Some links on this page are affiliate links: if you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
First verify the complete code. 0x8007042 is missing a hexadecimal digit, so it is not enough information to select a fix. Microsoft documents 0x80070422 as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED in a Windows Update context, where the recommended first check is whether the Windows Update service is running. The same full code can also identify a disabled Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) in a WSUS client-agent context.
On a Windows Server 2016 machine, copy the entire message, record what operation failed, and identify the service named by that operation. Then follow the matching branch below. The Microsoft Windows Update page that describes this code is scoped to supported Windows client versions, so its guidance should not be presented as an independently verified Server 2016-specific procedure; server update policy and WSUS management can change what is appropriate.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What does “0x8007042” mean on Windows Server 2016?
As written, 0x8007042 is incomplete: it has seven hexadecimal digits after the 0x prefix. A Windows error code normally needs the complete value shown by the dialog, event, or command output. The missing digit could change the diagnosis entirely, so do not add a digit by guesswork.
The most likely intended value is 0x80070422. Microsoft lists that complete code as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED for a Windows Update failure when the Windows Update service has stopped working or is not running. Microsoft’s concise mitigation is to check whether the Windows Update service is running. That evidence explains the service state, not a damaged installation, activation failure, malware infection, or hardware fault.
Popular on Amazon
- Server 2022 Standard 16 Core
There is an important qualification for this title: the cited Microsoft Windows Update error page applies to supported Windows client versions. It does not, by itself, establish a Server 2016-specific fix. Server 2016 may be governed by an internal update policy, a WSUS server, Group Policy, or another management system. Treat the service check as a diagnostic starting point and confirm the server’s intended update configuration before changing it.
Why do the full code and the failed operation matter?
The same hexadecimal value can be reported by different service components. Microsoft’s WSUS client-agent troubleshooting table also uses 0x80070422 for ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED when BITS has been disabled. Therefore, the number alone does not tell you whether to inspect Windows Update or BITS.
| What you verified | What the code represents in that context | First manual check | Scope and caution |
|---|---|---|---|
0x80070422 during Windows Update |
ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED; Windows Update is stopped or not running |
Check the Windows Update service state | Microsoft’s common-error guidance is written for supported Windows client versions; verify Server 2016 policy before changing startup settings |
0x80070422 in a WSUS client-agent or BITS message |
ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED; BITS is disabled |
Check the BITS service state | Use the BITS branch only when the message or operation identifies BITS |
| A different full code | Not established by the evidence for this article | Identify the exact code and operation before selecting a remedy | Do not apply the 0x80070422 service procedure automatically |
If the original dialog says only “server error” or shows a truncated value, look for the complete event, log entry, or command output that generated it. A copied code without its surrounding message can send you to the wrong service.
How do I capture the exact error before changing anything?
Record the evidence first. This prevents a later service restart or policy refresh from erasing the details you need to identify the correct branch.
- Copy the complete hexadecimal value. Include every character after
0x, preserving leading or trailing digits. Write down the capitalization only for readability; hexadecimal letter case does not change the value. - Copy the complete message. Note whether it names Windows Update, BITS, WSUS, another service, or a specific application.
- Record the action in progress. Examples include checking for updates, downloading an update from WSUS, installing an update, or running a client-agent operation. The operation is as important as the code.
- Note where the message appeared. A Windows Update dialog, a WSUS-related log, Event Viewer, PowerShell, or an administration tool may describe the same failure differently.
- Record the server’s update design. Determine whether Server 2016 is expected to contact Microsoft’s update service directly, use an internal WSUS server, or follow a Group Policy managed by another team. Do not change a service that policy intentionally disables.
Keep this record with the time of the failure and the server name. If the code returns after a service restart, the timeline helps an administrator correlate service changes with policy or event entries.
Also popular on Amazon
How do I check the Windows Update service for a confirmed 0x80070422 error?
If the full code is 0x80070422 and the failed operation was Windows Update, inspect the Windows Update service first. Read its state before editing startup settings, and confirm that the change is permitted on your Server 2016 installation.
Recommended Free Tools
Check in the Services console
- Sign in with an account that can view services. If your organization separates server administration from update approval, involve the responsible administrator before making changes.
- Open the Run dialog with
Windows key + R, enterservices.msc, and press Enter. - In the Services list, locate Windows Update. The service name shown in the properties window is commonly
wuauserv. - Read the Status field. A blank status or a value indicating that it is stopped means the service is not currently running.
- Open Properties and note Startup type without changing it. A Disabled setting may be enforced by policy, while a stopped service may be a temporary state.
