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Error 0x8007042 is incomplete. Copy the full code from the original message, then identify whether Windows Update, a Microsoft Store download, or Windows Firewall failed. If the complete code is 0x80070422 and Windows Update will not download, the usual cause is a disabled or stopped Windows Update service.
First confirm what “0x8007042” actually means
The seven-character text 0x8007042 is not enough to select a reliable repair. Windows error codes commonly continue with additional characters, and the missing characters can point to entirely different Windows components. Microsoft documents 0x80070422 as “Windows Update service is disabled or stopped.” A similarly shortened message has also appeared in a Microsoft Q&A question about Windows Update, while another discussion used the shortened wording for a firewall problem that ultimately involved 0x8007042c.
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Before changing a service or deleting a cache, retrieve the complete code. Look in the original dialog, the notification in Settings, Event Viewer, or the installation log. Write down the exact action that failed and every character after 0x.
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| What failed | Code to confirm | Most relevant branch |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Update download, installation, or “Check for updates” | 0x80070422 is the documented match | Enable and start Windows Update; then troubleshoot or reset its cache if necessary |
| Microsoft Store app download | Confirm the full code; the seven-character text is not a complete diagnosis | Inspect Store-related services, including Network List Service, without assuming the Windows Update fix applies |
| Windows Firewall cannot start | Confirm whether the code is 0x8007042c or another firewall code | Use a firewall-specific path; do not begin by clearing the Windows Update cache |
If the full code does not match one of these situations, preserve the code and the Windows version before trying additional repairs. The same shortened text can describe different failures in different dialogs.
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Fix Windows Update error 0x80070422
For a Windows Update download that is missing, will not start, or remains stuck, the first manual repair is to restore the Windows Update service. Microsoft’s documented interpretation is that the service is disabled or stopped.
1. Open the Windows services console
- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
- Type
services.mscand press Enter. - In the list, locate Windows Update. Selecting the list and typing the first letters can make it easier to find.
2. Set the service to start automatically
- Double-click Windows Update to open its Properties window.
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- Check Service status. If it says Stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK.
If Windows refuses the change, reports that the service is disabled by policy, or immediately stops it again, do not repeatedly force the setting. Record the complete code, the service status, and your Windows edition for escalation.
3. Restart and retry the update
- Restart the computer from the Start menu.
- After signing in, open Windows Update and choose Check for updates.
- Allow the check to finish before deciding that the download is still missing. A service change does not retroactively repair a partially downloaded package; it permits Windows Update to request it again.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
If the service is set to Automatic and running but the download still does not begin, run the Windows Update troubleshooter. On current Windows versions it is available under the Settings troubleshooting area, usually through Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters > Windows Update. Windows 10 may show the equivalent controls under Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot.
- Open the Windows Update troubleshooter.
- Let it inspect the update service and related components.
- Apply any repair it explicitly offers.
- Restart if requested, then return to Windows Update and select Check for updates.
The troubleshooter is useful when the service is enabled but the update components are in an inconsistent state. It does not prove that every failed download is caused by the service; the complete code and the failed feature still determine the correct branch.
Reset a damaged Windows Update download cache
A damaged update cache can leave a download missing or stuck even after Windows Update is running. Microsoft’s documented cache sequence is deliberately narrow: stop Windows Update, clear the contents of its cache directory, start the service again, and retry.
Stop Windows Update before touching its files
- Press Win + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Open Windows Update.
- Select Stop, then choose Apply and OK.
Do not delete files while the service is actively using the folder. If the Stop control is unavailable or the service restarts immediately, leave the cache untouched and treat that behavior as an escalation clue.
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Clear the contents of SoftwareDistribution
- Open File Explorer.
- Go to
C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution. - Delete the contents of that folder. The documented operation is to clear what is inside it; do not rename or remove the Windows folder itself.
- If a file is in use, confirm that Windows Update is stopped. If it remains locked, restart and repeat the service-stop step rather than deleting unrelated system files.
Start the service and retry
- Return to
services.msc. - Open Windows Update and select Start.
- Choose Apply and OK, restart Windows, and select Check for updates.
Clearing this folder removes the local update-download cache. It does not change the error code into a different code, repair Windows Firewall, or diagnose a Microsoft Store-only failure.
