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If Windows shows 0x80070005 or the text “access denied” while updating Windows 10, the update process could not open or change a required file, folder, or registry entry. The string 0x800700422 in this title is not confirmed in the Microsoft references for this problem, so first copy the code exactly as it appears on your screen. A missing digit, an extra digit, or a code from a different Windows component changes the correct repair.
The sequence below starts with non-destructive checks, then moves to log-guided permission repair and system-file servicing. It is written for Windows 10 and for failures in Windows Update; the same access-denied code can also appear in the Microsoft Store, activation, or setup, where the remedy may be different.
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Identify the exact error before changing anything
Write down four details while the failure is visible:
- The complete hexadecimal code, including every digit and letter.
- The action that failed: Windows Update, an upgrade, the Microsoft Store, activation, setup, or another component.
- The date and time of the failure.
- Your Windows 10 edition and build, plus any security or device-management software installed.
Microsoft documents 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED) as a Windows Update error that occurs when the update process cannot access required files, folders, or registry entries. Its common-error reference calls E_ACCESSDENIED a “general access denied error” and notes that file-system or registry permissions may have changed. The exact string 0x800700422 was not identified in those references. Treat it as an unverified transcription until you compare it with the on-screen message, Event Viewer entry, or log.
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Do not assume that “access denied” means malware or that one universal reset will solve it. The failure can be caused by permissions, a locked file, a management policy, or corruption in the servicing components. The safest fix is the narrowest one supported by the evidence.
What the error means and when it is safe to proceed
An update runs under protected Windows accounts and services, including SYSTEM and TrustedInstaller. It must read and write specific areas such as the component store, the update-download cache, and registry data. If an administrator changed permissions, a security product holds a file open, or policy blocks a write, Windows can return E_ACCESSDENIED.
Routine checks in this guide are safe when performed as written. Permission changes are more consequential: changing ownership or granting broad access to C:Windows can weaken system security and make later servicing unreliable. Before the permission-reset step, create a backup of the operating-system disk, as Microsoft advises. If the computer is managed by an employer or school, ask the device administrator before altering policy, security software, or protected-folder permissions.
Likely causes of an access-denied update
- Changed permissions. WinSxS, SoftwareDistribution, a registry key, or a service account may no longer have the access expected by the servicing stack.
- Security software locks. Third-party antivirus or endpoint controls can temporarily lock update files. Test only under your organization’s approved procedure; do not permanently disable protection.
- Group Policy or management controls. A policy or management agent can restrict writes to system directories or prevent updates from running.
- Component-store or protected-file corruption. Damaged servicing metadata or Windows files can make an otherwise valid update fail.
- Insufficient elevation. The account or process starting the update may not have the administrator access required for the operation.
The code alone cannot distinguish these causes. Logs and the time of failure are what identify the denied object and determine whether to repair permissions, remove a lock through approved policy, or repair Windows components.
Fix the problem in the least invasive order
1. Retry from an administrator account
Sign in with an account that has administrator rights. If the update was started from a standard account, Windows may not be able to obtain the required elevation. Run only the tools that need elevation as administrator; do not use an elevated session for ordinary browsing or unrelated work.
2. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
- Open Settings.
- Select Update & Security.
- Open Troubleshoot.
- Choose Additional troubleshooters.
- Select Windows Update, then choose Run the troubleshooter.
- Apply the diagnostic recommendations and restart if Windows requests it.
The troubleshooter addresses common update failures without requiring you to guess which system folder is involved. If it reports a specific condition, follow that result before changing permissions manually.
3. Check security software and management policy
Review the protection and management products installed on the PC. An endpoint product may be holding an update file, while Group Policy or a management agent may prohibit writes to system directories. Temporarily test the update only if your organization’s policy permits it, and re-enable protection immediately after the test. On a managed PC, have the administrator perform or approve the test rather than bypassing policy yourself.
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Note whether the failure occurs at download, installation, reboot, or rollback, and whether the same code appears again. Restart Windows before moving to servicing commands; a restart can release a file lock and ensures the next log entry has a clear start time.
Use logs to find the denied file or registry entry
Do not reset permissions merely because the message says “access denied.” First inspect the update and servicing logs around the recorded failure time. Generate or open WindowsUpdate.log and inspect %windir%LogsCBSCBS.log. Search for entries containing “access denied,” 0x80070005, or E_ACCESSDENIED, then note the exact path, registry location, account, and operation that failed.
