Have you encountered update error 0x800704c7 while installing pending updates on your Windows 11/10 PC? If yes, and you are looking to fix, you are in the right place. In this post we are going to see all the solutions that will help you solve this annoying problem.
FIXED: Windows update error 0x800704c7
If you are unable to install pending updates due to an error code 0x800704c7, consider performing the fixes below.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
- Try SFC and DISM scans
- Reset Windows Update components
- Manually download and install pending updates
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
The most effective way to resolve an update-related error is to run the update troubleshooter. This tool checks the underlying causes and provides some useful solutions to overcome the same error code. The correct approach to run this tool on Windows is as follows:
Windows 11
- Open Settings (Win + I) and navigate to the path below.
- Locate Windows Update and hit the Run button
- This tool will check for the possible causes behind this error code and fix them.
- Even in cases where this tool fails to provide resolutions to an error 0x800704c7, this will tell you how to overcome this error code on Windows 11.
- Follow these tricks and fix this problem.
- Make sure to restart your computer after following any of the suggestions mentioned by this troubleshooter.
Windows 10
The steps are more or less similar to those provided in the previous section. The only difference in Windows 10 is where you can find this troubleshooter. Well, you find the same by reaching the path below –
Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters
- Click Windows Update to expand its box and hit Run the troubleshooter.
Now, follow the onscreen instructions to complete the troubleshooting. Once done, restart your Windows 10 PC.
Try SFC and DISM scans
If you are using third-party antivirus, update error 0x800704c7 could be a direct result of interactions between system files and antivirus program.
First uninstall these apps on your computer and then try running the System File Checker or DISM utility.
Here’s how to run both of these tools on the same console:
- Start Command Prompt as Administratorfirst
- In the elevated console, copy/paste the following command and press Enter.
sfc /scannow
Type sfcscannow
- Please wait for the next 10-15 minutes while the system files are scanned and repaired.
- After the SFC scan completes, run this DISM command:
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- Just like SFC, DISM also takes some time to find and repair any problems within the system image.
- After running both SFC and DISM commands, close the command prompt and restart your computer.
Log back into your device and check if you can update Windows normally now.
Reset Windows Update components
After a period of time, your Windows cache folders fill up with unnecessary files that aren’t relevant to your recent updates. This non-essential data often interacts with system processes such as Windows update and prevents an update from occurring.
You can never be sure unless and until you repair all system files and folders. Instead of repairing these files, it’s better to reset all Windows Update components. Well, follow these steps to delete Windows cache folders.
- First of all, disable all services related to updates.
- To do this, open Run (Win + R), type CMD on it and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter
- After that the UAC window will pop up, press Yes to authorize access to command prompt.
- Copy/paste these commands to it and hit Enter to make sure you disable all update services.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
- After successfully disabling all services, delete both the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do this, you need to run these next two codes:
ren C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:WindowsSystem32catroot2 Catroot2.old
- The above codes will add an .old extension to their existing names.
- Assuming you’ve already renamed both of these folders correctly, be sure to re-enable any services you stopped earlier. To do this, run these codes one after another –
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
Restart your PC and check if you can update Windows normally now.
Manually download and install pending updates
If the error code 0x800704c7 still occurs, consider manually downloading and installing any pending updates.
For that, you need the KB number that doesn’t work on your computer. Go to your Windows 10 update history or Windows 11 update history pages and write down the latest cumulative update number for your version of Windows.
Now, visit the Microsoft update catalog and look for the written down “KB” number. Choose the standalone package that best fits your system architecture and hit the Download button.
Moving forward, click the link above. This will download the recent cumulative update in .msu file format.
Double-click the downloaded file to start upgrading to your chosen OS build.