- If the server’s documented update design allows the service to run, select Start and wait for the status to change. If the service starts, retry the same update action once and record the result.
Do not switch a managed server to a different startup mode simply because the control is available. A WSUS or Group Policy administrator may intentionally control when the service runs. If the service starts and the error disappears, document the original state and the approved change rather than treating the code as proof of a broader system repair.
Check the state with PowerShell
For a repeatable, read-only check, open an elevated PowerShell window and run:
Get-Service -Name wuauserv | Select-Object Name, Status, StartTypeThe output reports the service name, current status, and configured start type. To inspect the underlying Windows service record without changing it, you can run:
Get-CimInstance Win32_Service -Filter "Name='wuauserv'" | Select-Object Name, State, StartMode, StartNameIf your approved procedure allows a start attempt, use:
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Also popular on Amazon
Start-Service -Name wuauservRun the read-only command again afterward. A successful command does not prove that the update system is healthy; it only shows that the service accepted the start request. Capture any PowerShell error text exactly, because an access, dependency, or policy error is a different diagnostic branch.
What if Windows Update is already running?
If the service is running when the error appears, the simple stopped-service explanation has not been confirmed. Check that the dialog really reports 0x80070422, verify that the operation was Windows Update rather than BITS, and inspect the relevant event details for the same timestamp.
Do not repeatedly stop and start the service as a substitute for identifying the operation. A running service can coexist with a policy, connectivity, or another component problem, but the supplied Microsoft guidance does not establish those possibilities as the cause of this code. Escalate with the complete message, service state, update-management design, and event details.
What if the service is disabled, will not start, or stops again?
Record the exact behavior: whether the start control is unavailable, whether a start attempt returns an error, and whether the service changes back to stopped. Then check the server’s update policy and management ownership before editing the startup type or registry.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
For a managed Server 2016 system, ask the administrator responsible for Group Policy or WSUS whether the Windows Update service is intentionally disabled or restricted. If the policy is legitimate, the remedy belongs in that management system, not in an ad hoc local change. If no policy should disable it, preserve the service error and relevant event details for the administrator who owns the server configuration.
Also popular on Amazon
- 2.5 Gbps PCIe Network Card: With the 2.5G Base-T Technology, TX201 delivers high-speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps, which is 2.5x faster than typical Gigabit adapters. Performance varies by conditions, distance to devices, and obstacles such as walls
- Versatile Compatibility – The Ethernet Network Adapter is backwards compatible with multiple data rates(2.5 Gbps, 1 Gbps, 100 Mbps Base-T connectivity). The 2.5G Ethernet port automatically negotiates between higher and lower speed connection.
- QoS: Quality of Service technology delivers prioritized performance for gamers and ensures to avoid network congestion for PC gaming
- Wake on LAN – Remotely power on or off your computer with WOL, helps to manage your devices more easily
- Low-Profile and Full-Height Brackets: In addition to the standard bracket, a low-profile bracket is provided for mini tower computer cases
What if the message identifies BITS or WSUS instead?
Use this branch only when the complete message or failed operation identifies BITS, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, or a WSUS client-agent action. Microsoft’s WSUS troubleshooting table associates 0x80070422 with BITS being disabled in that context.
- Open
services.mscand locate Background Intelligent Transfer Service. Its service name is commonlyBITS. - Read the current status and startup type before changing either value.
- If your organization’s WSUS design permits BITS to run, use Start, then repeat the original operation once.
- For a read-only PowerShell check, run
Get-Service -Name BITS | Select-Object Name, Status, StartType. - If BITS cannot start, is disabled by policy, or stops immediately, save the exact error and consult the WSUS or Group Policy owner. Do not substitute a Windows Update service change for a BITS-specific failure.
Windows Update and BITS can participate in the same update workflow, but they are separate services. Starting one does not establish that the other is configured correctly, and the code alone cannot tell you which one to change.
What should I do if the complete code is not 0x80070422?
Stop using this article’s code-specific branch when the full value differs. The title’s seven-digit value is not sufficient to map to a Windows error, and the evidence here does not identify a remedy for other codes.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstall- Copy the full value again from the original source rather than relying on memory or a truncated search result.
- Read the message around it and identify the operation, service, or component named there.
- Use documentation for that verified code and context, preferably from Microsoft or the administrator of the system producing the message.
- Keep the Server 2016 qualification in mind: a client-focused troubleshooting page may not describe the server’s policy, servicing stack, or WSUS configuration.
