Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
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0x80070005 is Windows’ E_ACCESSDENIED error: an operation was refused access to a file, folder, registry key, service, or other resource. It does not point to one universal fault. The right fix depends on whether it appears in Windows Update, activation, Microsoft Store, or a program installer. Start with the matching path below; don’t grant broad permissions to Windows folders or apply random registry fixes.
First, identify where the error appears
| Where you see 0x80070005 | Start here |
|---|---|
| Windows Update download or installation | Run the Windows Update troubleshooter, then follow the Windows Update steps below. |
| Windows activation or a “Windows isn’t genuine” message | Use the Activation troubleshooter. Activation has distinct licensing and DCOM causes; Windows Update commands usually won’t address them. |
| Microsoft Store app installation or update | Repair or reset the affected app and check for security or package-permission interference. |
| A third-party program installer | Check the installer, destination, administrator access, and security or policy restrictions. |
| Several Windows features fail after a debloat script, optimizer, policy change, or security incident | Undo the change if possible or use System Restore. Avoid trying unrelated permission scripts. |
| Work- or school-managed computer | Contact your IT administrator before changing permissions or policies. |
The error indicates an access failure, but the underlying cause can be changed file or registry permissions, a service-account permission problem, security software blocking a file, management policy, damaged servicing components, or an app-specific issue. It does not by itself prove malware, a failing drive, or a bad update.
Safe first steps
- Restart Windows, then repeat the operation once. Note the exact screen, app, error text, and time it occurs.
- Check administrator access. Sign in with an administrator account. When a command prompt is required, open Start, search for Command Prompt, and choose Run as administrator; a non-elevated window may return its own access-denied error.
- Run the relevant built-in troubleshooter. In current Windows 11, try Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update > Run. Labels and the route through Get Help can vary by build. See Microsoft’s Windows Update troubleshooting guidance.
- Check security software and policy. Third-party antivirus, endpoint security, VPNs, backup tools, or Group Policy may block the operation. If appropriate on a personal computer, pause third-party protection briefly as a controlled test, then restore it immediately. Do not leave protection disabled. On a managed device, ask IT instead.
Before advanced repairs, back up important files. If you may use recovery or reinstall options, locate your BitLocker recovery key first. Microsoft specifically advises backing up the operating-system disk before its advanced Windows Update permission repair.
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For Windows Update: repair system files first
On Windows 10 or Windows 11, open Command Prompt as administrator. Run DISM and wait for it to finish:
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DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealthThen run System File Checker:
sfc /scannowLet SFC reach 100 percent, restart Windows, and try Windows Update again. Microsoft recommends DISM before SFC because DISM can repair the component store that SFC uses when repairing protected system files. These tools can address Windows component or system-file corruption; they do not guarantee repair of altered ACLs, registry permissions, Store packages, activation permissions, or a management policy. See Microsoft’s DISM and SFC instructions.
If DISM cannot get repair files because Windows Update is broken, it can use a compatible repair source instead:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccessReplace C:RepairSourceWindows with the actual Windows directory on a suitable repair source. The source must match the installed Windows version closely enough to provide the needed components. If you do not have a compatible source, do not guess at paths; consider a repair reinstall or seek help.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors- “Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations” means SFC found no protected system-file corruption. It does not rule out a permission problem.
- “Found corrupt files and successfully repaired them” means restart and retry the original operation.
- “Could not perform the requested operation” may require a retry in Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, using Microsoft’s recovery guidance.
For Windows Update: reset its working folders
If the error remains specific to Windows Update, an elevated Command Prompt can stop update services and rename their working folders so Windows can recreate them. Run:
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net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
net stop cryptSvc
ren %windir%SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren %windir%System32catroot2 catroot2.old
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start wuauservRestart the PC and retry the update. Renaming preserves the old folders temporarily rather than deleting them immediately. If the update repair succeeds and you later need the disk space, remove the old folders only after confirming you no longer need them for troubleshooting or rollback. If a command reports that a service is not running or a folder cannot be renamed, note the exact message rather than forcing ownership or deleting files.
Advanced: reset Windows Update permissions only for an Update failure
Microsoft identifies damaged permissions on locations such as WinSxS and SoftwareDistribution, missing rights for SYSTEM or TrustedInstaller, and management restrictions among possible Windows Update causes. If the error is specifically a Windows Update failure and the earlier steps did not work, back up the system disk and use Microsoft’s documented commands from an elevated Command Prompt:
icacls "%windir%WinSxS" /reset /t /c /q
icacls "%windir%SoftwareDistribution" /reset /t /c /qRestart and test Windows Update. These commands recursively reset permissions on system directories. Do not add other folders, take ownership of the entire Windows directory, or give Everyone full control. If the problem persists, Microsoft’s procedure also documents restoring WinSxS ownership to TrustedInstaller:
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If the error is in Windows activation
On Windows 11, open Settings > System > Activation and select Troubleshoot if offered. Follow the prompts and use the Microsoft account associated with the digital license when asked. If the PC was repaired or its hardware changed, check that the installed Windows edition matches the license. Microsoft’s Activation troubleshooter guidance covers the standard path.
