[Full Guide] How to Fix the Windows Update Error 0x800705b4

Windows updates are required to keep the system running smoothly and free of issues. They include new features, improvements, security patches, and bug fixes to protect against various threats and vulnerabilities. However, while installing Windows updates, some users encounter issues 0x800705b4, known as Windows 10 update 0x800705b4 error.

If your computer is infected with malware or viruses, corrupted Windows system files, or registry errors, the error code 0x800705b4 will appear in your system. Problems with Windows Defender can cause the error 0x800705b4 to show up, which can cause the Windows Defender program to crash.

Regardless of the cause, the consequences of the Windows update 0x800705b4 error code can be severe for the affected system.

As a result, resolving the issue 0x800705b4 error code requires immediate and proper action. This blog post contains extensive step-by-step instructions for resolving the 0x800705b4 problem without losing data.

Variations of the Windows 10 Update Error 0x800705b4

Error 0x800705b4 is a severe issue since it prevents your machine from updating. Here are some relevant difficulties that consumers have reported when it comes to errors:

The Windows Update 0x800705b4 Error Code on Windows 7

Even though you don’t have Windows 10, this problem is not exclusive to it–most of our solutions should still work for you, regardless of what version of Windows you have.

Windows Server 2016 Update 0x800705b Error

There is a good chance this problem will happen on Windows Server 2016. If it does, one of our solutions should fix it.

Windows 10 Activation Error 0x800705b4

Many people have claimed that they cannot activate their Windows because of Error 0x800705b4. Fortunately, you should be able to resolve the problem by temporarily disabling your antivirus software.

Common Reasons for Error Code 0x800705b4

Several factors can contribute to the occurrence of error code 0x800705b4 on your Windows system. It is essential to understand these common reasons to effectively troubleshoot and resolve the issue. Here are some of the most common causes for error code 0x800705b4:

1. Corrupted Windows System Files: One of the primary reasons for error code 0x800705b4 is corrupted or missing Windows system files. These files are critical for the smooth functioning of your system, and any damage to them can lead to errors during the update process.
2. Windows Defender Issues: Problems with Windows Defender, such as outdated definitions or conflicts with other security software, can cause error code 0x800705b4. Ensuring that Windows Defender is up-to-date and functioning correctly can help prevent this error.
3. Third-Party Antivirus Software: Some third-party antivirus applications may interfere with Windows updates, leading to the 0x800705b4 error. Disabling or uninstalling these applications may help resolve the issue.
4. Incorrect Windows Update Settings: If your Windows Update settings are misconfigured, it could lead to error code 0x800705b4. Resetting these settings to default and ensuring that your system is set to receive updates automatically can help prevent the error.
5. Malware or Virus Infection: Malware or virus infections can damage system files and cause issues with Windows updates, leading to error code 0x800705b4. Regularly scanning your system for malware and viruses and keeping your security software up-to-date can help avoid this error.
6. Windows Update Service Issues: Problems with the Windows Update service itself, such as service not running or stuck updates, can result in the 0x800705b4 error. Restarting the Windows Update service and clearing the update cache can help resolve this issue.

By being aware of these common reasons for the error code 0x800705b4, users can take the necessary steps to prevent and resolve the problem effectively. Utilize the troubleshooting methods mentioned in this article to address the underlying causes and ensure a smooth Windows Update experience.

Precautions Before Troubleshooting

If updates aren’t installed correctly, the error code 0x800705b4 can result in data loss. Data loss might occur after installing Windows updates on occasion. As a result, ensure that all of your essential data and files are secured before proceeding with the methods to resolve the 0x800705b4 error.

Windows Update Error 0x800705b4 Troubleshooting Methods

Now that you have secured your essential files, let’s move on to the troubleshooting methods you can perform to fix the Windows 10 Update Error 0x800705b4.

First Method – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows 10 features an integrated troubleshooter tool to assist you in resolving Windows Update issues and restarting the process. Follow these steps to use the Windows Update Troubleshooter to resolve problems, including fixing your update settings, helping weed out corrupt system files, locating lost files, and allowing update issues to fix automatically.

1. Hold down the “Windows” key and press the letter “R,” type in “control update” in the run command window, and hit “enter” to open the Windows update settings window.

