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If Windows Update reports 0x80070422, the documented cause is that the Windows Update service is disabled or stopped. Set that service to start automatically, start it, restart the computer, and check for updates again. However, the code in this question—0x8007042—is missing a final digit compared with Microsoft’s documented error, so you should verify the complete code before applying that diagnosis.
Open Windows Update history, copy the entire error exactly as displayed, and then follow the matching branch below. The built-in Services console and Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooter are the first-line fixes; registry edits, security-software removal, and hardware purchases are not required by Microsoft’s code-specific guidance.
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What is the difference between 0x8007042 and 0x80070422?
They are different strings. Microsoft’s documented Windows Update error is 0x80070422, while the title’s 0x8007042 contains one fewer digit. Because a missing digit can point to a different error, do not silently treat the shorter code as the documented one.
| Code shown in Windows | What Microsoft documents | First action |
|---|---|---|
0x80070422 |
Windows Update service is disabled, stopped, or not running; Microsoft labels it ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED. |
Enable and start the Windows Update service, restart, then check for updates. |
0x8007042 |
The cited Microsoft pages do not establish that this shorter code has the same cause. | Record the complete code and use Microsoft’s general update-error lookup and troubleshooting flow. |
Microsoft Learn describes the documented case this way: “This issue occurs when the Windows Update service stops working or isn’t running.” You can read the full error table in Common Windows Update errors – Windows Client.
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How do I find the complete Windows Update error code?
Use Windows Update history rather than relying on a cropped notification, a search result, or a code copied from memory. Microsoft’s installation-error guidance recommends finding the failed update and its complete code in history before choosing a code-specific remedy.
- Open Settings.
- Open Windows Update. On Windows 10, this is under Update & Security > Windows Update; on Windows 11, it is a top-level Settings page.
- Select Update history (or the equivalent history link in your Windows build).
- Locate the update marked as failed and expand its details if necessary.
- Copy the entire error, including every digit after
0x. Also note the update name or knowledge-base identifier shown beside it.
Microsoft’s installation-error instructions are available at Get help with Windows upgrade and installation errors. If the history entry really says 0x8007042, keep that exact form; do not add a digit simply because a similar code has a documented fix.
How do I fix Windows Update error 0x80070422?
For the verified six-digit code, Microsoft’s fix is to change the Windows Update service from a disabled or stopped state, start it, and then retry the update.
- Press Win+R to open the Run dialog.
- Enter
services.mscand press Enter. If Windows asks for administrator approval, approve it with an administrator account. - In the Services list, find Windows Update. The list is alphabetical, so scrolling to the entries beginning with “Windows” can be quicker than searching randomly.
- Double-click Windows Update to open its Properties.
- Find Startup type and set it to Automatic, as specified in Microsoft’s instructions.
- Check Service status. If it says Stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK to close the Properties window.
- Close the Services console.
These changes affect only the Windows Update service setting. They do not remove an update or alter personal files. Microsoft’s step-by-step instructions are in Troubleshoot problems updating Windows.
What if the Windows Update service is already running?
If the service is already running, still open Properties and verify that Startup type is set to Automatic. Apply the setting, close the console, and continue with the restart and retry. The documented error is tied to the service being disabled or not running, so changing unrelated services is not part of this code-specific fix.
What if Start is unavailable or Windows displays another service error?
Do not jump to registry changes or delete system folders based on a different error message. Record the new message and the original code, restart the computer if Windows allows it, and move to the Windows Update troubleshooter described below. If the actual code remains the shorter 0x8007042, use Microsoft’s general installation-error flow instead of assuming that the service diagnosis applies.
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How do I retry Windows Update after changing the service?
A restart makes the service-state change take effect cleanly and gives Windows Update a fresh attempt.
- Select Start > Power > Restart.
- After Windows loads, open Settings > Windows Update (or Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update on Windows 10).
- Select Check for updates and allow Windows to complete its check.
- If the update downloads and installs, restart when Windows requests it.
- Return to Update history and confirm whether the previously failed item now shows a successful result or a new, complete error code.
If the same 0x80070422 returns after the service is set to Automatic and started, stop repeating the same toggle. Use the troubleshooter so Windows can inspect broader update conditions.
How do I run Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooter?
Windows 11 and Windows 10 expose the troubleshooter differently. Microsoft directs Windows 11 users first to an automated troubleshooter in Get Help, while the Settings-based path remains available for Windows 10 and older interfaces.
Windows 11: use Get Help
- Open the Get Help app from the Start menu.
- Search for the Windows Update troubleshooter or choose the Windows Update troubleshooting topic offered by the app.
- Follow the prompts and allow the automated checks to finish.
- Restart when prompted, then open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
The current Microsoft instructions are on the Windows Update Troubleshooter page. The exact prompts in Get Help can change as Microsoft updates the app, so follow the labels shown on your device.
Windows 10 and older Settings layouts
- Open Settings.
- Go to Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
- Select Additional troubleshooters if that link appears.
- Choose Windows Update, then select Run the troubleshooter.
- Apply any recommended action, restart the PC, and check for updates again.
Menu wording can vary by Windows release, but the goal is the same: launch the Windows Update troubleshooter, let it finish, restart, and retry. If the troubleshooter reports a code different from the original one, use the new complete code for the next lookup.
What should I do if the real code is 0x8007042?
