If a WSUS-managed Windows PC shows 0x80070422 while checking for updates, repair the local Windows Update service first: open services.msc, set Windows Update to Automatic, start it, and try the scan again. The code in the original title, 0X800070422, contains an extra zero; verify the exact message on the affected computer before changing anything.
What the code means
Microsoft documents 0x80070422 as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED. In this situation, the Windows Update service is disabled, stopped, or otherwise not running. A WSUS client still depends on that local service, even when updates are supplied by an organization’s WSUS server.
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The spelling matters. 0X800070422 is not the documented form: it has one more zero in the hexadecimal digits. Open the original error dialog, Windows Update history, or the organization’s support ticket and compare the displayed value with 0x80070422. If the computer shows a different code, use troubleshooting for that code instead of assuming the steps below apply.
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- Use an administrator account. Changing a Windows service and clearing its update cache normally requires administrative permission. If the controls are unavailable, contact the person who manages the PC.
- Know whether the PC is WSUS-managed. A work or school computer may receive update policies from an internal WSUS server. Do not change organizational update policies merely to bypass this error.
- Save open work. Starting a service normally does not reboot Windows, but later update installation may require a restart.
- Record the original state. Note whether Windows Update was Disabled, Manual, or already Automatic, and whether it was running. This makes it easier for an administrator to reverse an unintended change.
Fix 0x80070422 by enabling Windows Update
This is the narrowest repair and the first step Microsoft recommends for this condition.
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- Press Windows key + R to open Run.
- Enter
services.mscand press Enter. The Services console opens. - Scroll to Windows Update. The list is alphabetical, so the entry is near the bottom.
- Double-click Windows Update to open its Properties.
- Open the Startup type menu and choose Automatic.
- Look at Service status. If it says Stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Close Services, open Settings, go to Windows Update, and select Check for updates. On older Windows editions, use the Windows Update page in Control Panel.
If Windows Update starts and the scan completes, no WSUS-server change is needed for this particular error. The local service was the blocking condition.
If the Startup type menu is locked
A policy can prevent local changes on a managed computer. Do not work around an organization’s policy by editing unrelated settings. Give the administrator the exact code, the current Windows Update service status, and the time of the failed scan so the client and WSUS configuration can be checked together.
If Start produces an error
Read the complete message shown by Services and record it. The documented meaning of 0x80070422 is that Windows Update is disabled or not running; a new service-start error may indicate a separate problem. First confirm that the service’s Startup type remains Automatic. If it is Automatic but the service stops again, continue with the cache reset and troubleshooter below rather than repeatedly clicking Start.
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Run the built-in Windows Update troubleshooter
Windows includes a troubleshooter for common update-service and update-detection problems. It is a supported follow-up when enabling the service does not clear the error.
- Open Settings.
- Select System, then Troubleshoot, then Other troubleshooters on current Windows 11 and Windows 10 layouts.
- Find Windows Update and select Run.
- Follow the on-screen checks and apply any repair it offers.
- Restart Windows if the troubleshooter requests it.
- Return to Settings → Windows Update and select Check for updates.
Menu names can vary by Windows edition and build. Search Settings for “troubleshoot” if the path is arranged differently. The troubleshooter does not replace the service check: confirm that Windows Update is still set to Automatic and running before testing again.
Reset the Windows Update cache
If Windows Update is enabled but the error returns, Microsoft’s next documented path is to rebuild the local update cache. This addresses the cache scope rather than changing WSUS server settings.
Stop the service and clear its cached files
- Press Windows key + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Find Windows Update, open its Properties, and select Stop. Leave the Services window open.
- Open File Explorer and enter
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionin the address bar. - Clear the contents of the
SoftwareDistributionfolder. Clear the files and subfolders inside it; do not rename or remove the parentWindowsfolder. - If a file is in use, return to Services and confirm that Windows Update is stopped, then try the operation again. If the file remains locked, restart Windows and repeat the stop-and-clear sequence before opening Windows Update.
Start the service and scan again
- Return to Services.
- Open Windows Update and select Start.
- Confirm Startup type is still Automatic, then select Apply and OK.
- Open Settings → Windows Update and select Check for updates.
Windows recreates the needed cache content as the client scans. The first scan after clearing the folder can take longer because the local cache has been rebuilt.
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WSUS is an update source that the Windows Update Agent can use. Restoring the local Windows Update service must come before diagnosing the WSUS server, network path, or approval status. A client with a disabled local service cannot perform a meaningful WSUS detection cycle.
- Confirm in Services that Windows Update is set to Automatic and shows Running.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter if it has not already been run.
- If the cache was reset, start Windows Update and allow the client to complete its first scan.
- Use Microsoft’s Windows Update client detection procedure in its WSUS client-agent guidance to request a fresh scan. Follow the procedure appropriate to the Windows edition and management policy on the computer rather than copying a command intended for a different release.
- Check Windows Update again and give the managed client enough time to contact the configured WSUS source.
If the local service is running and a fresh detection still fails, the remaining investigation is environment-specific: the WSUS server, client policy, or network connection may need attention from the organization’s administrator. The original 0x80070422 condition, however, has already been addressed at the client.
Choose the right repair path
| Path | What it changes | When to use it | Relative risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enable and start Windows Update | The local service state and startup behavior | The code is 0x80070422, or Services shows Windows Update disabled or stopped |
Low; it changes one service setting |
| Windows Update troubleshooter | Common update-detection and service conditions identified by Windows | The service is enabled but the error or scan failure persists | Low; use the repairs it explicitly offers |
| SoftwareDistribution cache reset | Local Windows Update cache contents | The service runs, but the error returns or cached update data appears unusable | Moderate; stop the service and clear only the folder contents |
| WSUS client detection procedure | A fresh detection request from the managed client | The local service works and the client needs to request current WSUS policy or updates | Depends on the organization’s procedure and policy |
| Server or network investigation | WSUS infrastructure or the path between client and server | The local service is healthy and a fresh client scan still cannot complete | Administrator-led; not the first response to this service error |
Common mistakes that keep the error coming back
Changing WSUS settings before checking Services
A WSUS-managed PC still needs its local Windows Update service. Editing server URLs or approval settings while the service is disabled does not repair the immediate condition and can make later diagnosis harder.
Setting the service to Manual instead of Automatic
For this documented condition, Microsoft’s repair is to set Windows Update to Automatic. Leaving it disabled or relying on a manual start can reproduce the same failure on the next detection attempt.
Clearing the cache while the service is running
Stop Windows Update first. Files held by the active service may not clear cleanly, and an incomplete reset can leave the client in the same state.
Deleting the wrong folder
The cache reset targets the contents of C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution. Do not delete the Windows directory or unrelated system folders.
Assuming every similarly formatted code is the same
Check the exact characters. The documented code is 0x80070422; the title’s 0X800070422 is a transcription variant with an extra zero. A different hexadecimal code can represent a different failure and require different steps.
Verify the repair
- In
services.msc, Windows Update shows Startup type: Automatic. - The service status is Running after you start it.
- The Windows Update page no longer immediately reports
0x80070422. - A fresh Check for updates attempt begins and completes or reports a new, more specific result.
- On a WSUS-managed PC, the client has been given a fresh detection request using the organization’s Microsoft-supported procedure.
If the same code appears after all of these checks, record the exact code, service status, whether the cache was reset, and the result of the fresh scan. That information separates a recurring local service problem from a later WSUS or network issue.
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