The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →If Windows 10 shows 0x80070422 (sometimes mistyped as 0X800070422), Windows Update is usually disabled or stopped. Open services.msc, set the Windows Update service to Automatic, start it, restart the computer, and check for updates. If that does not work, run the Windows Update troubleshooter, reset the update components, and then repair Windows system files with DISM followed by SFC.
What error 0x80070422 means
Microsoft identifies 0x80070422 as ERROR_SERVICE_DISABLED. In the Windows Update context, the service that downloads and installs updates is disabled or not running, so Settings cannot check for updates. The longer code often typed as 0X800070422 contains an extra or transposed zero; the Windows Update condition documented by Microsoft is 0x80070422.
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The message may say that Windows Update cannot currently check for updates because the service is not running. That wording points to the same first check: the service state, rather than a need to buy hardware or reinstall Windows.
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- Save open work and sign in with an account that can approve administrator prompts. The basic service change does not normally require command-line work, but the component reset and repair commands do require an elevated Command Prompt.
- Confirm that you are following the Windows 10 paths in this guide. Windows 11 uses different Settings navigation, even though the service and command concepts are similar.
- Write down the exact code and message shown in Settings. A different code can indicate a different problem and should not be forced through these steps.
- Do not interrupt a DISM or SFC operation after it starts. Each command must be allowed to finish before the next one is entered.
Fix 0x80070422 by enabling Windows Update
This is the lowest-risk and most reversible remedy because it changes one service’s startup setting and starts that service.
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- Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.
- Enter
services.mscand press Enter. - In the Services list, locate Windows Update.
- Open its Properties.
- Set Startup type to Automatic.
- If the service status is stopped, select Start.
- Select Apply, then OK.
- Restart the computer.
- After signing in, open Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
If the check begins normally, the disabled-service condition was the cause. Let Windows complete the check before deciding that the repair failed; the first scan can take time, and the result may be that no update is available.
If Windows Update is already set to Automatic
If the service was already automatic but the error remains, open its Properties again and use Start if it is stopped. Restart and test once more. If it will not start or stops again, continue with the troubleshooter and component reset rather than repeatedly changing the same setting.
Run the Windows Update troubleshooter
Windows 10 includes a troubleshooter that checks common update-service and update-component conditions. It is safer than manually deleting folders and is a useful next step when the service setting alone did not clear the error.
- Open Start > Settings.
- Select Update & Security.
- Choose Troubleshoot, then Additional troubleshooters.
- Select Windows Update and choose Run the troubleshooter.
- Follow the on-screen instructions and allow the checks to finish.
- Restart Windows when prompted, or restart it manually when the troubleshooter has completed.
- Return to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
The troubleshooter can report that it made a change, found no problem, or could not repair the condition. Treat each result as a diagnostic clue, not as proof that every update component is healthy. If the service still cannot start, reset the components manually.
Reset Windows Update components from an administrator Command Prompt
Microsoft’s advanced procedure stops the services that hold update files, renames two update-data folders, and starts the services again. Renaming preserves the old folders instead of deleting them, so Windows can create fresh folders on the next update attempt. This step requires administrator permission and is intended for people comfortable with the command line.
Open the elevated prompt
- Open the Start menu and type Command Prompt.
- Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
- Approve the User Account Control prompt.
Run the reset commands in order
Enter each command separately and press Enter after each one. Do not combine them into one line.
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
ren %systemroot%softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak
ren %systemroot%system32catroot2 catroot2.bak
net start bits
net start wuauservbits is the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, and wuauserv is the Windows Update service. The two ren commands rename the SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 folders under the Windows system directories. Windows can rebuild the working update folders after the services restart.
Restart and test
- When all six commands have completed, close Command Prompt.
- Restart the computer.
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates.
If a command reports that a service is not running, that is different from a successful stop; read the message and continue only when the command sequence still makes sense. If a rename reports that a folder cannot be accessed, check that the elevated prompt was used, close other update-related windows, restart, and try the documented sequence again. Do not rename unrelated system folders.