Keep the distinction visible in your notes and support request. The Microsoft sources cited for this guide document 0x80070422, not 0x8007042; they therefore do not confirm that enabling Windows Update will fix the shorter code.
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- Copy the full history entry, including the failed update’s name and date.
- Run the Windows Update troubleshooter for your Windows version.
- Restart and check for updates again after the troubleshooter finishes.
- If the shorter code persists, enter that exact code into Microsoft’s general upgrade and installation error support flow.
- When asking for help, provide the exact code rather than describing it as “the 0x80070422 error.”
This approach prevents a plausible-looking but unverified diagnosis. A single missing digit is enough to make two hexadecimal error identifiers distinct, so accuracy at this stage matters more than trying every fix associated with a similar number.
Should I edit the registry or disable security software?
No. Microsoft’s code-specific instructions call for checking the Windows Update service, restarting, and using the troubleshooter if necessary. They do not call for registry edits, deleting update folders, disabling antivirus or other security software, or buying replacement hardware.
- Do not change unrelated services. Altering services without a documented reason can create new startup or security problems.
- Do not disable protection as a first step. The supplied Microsoft fix does not require turning off security software.
- Do not use a registry “repair” recipe for this code. A registry change aimed at a different error can make recovery harder.
- Back up personal files before broader troubleshooting. Microsoft’s general update guidance recommends backing up important data before trying its solutions.
If a support technician later asks for a different diagnostic action, follow that request only when it matches the exact code and Windows version you recorded.
Does fixing the service restore Windows 10 support?
No. Microsoft says Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025. After that date, Microsoft no longer provides free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10.
Repairing a stopped service can resolve the immediate Windows Update failure on a Windows 10 computer, but it does not extend the operating system’s support lifecycle. Check Microsoft’s current lifecycle information and upgrade guidance before treating a successful service repair as evidence that future security updates will continue.
The Windows Update troubleshooting and lifecycle details are maintained in Microsoft’s troubleshooting guidance and its Windows Update Troubleshooter documentation.
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Which troubleshooting path should I choose?
Use the exact code from Update history to choose one branch. This avoids applying a service fix to an error Microsoft has not associated with that service.
| What you recorded | Recommended sequence | When to escalate |
|---|---|---|
0x80070422 |
Set Windows Update Startup type to Automatic, start the service if stopped, apply and close, restart, then check for updates. | If the error returns, run the Windows Update troubleshooter and retry. |
0x8007042 |
Keep the shorter code unchanged, run the troubleshooter, restart, and use Microsoft’s general installation-error flow. | Escalate with the exact history entry; do not describe it as 0x80070422. |
| A different complete code | Use that code for the next Microsoft lookup rather than reusing either branch above. | Provide the code, failed update name, and troubleshooting result to support. |
What details should I keep for support?
Precise records make it easier to separate a service-state problem from an unrelated update failure. Before closing the history page, write down:
- The complete hexadecimal code, including the
0xprefix. - The update name or identifier shown as failed.
- Your Windows edition and whether the device is running Windows 10 or Windows 11.
- Whether the Windows Update service was stopped, running, or set to a disabled startup type.
- Whether you restarted and what code appeared on the next check.
- What the Windows Update troubleshooter reported or changed.
These details are more useful than a shortened notification title because they preserve the exact branch Microsoft can investigate.
How do I know whether the fix worked?
A successful retry has two parts: Windows Update completes the attempted installation, and Update history no longer records that attempt as failed. If Windows requests another restart, complete it before judging the result. If the history entry changes to a different error, treat that new code as the current problem rather than continuing to troubleshoot 0x80070422.
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Frequently asked questions
Is 0x80070422 a download error or an installation error?
Microsoft’s description identifies it as a Windows Update service-state problem: the service has stopped working or is not running. That means the first remedy concerns the service itself, not a particular update package.
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Should I identify the failed KB number before fixing the service?
Record it if Windows shows one, but the complete error code determines whether the documented service fix applies. The update name and date are valuable support details if the retry produces another code.
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Can the troubleshooter replace checking the code?
It can inspect broader Windows Update conditions, but it does not remove the need to verify the code. Checking history first prevents the documented 0x80070422 service remedy from being presented as a confirmed answer to the shorter 0x8007042.
Where should I ask for help if the shorter code keeps returning?
Use Microsoft’s general Windows upgrade and installation error flow with the exact history entry, then include the failed update name, your Windows version, and the result of the troubleshooter. Avoid reporting the code as 0x80070422 unless Windows actually displays all eight hexadecimal characters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 0x80070422 a download error or an installation error?
Microsoft’s description identifies it as a Windows Update service-state problem: the service has stopped working or is not running. That means the first remedy concerns the service itself, not a particular update package.
Should I identify the failed KB number before fixing the service?
Record it if Windows shows one, but the complete error code determines whether the documented service fix applies. The update name and date are valuable support details if the retry produces another code.
Can the troubleshooter replace checking the code?
It can inspect broader Windows Update conditions, but it does not remove the need to verify the code. Checking history first prevents the documented 0x80070422 service remedy from being presented as a confirmed answer to the shorter 0x8007042.
Where should I ask for help if the shorter code keeps returning?
Use Microsoft’s general Windows upgrade and installation error flow with the exact history entry, then include the failed update name, your Windows version, and the result of the troubleshooter. Avoid reporting the code as 0x80070422 unless Windows actually displays all eight hexadecimal characters.
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