2. In the next window, click “Troubleshoot” and “Additional Troubleshooters.”

3. In the Additional Troubleshooters, click on “Windows Update” and “Run the Troubleshooter.”

4. Wait for the Windows update troubleshooter to complete and for any instructions recommended to fix the issue. Do not change update settings by all means, as it could lead to more problems.

Recommended: Fortect System Repair Tool – Fix Errors & Speed Up Windows Automatically

Second Method – Restart the Windows Update components

Although Windows 10 is one of the most used Operating Systems, it is far from perfect. There may be occasions when the features of the Operating System do not work correctly. The most basic solution for Windows users is to reset the Windows Updates Components. The Windows Update services are responsible for performing updates and should be restarted if they fail during a Windows Update.

1. Start a command prompt. To do this, hold down the “Windows” key and press the letter “R,” and type in “cmd” in the command line. Press down on the “ctrl and shift” keys simultaneously and press “enter.” Select “OK” to grant administrator permission on the following prompt.

2. In the CMD window, type in the following commands individually and hit enter after entering each command.

• net stop wuauserv

• net stop cryptSvc

• net stop bits

• net stop msiserver

• ren C:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

• ren C:\\Windows\\System32\\catroot2 Catroot2.old

Note: Both of the last two commands are only used to rename the Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution folders

3. Next, you must delete a particular file by performing the following steps. In the same CMD window, type in the following commands and hit enter after each command:

• Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%ApplicationDataMicrosoftNetworkDownloaderqmgr*.dat”

• cd /d %windir%system32

4. After entering the above commands, we will have to restart all the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) through the same CMD window. Remember to hit enter after typing in each command.

• regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll

• regsvr32.exe ole32.dll

• regsvr32.exe shell32.dll

• regsvr32.exe initpki.dll

• regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll

• regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll

• regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll

• regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll

• regsvr32.exe wups.dll

• regsvr32.exe wups2.dll

• regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll

• regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll

• regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll

• regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll

• regsvr32.exe muweb.dll

• regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll

• regsvr32.exe atl.dll

• regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll

• regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll

• regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll

• regsvr32.exe browseui.dll

• regsvr32.exe jscript.dll

• regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll

• regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll

• regsvr32.exe msxml.dll

• regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll

• regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll

• regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll

• regsvr32.exe softpub.dll

• regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll

• regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll

• regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll

• regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll

• regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll

• regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll

• regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll

5. Once all the commands have been entered, we need to reset the Windows Socket by typing in the following command. Once again, make sure to hit enter after entering the command.

• netsh winsock reset

6. Now that you have stopped the Windows Update services, turn it back on to refresh it. Type in the following commands in the command prompt window.

• net start wuauserv

• net start cryptSvc

• net start bits

• net start msiserver

7. Close the Command Prompt window and restart your computer. Once your computer is back on, try to update Windows to see if the Update Error 0x800705b4 has been fixed.

Third Method – Perform a Windows System File Checker (SFC scan) and DISM Scan

The Windows SFC is another vital tool for checking and fixing corrupted or missing Windows system files. Run the SFC scan using the following steps:

1. Hold down the “windows” key and press “R,” and type “cmd” in the run command line. Hold the “ctrl and shift” keys together and hit enter. Click “OK” on the next window to grant administrator permissions.

2. Type “sfc /scannow” in the command window and press enter. Wait for the SFC to complete the scan and restart the computer. Once done, run the Windows Update tool to check if the issue has been fixed.

3. After you run the SFC scan, restart your computer and launch the Windows Update to determine if the Windows Update 0x800705b4 Error has been fixed.

Another scan you can try is the DISM scan. The Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a versatile command-line tool that allows you to reset or modify the Windows Update Settings. This is important because whenever your Windows update settings are not working correctly, you will likely see errors with your Windows updates.

1. To run, press Windows, and on the search box, type Command.

2. Right-click on the command prompt and select the Run as administrator option.

3. Type the following command to perform a quick check and press Enter:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth

4. Once you complete the steps, DISM will run and verify any data corruption that may require fixing.

Check if this system scan fixed your Windows errors. If the above methods do not work, try the following steps below.