Log evidence lets you separate a permission problem from corruption or a policy block:
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| Log evidence | What it suggests | Next action |
|---|---|---|
A named file or folder under WinSxS or SoftwareDistribution is denied |
A targeted permission or file-lock problem is plausible | Confirm security-policy status, back up the system disk, then use the documented reset only for the affected Windows folders |
| A registry key is denied | Registry permissions or management policy may have changed | Do not apply a blanket registry-permission reset; involve the device administrator or Microsoft Support with the log excerpt |
| Component-store corruption or servicing errors are recorded | Permissions may be normal, but protected Windows components are damaged | Run DISM and SFC in an elevated Command Prompt |
| A security or management product is named | A lock or policy restriction is interfering | Use the product’s approved exception or maintenance procedure rather than disabling protection permanently |
Keep the original log files and copy the few lines before and after the failure. Those excerpts are more useful to support staff than a screenshot of the headline code alone.
Reset only the documented update-folder permissions
Use this step only after the logs point to permission trouble in the listed Windows folders. Back up the operating-system disk first. Open Command Prompt with Run as administrator, enter each command exactly, and wait for it to finish:
icacls "%windir%WinSxS" /reset /t /c /q
icacls "%windir%SoftwareDistribution" /reset /t /c /qicacls resets access-control entries in those two trees; /t processes subfolders and files, /c continues if an individual item reports an error, and /q reduces routine output. These commands do not establish that every permission problem has been fixed, and they do not repair unrelated registry keys or folders.
- Close other applications and ensure the Command Prompt window is elevated.
- Run the first command and let it complete.
- Run the second command and let it complete.
- Restart Windows.
- Retry Windows Update and record the result and time.
Never replace this targeted operation with a blanket ownership or permission change across C:Windows. Broad changes can expose protected files and create new servicing failures.
Repair the component store and protected files
If CBS.log indicates component-store damage or protected-file corruption, use the built-in servicing tools after the permission check. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
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sfc /scannow- Wait for DISM to finish before starting SFC; closing the window early can leave the repair incomplete.
- Allow SFC to reach 100 percent and note the final result.
- Restart Windows.
- Try the update again and compare the new log time with the previous failure.
DISM repairs the Windows component store used for servicing. SFC checks and repairs protected system files. Neither command is a substitute for correcting a policy restriction or a denied registry key, so return to the logs if the same access-denied entry remains.
Choose the next action from the evidence
| Option | Diagnoses or modifies | Change scope | Administrator rights | Reversibility and evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windows Update troubleshooter | Common update conditions | Generally narrow, guided changes | May request elevation | Easy to retry; records its findings |
| Security or policy review | Locks and write restrictions | Depends on the product or policy | Usually required for policy changes | Use the organization’s rollback or maintenance procedure |
| Log inspection | Identifies the denied object and timing | No system change | Opening logs may not; generating them can | Highly reversible and preserves evidence |
icacls reset on WinSxS and SoftwareDistribution |
Permissions in the two documented folders | Recursive within those folders only | Yes | Back up first; logs should justify the scope |
| DISM and SFC | Component-store and protected-file corruption | Windows servicing and protected files | Yes | Run in sequence, restart, and review the final status |
Prefer the first option that matches the evidence. A tool that modifies permissions cannot by itself resolve a Group Policy block, and a file-repair command cannot authorize a denied registry operation.
When the error still returns
- Stop repeating permission resets if the same object remains denied.
- Save the exact hexadecimal code, the action that failed, and the failure time.
- Include the relevant
WindowsUpdate.logandCBS.logexcerpts, with the denied path or registry key visible. - List the Windows 10 edition and build, third-party security software, and any management agent or policy that controls the PC.
- Contact Microsoft Support or your device administrator and provide that evidence. Ask them to address the named object rather than applying blanket permissions.
If the failure occurred in the Store, activation, or setup instead of Windows Update, state that context explicitly. The same E_ACCESSDENIED code can require a component-specific remedy.
Windows 10 support is a separate decision
Microsoft ended Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025. Repairing an update failure does not extend that support lifecycle. After you restore the machine’s ability to service itself, separately determine whether the hardware and your organization’s requirements allow a move to a currently supported Windows release. If you remain on Windows 10, document the support status and the security implications for whoever manages the device.
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