Repair Windows files with DISM and SFC
Use these commands when the service is enabled and the update-component reset did not resolve the error, or when Windows shows signs of system-file corruption. Microsoft specifies the order: run DISM first, then sfc /scannow.
Run DISM first
- Open Command Prompt with Run as administrator as described above.
- Enter this command and press Enter:
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /RestorehealthAllow DISM to complete. Closing the window or restarting while it is working can leave the repair unfinished.
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Run System File Checker second
After DISM finishes, enter:
sfc /scannowWait for SFC to reach 100 percent and display its result. Restart Windows after both operations have completed, then use Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Check for updates.
DISM and SFC repair Windows components; they do not change the Windows 10 support timetable. A clean scan also does not guarantee that a disabled service, damaged update cache, or another independent condition has been corrected, which is why the service and component checks remain important.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Choose the next remedy by symptom, risk and privilege
| Remedy | Best match | Privilege | Risk and reversibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Set Windows Update to Automatic and start it | The service is disabled or stopped and the error is 0x80070422 | Standard Services console access may prompt for approval | Lowest risk; the startup setting can be changed back |
| Windows Update troubleshooter | The service setting looks correct but Windows Update still reports a problem | Standard Windows troubleshooting access | Low risk; Windows reports the checks and any changes it makes |
| Reset update components | Update folders or cached components may be preventing a fresh check | Administrator Command Prompt | Moderate; services are stopped and two folders are renamed, but the original folders remain with .bak names |
| DISM followed by SFC | Windows component or system-file corruption is suspected | Administrator Command Prompt | More advanced; let both repairs finish and restart afterward |
Use the remedies in that order unless you already have a clear reason to test system-file corruption. The sequence moves from a single reversible service change to progressively more involved operations.
What to do when a step does not work
The Windows Update service will not start
Reopen services.msc and verify both the service name and the Automatic startup type. If it is still stopped after selecting Start, restart Windows and try the troubleshooter. A persistent failure is a reason to perform the component reset from an elevated prompt, not to repeatedly click Start without checking the resulting status.
The troubleshooter finds nothing
A “no problem found” result does not eliminate a damaged update cache. Proceed to the documented reset sequence, restart, and check again. Keep the exact error text available in case the code changes; a new code may require a different procedure.
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A reset command returns an error
Confirm that Command Prompt was opened with Run as administrator and that the commands were entered one at a time. Make sure the two stop commands were run before either rename command. If Windows says a file or folder is in use, restart and repeat the sequence rather than renaming a different directory.
DISM or SFC reports corruption
Allow the command that is running to finish, then complete the required order by running SFC after DISM. Restart and test Windows Update. If the commands complete but 0x80070422 remains, return to the service state and component-reset steps; system-file repair alone does not substitute for an enabled Windows Update service.
Windows 10 support ended on October 14, 2025
Microsoft states that support for Windows 10 ended on October 14, 2025. Windows 10 continues to run, but Microsoft no longer provides the free Windows Update software updates, technical assistance, and security fixes covered by that support policy after that date.
That distinction matters when evaluating the result. The steps above can restore the Windows Update service and repair local components, but they cannot make Microsoft publish new free updates for an operating system that has reached the end of support. If the service works yet Windows reports that no updates are available, that may reflect the support status rather than a remaining 0x80070422 fault.
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Verify the repair without repeating changes
- Restart after the service change, component reset, or DISM/SFC repair as instructed for that step.
- Open Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.
- Select Check for updates once and observe whether the original 0x80070422 message returns.
- If the code is gone, record which step solved the problem so you can recognize the same condition later.
- If the code remains, note whether the Windows Update service is running, whether the troubleshooter made a change, and the exact output from any command before seeking further support.
Do not infer a success percentage from online anecdotes: Microsoft does not publish an authoritative prevalence or success-rate figure for this error.
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