or there may be a corrupt file that prevents them from working normally. There could even be glitches with certain devices you connect. If for example you have a new external network card and it does not have updated drivers, there could be conflicts.
What to do to fix it
You can carry out certain steps that we are going to take to solve this error . This way you can update Windows normally. Of course, since there is no single cause, there will not be a fixed solution that fixes the problem. You may have to try several of these methods that we are going to show.
Check internet connection
The first thing you should do is check if the Internet connection is good. It is one of the reasons why error 0x800700a1 may appear when updating Windows. Perhaps you are very far from the router or you have a specific problem with the network and that prevents you from being able to download files normally.
If you see that the coverage is poor, you can always use a Wi-Fi repeater, a Mesh system or PLC devices. In all these cases you can take the Internet connection from one place to another. This way you will avoid coverage problems and you will be able to download the updates without problems.
Restart the computer and update again
You should also try doing something as simple as restarting your computer and starting the process over again. This is something that should always be carried out, since sometimes certain system processes are caught and simply by restarting the computer we can make them work correctly again.
After restarting it you simply have to start the update again . If it was an occasional failure, something simple, it should work without problems. If it is another reason, you will have to continue with the following steps until you find the real solution.
Free disk space
It is true that Windows reserves disk space for updates, but if the hard disk is still full , errors of this type can appear. Check if you have available space, since sometimes we install many programs or store files and without realizing it, our hard drive can fill up.
Basically what you have to do in this step is that: check that you have available space. If you see that there is little left, try to delete things you don’t want, free up space by uploading files to the cloud or to an external hard drive. Try updating Windows once you’ve done that.
Check for corrupt files
An important step is to check that there are no corrupted files on the system . This can be the cause of many such problems. For example, it can happen after a failed update, after installing a program, etc. It will prevent the system from being able to manage updates normally.
You have to go to Start, open Command Prompt or Terminal and run the command sfc /scannow. What this does is analyze the hard disk in search of possible corrupt files that it may have and repairs them so that the system works correctly. It is a simple and fast process.
Start the troubleshooter
Windows has a troubleshooter that can help you detect errors of this type. You can also analyze the updates to find possible problems that may appear. To start it you have to go to Start, enter Settings, Troubleshooter, click on Other troubleshooters and Windows Update.
It will automatically start a process to detect possible failures in the Windows update system. Once finished, it will show you what possible problem it has detected or if it has solved it without having to do anything.
Reset update service
One more step is to reset Windows update service . It may have been caught, some process that does not work, and what we do is put it back at the starting point. We will get it to reset to the default values and in this way correct certain problems that may exist.
To do this you have to go to Start and search for and run Services. Once there you select Windows Update, click with the second mouse button and click Properties. In the startup type you have to check Automatic . You give Start and apply the changes. When you do this you will be able to start the update installation again.
See if any device interferes
Have you installed any device recently? Perhaps a USB Wi-Fi network card, for example. This type of hardware could also be interfering and causing problems when installing updates. What you should do is check that everything works correctly and try to install the updates.
You can check that the drivers are up to date , but you could also momentarily unplug those devices if possible. So you could check that it works correctly and there is no problem.
In short, these are the steps you must take to solve the error 0x800700a1 when updating the version of Windows. It is an annoying error that will prevent you from having the latest versions correctly and it should be solved in order to improve the performance of the computer and also maintain security.