- Avoid applying registry edits, deleting update caches, replacing system files, or changing unrelated services merely because the error looks similar.
This separation prevents a common diagnostic mistake: treating every hexadecimal code that resembles 0x80070422 as an update-service failure. The operation and the complete value must agree before you make a service change.
How can I troubleshoot a recurring service-state error safely?
A recurrence is useful evidence, not proof that the operating system is damaged. Use a controlled sequence so you can tell whether the service state, policy, or the operation itself changed.
Also popular on Amazon
- Enhance security and reduce risk with multiple layers of protection, built into the operating system.
- Save money and gain flexibility with software-defined compute, storage, and networking technologies, inspired by Microsoft Azure.
- Use improved technologies, such as Windows containers and Nano Server, for another ways to deploy and run on-premises and cloud-based apps.
- License - 16 cores - OEM - DVD - 64-bit - English
- Capture the first failure. Save the full code, message, time, and operation before restarting anything.
- Check the named service. Use the Services console or the read-only PowerShell command for Windows Update or BITS, depending on the verified context.
- Check policy ownership. Confirm whether Group Policy, WSUS, or another management tool is expected to control the service.
- Make only an approved service change. If policy permits a start, start the service and record the before-and-after state. Do not alter unrelated startup types.
- Repeat the original action once. Record whether the same code returns, a different code appears, or the action succeeds.
- Collect event details if it returns. Save the event source, event ID, message text, and timestamp relevant to the failed operation. Give those details to the administrator responsible for Server 2016 servicing.
If the service repeatedly changes state, the important finding is that behavior itself. It warrants policy and event review; it does not justify claiming that the server has a hardware failure, activation problem, or confirmed infection.
Which changes should I avoid on a Server 2016 machine?
Service-state errors invite broad “repair” steps, but unsupported changes can break a server’s update design or make later diagnosis harder. Avoid these shortcuts until the code and context are verified:
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →- Adding a missing digit to
0x8007042without checking the original dialog or log. - Changing Windows Update settings when the message actually identifies BITS or another service.
- Forcing a disabled service to run when a documented Group Policy or WSUS rule intentionally disables it.
- Deleting update databases, renaming system folders, editing the registry, or replacing system files solely because
0x80070422appeared. - Describing the error as activation-related, hardware-related, or evidence of malware without separate evidence.
- Assuming that a Windows client troubleshooting page is a complete Server 2016 procedure.
The safe objective is narrow: identify the exact code and operation, check the named service, respect the server’s management policy, and preserve evidence when the simple check does not resolve the issue.
What is the shortest decision path for this error?
| Decision | Action | Stop or escalate when |
|---|---|---|
Is the code exactly 0x80070422? |
If no, identify the correct code before using this procedure. If yes, continue to the operation check. | The original source is truncated or inconsistent |
| Did Windows Update produce the message? | Check the Windows Update service state and the server’s update policy. | The service is already running, cannot start, or is policy-controlled |
| Did BITS or a WSUS client-agent action produce it? | Check BITS and its controlling policy instead of changing Windows Update. | BITS is disabled, repeatedly stops, or the operation is unclear |
| Does the operation name neither service? | Use the complete message to identify the responsible component. | You cannot establish the operation from the available evidence |
Following this path keeps the diagnosis proportional to what is actually known. The documented service-state explanation is useful only after the complete code and its context have been verified.
Outbyte PC Repair is an optional shortcut for common Windows issues such as broken system elements, invalid redirects, shared DLL files, temporary files, and app-crash logging; it complements an antivirus and does not replace one. Its listed support is Windows 11, 10, 8, and 7 rather than Server 2016, so confirm compatibility before considering it; a free trial by category lasts at least two days, followed by a paid subscription, and results vary because no tool repairs every crash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 0x8007042 the same as 0x80070422?
No. The first string is incomplete, while the second is the complete value documented for the service-disabled condition. Re-open the original dialog or log and copy the full value before changing a service.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsCan I permanently enable Windows Update on Server 2016?
Only if that matches the server’s approved update design. A domain policy, WSUS configuration, or another administrator may intentionally control the service, so local changes should be cleared with the policy owner.
Why can the same error appear for BITS?
The hexadecimal value describes a service-disabled condition, and BITS can be the disabled service in a WSUS client-agent operation. The message and operation identify whether BITS or Windows Update is the correct branch.
What information should I give an administrator when the error keeps returning?
Provide the complete code, exact message, failed operation, server update-management method, service state before and after any approved start attempt, and timestamps for related events. That record distinguishes a policy-controlled state from a transient stop.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