When the missing download is in Microsoft Store
If the failed action was downloading an app from Microsoft Store, confirm the complete code before using the Windows Update procedure. The available Microsoft Q&A discussion mentions Network List Service alongside Windows Update, but that is community guidance, not a universal Microsoft diagnosis for every Store download failure.
Check the service context without assuming a fix
- Press Win + R, enter
services.msc, and press Enter. - Find Network List Service and note whether it is running, stopped, or unable to start.
- Also note the status of Windows Update, particularly if the Store dialog displays the same complete code.
A stopped Network List Service can be relevant to connectivity and Store behavior, but the shortened text alone does not establish that it is the cause. Avoid changing several startup settings at once; otherwise you will not know which change affected the result. If the service will not start, capture the exact message and Windows version before escalating.
Keep Store and Windows Update symptoms separate
- If Windows Update itself shows 0x80070422, follow the Windows Update service and cache steps in this guide.
- If only Microsoft Store downloads fail, preserve the Store’s full code and treat the problem as Store-specific.
- If both features fail, record both dialogs. A shared service or system configuration issue is possible, but the two symptoms should not be treated as proof that one cache reset will fix everything.
When Windows Firewall cannot start
A firewall dialog that displays only 0x8007042 may be referring to the complete code 0x8007042c, which is a different branch from Windows Update’s 0x80070422. Confirm the complete code in the dialog, Event Viewer, or another record before making changes.
- Open the firewall or Windows Security screen that reported the failure and copy the exact message.
- Confirm whether the full code is 0x8007042c or another firewall code.
- Use firewall-specific troubleshooting for that confirmed code and feature.
- Do not clear
C:WindowsSoftwareDistributionmerely because the first seven characters look similar; that folder belongs to Windows Update and may be unrelated to a firewall startup failure.
If Windows Firewall will not start and the service controls are locked, record the service status and any policy message. A firewall failure can have security consequences, so avoid downloading replacement DLL files or registry cleaners from unverified sites.
What to do when the service will not start
The manual steps above assume that Windows allows you to open the service properties and change the service state. Stop and gather evidence when that assumption is false.
Quick Recap
- Startup type is locked: note that a policy or managed-device setting may be controlling it. Contact the device administrator if this is a work or school computer.
- Start returns an error: copy the complete text, not just the number. The text can distinguish a disabled service from damaged system components or a dependency problem.
- The service starts, then stops: record how quickly it stops and whether Event Viewer records a related entry. Do not repeatedly toggle it without preserving the evidence.
- System files appear damaged: capture the full code and Windows version before trying additional repairs. Use trusted Windows support channels rather than downloading an individual DLL.
- The code changes after a repair: treat the new complete code as a new diagnostic branch. Similar prefixes do not make two codes interchangeable.
Common mistakes that prolong the problem
- Guessing the missing characters: “0x8007042” cannot identify whether Update, Store, or Firewall failed.
- Applying the Update fix to Firewall: 0x80070422 and 0x8007042c refer to different situations.
- Deleting the entire SoftwareDistribution folder: the documented operation is to stop Windows Update and clear its contents, not remove unrelated Windows directories.
- Changing multiple services at once: this removes the ability to tell which setting affected the result and can create new startup problems.
- Using an unverified DLL or registry download: a missing-download message is not a reason to replace system files from an unknown site.
- Ignoring the failed feature: the same shortened wording can appear in different contexts, so always record whether the download was an update, a Store app, or something else.
Quick decision checklist
- Copy the complete error code from the dialog, Settings, Event Viewer, or log.
- Write down the failed feature: Windows Update, Microsoft Store, or Windows Firewall.
- If it is Windows Update and the code is 0x80070422, set Windows Update to Automatic, start it, apply the change, restart, and check for updates.
- If the download is still missing, run the Windows Update troubleshooter.
- If the cache is suspected, stop Windows Update, clear
C:WindowsSoftwareDistribution, start the service, restart, and retry. - If the failure is Store-only, inspect the confirmed code and relevant services, including Network List Service, without assuming the Update cache is involved.
- If Firewall cannot start, confirm whether the code is 0x8007042c or another firewall code and follow that branch instead.
- If service settings are locked or the service will not start, preserve the evidence and escalate rather than downloading replacement files.
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