How to delete Downloaded, Failed & Pending Windows Updates

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In that location may be times when your Windows Update may give you problems on your Windows 10/8/vii computer. You may even see Pending Windows Updates which decline to install for some reason in spite of several attempts. In such cases, you should consider deleting the failed and awaiting Windows Updates that are downloaded incompletely to your computer and and so try to restart installation once once more as soon every bit you restart your computer.

Delete Downloaded, Failed, Pending Windows Updates

1] Delete the contents of the Temporary folder

Y'all can delete all the downloaded, failed and awaiting Windows 10 updates by using the 'Run' command.

Open the 'Run' dialog box by pressing Win+R in combination and in the dialog box that opens, type %temp% and hit Enter. In the binder that opens before you select all the files and folders within the Temp binder and then delete them.

%temp% is one of many surroundings variables in Windows that can open the binder designated by Windows every bit your Temporary folder, typically located at C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Temp.

2] Remove pending.xml file

Navigate to C:\Windows\WinSxS\ folder, search for a pending.xml file and rename it. You may even delete information technology. This will allow Windows Update to delete pending tasks and build a fresh new update check. See if this helps.

three] Delete contents of SoftwareDistribution binder

You demand to delete all the contents of the Software Distribution folder. The Software Distribution folder in the Windows operating organisation is a folder located in the Windows directory and used to temporarily store files that may exist required to install Windows Update on your computer. It is thus required by Windows Update and maintained past WUAgent. It as well contains your Windows Update History files, and if you delete them, chances are you will lose your Update history. Also, the next time you run Windows Update, it volition result in a longer detection fourth dimension.

To delete the contents of the Software Distribution folder, in Windows ten, from the WinX Menu, open Command Prompt (Admin). Type the following one after the other and hit Enter:

                net stop                  wuauserv

cyberspace stop bits

This will terminate the Windows Update Service and the Background Intelligent Transfer Service.

Now browse to the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder and delete all the files and folders inside.

You may press Ctrl+A to Select All and then click on Delete.

If the files are in utilize, and you are unable to delete some files, restart your device. Afterwards rebooting, run the higher up commands again. At present you will be able to delete the files from the mentioned Software Distribution binder.

After y'all take emptied this folder, you may restart your computer, or you may type the post-obit commands, i at a fourth dimension in the CMD, and hit Enter to restart the Windows Update related Services.

                internet showtime                  wuauserv

net start bits

At present that folder has been flushed; it will at present become populated afresh once yous restart your PC and run Windows Update.

four] Reset the catroot2 folder

Resetting the catroot2 folder has been known to prepare several Windows Update problems.

Catroot and catroot2 are Windows operating system folders that are required for the Windows Update process. When y'all run Windows Update, the catroot2 folder stores the signatures of the Windows Update bundle and helps in its installation. The Cryptographic service makes use of the %windir%\System32\catroot2\edb.log file for the updating process. The updates are stored in the SoftwareDistribution folder which are then used by Automatic Updates to carry out the updating process.

Please exercise not delete or rename the Catroot folder. The Catroot2 folder is automatically recreated by Windows, merely the Catroot folder is not recreated if the Catroot folder is renamed.

TIP: Yous can besides utilise the Show or hide updates troubleshooter to block updates that refuse to install or requite you trouble. Only you lot have to remember to not block of import security updates. If y'all are facing issues, yous may use the Windows Update Troubleshooter.

Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Delight read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your organization & exist careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.