Fourth Method – Run the Windows Check Disk Tool

To fix the Windows Update 0x800705b4 Error, use the Windows Check Disk tool to analyze and fix your disk for any system file issues. Please remember that this procedure may take some time to complete depending on how many files are on the disk.

1. Press the “Windows” key on your keyboard and then press “R.” Next, type “cmd” in the run command line. Hold the “ctrl and shift” keys together and hit enter. Click “OK” on the next window to grant administrator permissions to open a command prompt.

2. Type the “chkdsk C: f/” command and hit Enter (C: with the letter of the hard drive you want to check).

3. Wait for the process to complete and close the command prompt. Restart your computer. Once you get your computer back, run the SFC to check if that solved the problem.

Check if you still see the Windows 10 error message. You can try the following steps if this issue is still happening.

Fifth Method – Restart Your Computer

The most straightforward remedy is sometimes the best, and several users noted that a soft restart was all it took to solve the problem. One easy way to ultimately fix Windows 10 update error 0x800705b4 There may be a bug that prohibits the new updates from getting downloaded and installed on the computer, but this can usually be resolved by restarting your computer.

Enter the Start Menu and click the Restart option to do a soft restart. Once your computer is back on, try to update Windows to see if the Update 0x800705b4 Error persists after your computer has restarted. Hopefully, the issue will be fixed automatically.

Sixth Method – Check the Windows Defender Service Settings

Certain services on your PC must be operating for Windows to download new updates. Windows Defender Antivirus Service is a built-in utility that provides security for your system. It includes several tools, including Windows Firewall, antivirus, and more. These tools are crucial in system protection; they can fight off malicious software, stop corrupted system files, locate lost data, help recovery, and more.

Users have reported that if the Windows Defender service isn’t functioning, update error 0x800705b4 can occur. Follow the steps below to ensure the Windows Defender service is configured correctly.

1. Open the Run command line by pressing the Windows and R keys at the same time and type in “services.msc” and press “enter” or click “OK.”

2. Locate the “Windows Defender Firewall,” right-click on it, and select “Properties.”

3. In the Windows Firewall properties, ensure that the Startup type is automatic.

It would help if you remembered that Windows Defender provides crucial protection against file corruption. Ensuring this and its related files are set correctly will help you avoid problems.

Seventh Method – Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus Applications

If you get the Windows Update 0x800705b4 Error when starting Windows Defender, uninstall all third-party antivirus software from your computer. To quickly identify such programs, use these steps:

1. Hold the Windows key + R key on your keyboard, type in “appwiz.cpl” on the run command line, and press “enter.”

2. Look for third-party antivirus applications in the list of installed programs and click uninstall. The photo below is just an illustration of how the application list looks like:

2. Once the application has been successfully removed, rerun Windows Defender and check if the Windows Error 0x800705b4 has been fixed.

Eighth Method – Install a Fresh Copy of Windows

If the above solutions fail, you should create a backup of your system and perform a fresh install. As previously stated, this problem most commonly affects individuals who upgraded to Windows 10 rather than completing a fresh install.

Before performing this step, ensure a backup of all your essential files, as installing a fresh new copy of Windows will wipe out all the files currently on the computer. You can back your files to cloud storage or an external storage device.

1. Connect the Windows 10 installation media to your computer and boot from it.
2. You might need to press the appropriate key or change your boot priority in BIOS to boot from Windows 10 installation media.
3. Choose the desired language. Click Next.

4. Next, click Install Now and follow the instructions on your screen.

5. Select the correct drive, or you risk deleting the files from the other drive.

Wrap Up

Always back up your important data before installing any significant Windows upgrade. It will be nearly impossible to perform any data recovery after a disastrous issue with a Windows update process, and Windows updates can occasionally cause problems. For example, a recent Windows 1809 October 2018 update led to losing files from user profile folders worldwide, particularly “Documents.”

However, issues like 0x800705b4 can be resolved using the tools and options available in the Windows environment. We’ve gone over all of the available remedies for the 0x800705b4 problem in-depth and have some advice on handling the error appropriately.

Frequently Asked Questions