How to Resolve Windows 7 Update Error 0x80070026

Are you experiencing the frustrating Windows 7 update error 0x80070026? Discover effective solutions to resolve this issue and get your system updated smoothly.

Check for disk errors: The error 0x80070026 in Windows 7 can be caused by corrupt or damaged files on your hard drive. Run a disk check utility to scan and repair any errors. To do this, open Command Prompt as an administrator and type “chkdsk /f” followed by the drive letter of the affected disk.

Windows Update Troubleshooter

1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard or click on the Start menu button to open the Start menu.
2. Type “Troubleshoot” in the search bar and click on the “Troubleshoot settings” option that appears.
3. In the Troubleshoot settings window, scroll down and click on “Additional troubleshooters.”
4. Scroll down again and click on “Windows Update” under the “Get up and running” section.
5. Click on the “Run the troubleshooter” button to start the troubleshooting process.
6. The troubleshooter will now scan your system for any issues related to Windows updates and attempt to fix them automatically.
7. Follow any on-screen instructions that may appear during the troubleshooting process.
8. Once the troubleshooter has finished, close the troubleshooter window and restart your computer.

After the restart, try running Windows Update again to see if the error has been resolved. If you’re still encountering the error, you may need to try other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance.

Antivirus Disablement

If you are experiencing the Windows 7 update error 0x80070026, it could be due to antivirus software interfering with the update process. To resolve this issue, you can try disabling your antivirus temporarily.

To disable your antivirus, follow these steps:

1. Locate the antivirus icon in your taskbar or system tray.
2. Right-click on the icon and select “Disable” or “Turn off” from the context menu.
3. If prompted, choose the option to disable the antivirus temporarily.
4. After disabling the antivirus, try running the Windows update again.

If disabling the antivirus does not resolve the error, you may need to consider other troubleshooting steps or seek further assistance.

Resetting Windows Update Services and Cache

To resolve Windows 7 Update Error 0x80070026, you can try resetting the Windows Update services and cache.

First, open the Command Prompt by pressing the Windows key and typing “cmd”. Right-click on Command Prompt and select “Run as administrator”.

In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one:

1. net stop wuauserv
2. net stop cryptSvc
3. net stop bits
4. net stop msiserver

Next, rename the SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folders. To do this, type the following commands in the Command Prompt, pressing Enter after each one:

1. ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
2. ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

After renaming the folders, restart the Windows Update services by typing the following commands in the Command Prompt, pressing Enter after each one:

1. net start wuauserv
2. net start cryptSvc
3. net start bits
4. net start msiserver

Once the services are restarted, you can try running Windows Update again to see if the error has been resolved.

If the error persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting methods such as running a malware scan, disabling antivirus software temporarily, or using the Microsoft Update Catalog to manually install the updates.

Manual Installation of Updates

To manually install updates and resolve Windows 7 Update Error 0x80070026, follow these steps:

1. Open a web browser and go to the Microsoft Update Catalog website.
2. Search for the specific update that is causing the error.
3. Download the update file to your computer.
4. Once the download is complete, locate the downloaded file.
5. Right-click on the file and select “Run as administrator” from the context menu.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the update.
7. If prompted, restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If the error persists after manually installing the update, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

1. Disable any antivirus software temporarily, such as Avast Antivirus, as it may interfere with the update installation.
2. Ensure that you have administrative privileges on your user account.
3. Check if User Account Control (UAC) is enabled and if so, temporarily disable it before installing the update.
4. Perform a System Restore to revert your computer back to a previous working state.
5. Scan your computer for malware using a reputable antivirus program.
6. Verify that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) is running and set to automatic in the Services menu.
7. Use the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) to troubleshoot and fix any underlying issues.
8. Update any device drivers that may be causing conflicts with the update installation.
9. Ensure that your computer has a stable internet connection for downloading the updates.
10. Clear the Windows Update cache to remove any corrupted files that may be causing the error.

Clean Installation

1. Back up your important files and data to avoid any potential loss during the installation process.

2. Disconnect your computer from the internet and disable any antivirus software, such as Avast Antivirus, to prevent interference with the installation.

3. Insert your Windows 7 installation disc or USB drive into your computer.

4. Restart your computer and boot from the installation media. This usually involves pressing a specific key (e.g., F12) during startup to access the boot menu.

5. Follow the on-screen prompts to begin the installation process.

6. When prompted, select your desired language, time, and keyboard settings.

7. Choose the “Custom (advanced)” installation option.

8. Select the partition where you want to install Windows 7. If there are multiple partitions, make sure to choose the one where your current Windows installation is located.

9. Delete the existing partition and create a new one by clicking on “Drive options (advanced)” and then “New”. This will erase all data on the selected partition.

10. Continue with the installation by following the remaining on-screen instructions.

11. After the installation is complete, reconnect to the internet and install any necessary drivers for your hardware devices.

12. Reinstall any necessary software programs and restore your backed-up files.

Performing a clean installation can help resolve Windows 7 Update Error 0x80070026 by eliminating any potential software conflicts or corruption.

Clearing SoftwareDistribution Folder

To resolve Windows 7 Update Error 0x80070026, one possible solution is to clear the SoftwareDistribution folder. This folder contains temporary files related to Windows updates, and clearing it can help resolve update-related issues.

To clear the SoftwareDistribution folder, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Type “services.msc” and press Enter to open the Services window.
3. Scroll down and find “Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)” and “Windows Update” in the list of services.
4. Right-click on each of these services and select “Stop” to temporarily disable them.
5. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution” folder.
6. Select all the files and folders in the SoftwareDistribution folder and press the Delete key to remove them.
7. Go back to the Services window and right-click on “Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)” and “Windows Update” again, this time selecting “Start” to restart them.
8. Restart your computer.

After following these steps, try running the Windows update again to see if the error 0x80070026 is resolved. If the error persists, you may need to try other troubleshooting methods or seek further assistance.