The 0x8000ffff Error Code: How to Fix it Quickly and Easily

The 0x8000ffff Error Code: How to Fix it Quickly and Easily

/ Sed Galope

It’s crucial to keep your devices updated, which also applies to your Windows desktop and laptops. Updating your device prevents it from encountering future issues concerning newer and better software installations. However, a huge irony out of all this is that Windows meets issues whenever you update your device; this is known as the 0x8000ffff error code.

The 0x8000ffff error code in Windows 10 is associated with issues related to the Windows Update process. The error code 0x8000ffff in Windows 10 indicates a problem with communication between the system and the servers for Windows Update or Windows Store; affecting the functionality of the Microsoft Store, and disrupting the update process for your other apps.

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The 0x8000ffff error is typically caused by issues from third-party programs rather than any corruption or missing components within Windows, which means that the 0x8000ffff error code is not something to be scared of.

In this article, we will tackle all the different solutions to fix the error code 0x8000ffff in Windows 10.

Let’s get right into it.

When does the error 0x8000ffff code happen?

Here are some instances when you might experience the error 0x8000ffff code.

  • Creating a system restore point
  • Downloading and installing a new application
  • Immediately after a system restore
  • Installing the update file from the Windows Update Center

Why does the 0x8000ffff error message occur?

Experiencing errors in Outlook can be highly frustrating for Outlook users as it disrupts their workflow entirely. You could encounter these issues while adding a data file or PST file in the Mail applet. If you are wondering about the other reasons why you are experiencing this Microsoft outlook unknown error, here are the common culprits:

  • Incorrect configurations in a computer’s settings
  • Virus/malware from downloaded files from the internet
  • Outdated system drivers
  • Damaged system files
  • The Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) has been turned off
  • Incorrect date and time in the time settings
  • Windows update error
  • Corrupted outlook data file
  • Sudden blue screen

Although many reasons can cause the error 0x8000ffff code, they are nothing to be afraid of as this error code won’t completely paralyze your computer. Here are some solutions you can employ to fix the error 0x8000ffff code.

Solution 1: Check Your Computer for Malware Infection

To check if the error code 0x8000ffff isn’t caused by malware downloaded from the internet, you must first check your computer for viruses using Windows defender or other third-party antivirus software. Removing this harmful malware from corrupted data files will not only save your computer from this error code but also protect your other precious files from damage.

Using Windows defender

Windows defender is a built-in antivirus software installed on all Windows devices. Windows defender is a powerful anti-malware software and will do its best to protect all your program files from being corrupted.

To check for malware using Windows defender, here are some steps you can follow:

Step 1: Go to the settings app, and tap on Update and Security.

windows update and security

Step 2: Go to Windows defender, tap on Windows defender offline, and enable scan offline.

After all the files have been scanned, your device will reboot, and you can now check if the problem has been resolved.

Using your third-party antivirus software

If you also have third-party antivirus software installed on your desktop, it’s a good idea to turn it on and let it scan your computer’s data files. This third-party software will immediately remove all the corrupted files it detects, simply restart your device and check if the error 0x8000ffff code has been fixed.

Solution 2: Employing the Windows Store Apps Troubleshooter

Other than Windows defender, Windows 10 also has a bunch of built-in troubleshooters installed. This extensive list of troubleshooters is designed to fix most problems that frequently occur in Windows devices, and one of them is for the Microsoft Store.

Step 1: Press the Windows key plus I.

windows i keyboard shortcut

Step 2: Type the word “Troubleshoot” in the search bar.

Step 3: Scroll down the extensive list of troubleshooters available, look for the one named Windows Store Apps, and run it.

run windows store apps troubleshooter

There will be additional steps to follow through with this fix; follow the on-screen instructions and check if this has fixed the unknown error that occurred.

Solution 3: Set the correct date and time in your settings app

Incorrect date and time can cause the error 0x8000ffff code to occur and block the Windows store. To fix this, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to the date and time on the taskbar.

select adjust date and time in taskbar

Step 2: Go to date and time settings.