One documented activation-specific 0x80070005 case involves missing DCOM access permissions for the SELF account. This is not a general Windows Update or Store repair. Apply it only when the activation symptoms match Microsoft’s case:
- Press Start, type
dcomcnfg, and open Component Services. - Go to Component Services > Computers, right-click My Computer, and select Properties.
- Open COM Security. Under Access Permissions, select Edit Default.
- If
SELFis absent, add it. Allow Local Access and Remote Access, then select OK. - Restart and retry activation.
Microsoft documents this scenario at activation error 0x80070005. A separate “Windows not genuine” case can involve NETWORK SERVICE permissions on HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionProfileListS-1-5-20. Do not edit that key unless the symptoms and evidence match Microsoft’s specific documented scenario.
If Microsoft Store cannot install or update an app
First determine whether one app or every Store app is affected. For a single app, try its Repair option, or Reset if Repair does not help, in the app’s advanced settings where those options are available. Reset may remove app data. Then retry the installation; if just one app remains affected, remove and reinstall that app where possible.
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Check Windows for available updates and whether security software or Controlled Folder Access is blocking the Store. Store package permissions are different from Windows Update permissions: the commands above are not a reliable Store fix. Avoid internet-sourced scripts that change WindowsApps or broad registry permissions. Microsoft documents Store failures related to changed file-system and registry permissions, while cautioning against sweeping changes; see Microsoft Store app troubleshooting. If every Store app fails, or the issue followed a system-wide permission tool, consider System Restore or get support rather than changing package ACLs by guesswork.
If a regular program will not install
- Download a fresh installer from the software publisher’s official site.
- Right-click it and select Run as administrator when appropriate.
- Check that the destination drive exists and has free space. If the installer is on a network share, removable drive, encrypted container, or policy-controlled location, test a trusted local copy if allowed.
- Temporarily test whether third-party security software is blocking the installer, then restore protection.
- If the computer is managed, ask the administrator whether software installation is restricted.
For persistent install or removal failures, Microsoft offers a separate program install and uninstall troubleshooter. Do not use Windows Update ACL commands to repair an unrelated application installer.
Isolate software conflicts and inspect Windows Update logs
If an update fails despite the steps above, a clean boot can help identify interference from startup software such as security tools, VPNs, backup agents, or tuning utilities. Follow Microsoft’s clean-boot steps for Windows 10 and 11 carefully, then restore Normal startup after testing. A clean boot is diagnostic, not a permanent setup.
For a Windows Update failure, an administrator can generate a readable log in PowerShell:
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Get-WindowsUpdateLogAlso inspect %windir%LogsCBSCBS.log. Search around the failure time for 0x80070005 or E_ACCESSDENIED to identify the file, folder, or registry object that was denied. Logs help narrow the cause; they are not an instruction to change permissions on every named object.
When to stop and recover Windows
If the error began after a driver, app, policy, or system-setting change, use System Restore if a suitable restore point exists. Recovery options are available through Settings or Windows Recovery Environment, depending on whether Windows starts; see Microsoft’s Windows recovery options.
If several Windows components fail or system corruption persists, a supported in-place repair installation can reinstall Windows while preserving personal files, settings, and apps when performed through the appropriate in-place path. Confirm edition, architecture, activation, backups, and free disk space first. Microsoft explains the process in its Windows installation-media reinstall guide.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Reset this PC is a later option, not the same as a repair reinstall. Keep my files preserves personal files but removes apps and settings; Remove everything removes personal files, apps, and settings. Cloud download fetches a fresh Windows image, while Local reinstall uses files already on the device. Back up first and have the BitLocker recovery key ready. See Microsoft’s Reset your PC guide.
Contact organizational IT for managed devices, or Microsoft/device support if the documented scenario-specific steps and recovery options do not resolve the problem. Do not keep layering permission resets or third-party “registry repair” tools onto a system with broad access failures.
Windows 10 support note
Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. After that date, ordinary free security updates are no longer provided to most Windows 10 devices; support and update availability can depend on edition and an applicable extended-support arrangement. Check your device’s eligibility rather than assuming a failure to receive updates is only a permissions problem.
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