Step 3: Turn on “set time automatically” and “set time zone automatically”.

set time automatically

Solution 4: Deleting the cache of the Microsoft Store.

A corrupted Microsoft store cache folder can also cause an error in your Windows updates. To fix this, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Type the Windows key plus R to open Run.

Step 2: Paste the following: %localappdata%\\Packages\\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe\\LocalState, and tap on OK.

run localappdata localstate 1

Step 3: Locate the Cache folder, and rename the folder to Cache.old.

Step 4: If this folder name does not exist, create an entirely new folder and name it Cache.

Step 5: Now on your keyboard, press the Windows key plus I, and go to system.

windows system settings

Step 6: Go to Other troubleshooters, click on Windows Store Apps/windows update troubleshooter, and click on Run. If this still has not fixed your Microsoft outlook client issue, then the Windows Store cache is most likely not the one to be blamed. In this case, you can employ other solutions in this article.

Solution 5: Update your drivers

Not updating your current drivers might be causing this error 0x8000ffff to occur. To fix this quickly, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to settings, and tap on update and security.

windows update and security

Step 2: Check for available updates, choose the driver you need from the list, and click on Install.

check updates

Solution 6: Create a new user account

If the solutions listed above still couldn’t resolve your issue, you can create a new Microsoft account to try and repair your standard update process. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Type Windows key plus X, and go to Command prompt admin and type net user /add [username] [password]net localgroup administrators [username] /add

command prompt admin

Step 2: Create a new username and password in your account settings.

Step 3: Reboot your computer, and log in with your new account.

Step 4: Retrieve your past user data file in the c:\users\previous-user-name directory.

Step 5: On your keyboard, type the Windows key plus X, go to the command prompt (admin), choose shutdown, and press enter.

Once this process is done, you can log in as a new user and go to your Windows store app. Use a new email address if the Windows store app requires you to use a Microsoft account.

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Solution 7: Boot your desktop in Safe mode

Booting your desktop in safe mode with networking will exclude spoilers, processes, and unnecessary drivers that could tamper with your updates. To employ this solution, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to settings, system files, and tap on recovery.

windows system settings

Step 2: Tap on advanced startup, and click on restart now.

advanced startup

Step 3: After restarting, click on the Choose an options tab, troubleshoot, and open the advanced options.

Step 4: After clicking on advanced options, select startup settings, and click on restart.

advanced options troubleshoot

Step 5: After the reboot process, select safe mode with networking which is the 5th one from the list.

enable safemode

Once done, you can check if the error code has been fixed.

Solution 8: Reset Windows 10

Resetting your Windows 10 desktop should only be treated as the last option. A complete reset will replace your system files with a new set of fresh files, free from malware or corruption. To do this, you can follow these steps:

Step 1: Go to settings, system, and tap on recovery.

Step 2: Tap on reset PC, and select get started.

recovery reset this pc

Step 3: You will have the option to choose between keeping your essential files or completely removing everything. Choose Keep my files if you have some important files on your desktop.

Your system will completely reset, and once this process is finished, check if your problem has been solved.

Conclusion

The error code 0x8000ffff is a common issue that can occur in most Windows 10 desktops, especially when doing updates. We hope this informative article has helped you fix this error code problem.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a corrupt pst file?

A corrupt pst file is a Personal Storage Table file corrupted by malware downloaded from the internet; this file format is used heavily within Microsoft software such as Microsoft Outlook and Windows messaging.

How do I restart in repair mode?

To restart in repair mode, select start, go to power, and then press and hold down the shift key while clicking on restart.

Sed Galope
Meet the author

Sedfrey is an experienced writer and editor. He's also a PC hardware and gaming enthusiast. In his spare time, he enjoys reading about the latest innovations in the PC market and finding fixes to hardware and software errors.