Windows Update Error “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” Full Repair Guide

One of the best aspects of Windows 10 is that it is delivered as a service, which means that updates are delivered regularly to keep everything up to date and secure. Security fixes are critical in preventing cyberattacks, and patch Tuesday occur every month, depending on when your calendar year started.

At the time of writing, we had 13 significant OS updates, each of which included UI modifications, new features, bug fixes, and other improvements. However, not everything goes well, as many people have discovered when attempting to update their system to the most recent version.

The most common issue consumers face throughout the OS update process is “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes.”

Because the issue isn’t related to specific error messages or other characteristics, you could get a variety of various errors while encountering this problem, such as:

• 0x80080005 – Several reasons can cause this error. These include having missing or corrupted Windows files, the Windows update service is disabled, your anti-virus application is blocking updates, and the Windows update components are misconfigured.
• 0x80070424 – The error code 0x80070424 indicates that your computer has failed to start the installation of the most recent updates. An unreliable network connection, bandwidth problems, or disk issues can cause this message.
• 80073712 – The error code 80073712 indicates that a file required by Windows to update or install your Operating is corrupt or missing, causing the installation or the update to fail.

It’s also worth noting that the error code might be different for each person, even though it usually helps to explain why the update didn’t work, such as that there were issues while the update was in progress, some essential files for the update were missing, or that the update facility is not available.

Common Reasons For “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” Error Message

Although the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error message can be perplexing, it often arises from a set of common problems that are preventing your system from functioning correctly. Here, we’ll outline some of the common reasons behind this error message, which will help you better recognize the source of the issue.

1. Incomplete or Failed Windows Updates: At times, Windows Update may not finish installing a particular patch or could fail during the installation process. This could arise due to a temporary issue, such as an unexpected system reboot or loss of internet connection, but it can also be a result of a more significant complication that needs manual intervention.
2. Corrupted System Files: Corrupted or damaged system files can hinder the installation of important updates. Issues with Windows Update components or essential system files required for OS updates can trigger the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error.
3. Antivirus or Firewall Interference: Some security applications, such as antivirus or firewall programs, can conflict with Windows Update and prevent it from working as intended. This could cause critical updates to be blocked or not installed at all.
4. Outdated or Unsupported Drivers: If your system is using outdated or unsupported drivers, it might encounter issues when trying to install or apply specific updates. In some cases, new updates may require specific hardware or driver support, which is absent from the system.
5. Network or Bandwidth Issues: Sometimes, network-related problems or insufficient bandwidth may disrupt the installation or downloading of updates, causing the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error. Occasional difficulties with network connections might cause Windows Update to fail or be incomplete.
6. Improperly Configured Windows Services: The Windows Update process relies on several system services to function correctly. If any of these services are disabled or misconfigured, they might cause issues with updates and cause the error in question.
7. Unstable System or Malware Infections: An unstable system or the presence of malware can also lead to issues with Windows Update, preventing crucial security and quality fixes from being applied. Malware can disable or cause updates to crash or not function correctly, which results in the error message.

Understanding the common reasons behind the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error message can help you pinpoint the source of the problem and apply the appropriate troubleshooting steps outlined in this article. Besides, keeping your system clean and well-maintained can also reduce the chances of encountering similar issues in the future.

Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes Troubleshooting Methods

If you’re having trouble with this error, this post will walk you through several quick and simple solutions that will help you address the problem.

First Method – Use the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The Windows Update Troubleshooter is an integrated feature of Windows 10 that you can use to fix the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” and other update issues. This tool was designed to identify and rectify various computer problems swiftly. The first step in fixing Windows Update problems should always be this method.

1. Press the “Windows” key on your keyboard and press “R”. This will open a small window where you can type “control update” in the run command window.

2. When a new window opens, click “Troubleshoot” and click “Additional Troubleshooters”.

3. Next, click “Windows Update” and then click “Run the Troubleshooter”.

4. At this point, the troubleshooter will automatically scan and fix errors in your PC. Once done, you can reboot and check if you are experiencing the same error.

5. After the detected issues have been fixed, restart your computer and run the Windows updates to see if the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error has been fixed.

Second Method – Manually Restart the Windows Update Services Through the Command Prompt

Although Windows 10 has become one of the most used Operating systems, it is far from perfect. There may be instances that its features may not work as intended and would display error messages such as the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error. In this case, one of the best ways to fix this is to reset the Windows Updates Components. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Hold down the “Windows” key and press the letter “R” and type in “cmd” in the command line. Press down on both the “ctrl and shift” keys at the same time and click “OK”. Select “OK” to grant administrator permission on the next prompt.

2. In the command prompt, type in the following individually and make sure to 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 will now have to 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-mentioned commands, we will now 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 of the commands for each Windows update service have been entered, we now 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, run the Windows updates to see if the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error message has been fixed.

Third Method – Uninstall the Latest Update and Reinstall Windows Updates

It’s also possible that a previous Windows update didn’t work right, which could cause this problem. You can try uninstalling and reinstalling Windows updates manually. If you recently installed a new version of Windows, this fix is more likely to work. Here’s how you go about it:

1. Click on the search button on your taskbar and type in “update history” in the search bar and hit “Enter” on your keyboard.

2. Under View Update History, click on “Uninstall updates”.
3. On the list under Microsoft Windows, right-click on the first option on the list and click on “Uninstall”.

4. After removing the update, reboot your computer.
5. Once your computer is back on, run the Windows update tool to reinstall the update.
6. Once the update is complete, check if the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” error message has already been fixed.

Fourth Method – Run the Windows System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool (DISM)

The Windows SFC is a built-in tool in Windows that scans for damage in system files. The SFC (System File Checker) analyzes the stability of all secured Windows system files and updates outdated, corrupted, modified, or broken versions with proper ones. If the damage cannot be repaired, DISM should correct as many faults as feasible. The DISM tool can also scan and repair Windows images and modify Windows installation media.

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

2. In the command prompt window, type “sfc /scannow” and hit enter. SFC will now check for corrupted Windows files. 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. Once the scan is complete, make sure to restart your computer.

Steps for Performing a Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) Scan

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

2. The command prompt window will open, type in “DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth” and then hit “enter”.

3. The DISM utility will start scanning and fixing any errors. However, if the DISM is unable to acquire files from the internet, try to use the installation DVD or bootable USB drive. Insert the media and type the following commands: DISM.exe/Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:C:RepairSourceWindows /LimitAccess

Note: Replace “C:RepairSourceWindows” with the path of your media device

Fifth Method – Modify the Telemetry Settings

Microsoft Compatibility Telemetry gathers and provides data to Microsoft about how your computer and applications are performing. Some updates for Windows may fail to install if the Telemetry configuration is disabled or set to “security-only.” To modify the Telemetry level, follow these steps:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows + R, type in the following command “gpedit.msc” in the Run dialog. Press Enter to open Group Policy on Windows 10.

2. Locate the Computer Configuration, select Administrative Templates, then choose Windows Components. Finally, select “Data Collection and Preview Builds”.

3. Double-click on Allow Telemetry.
4. On the next window, select “Enabled”. Under Options, select “Required”, click “Apply” and lastly click “OK”.

5. Once you have performed these steps, restart your computer and check if the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” has finally been fixed.

Sixth Method – Automatically Fix the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” Error

Even if you think you can manually fix the “Your Device Is Missing Important Security and Quality Fixes” Error message, we highly recommend you use the automatic solution. Professional system optimization and repair tools, such as Fortect, can help you accomplish this. It will run a complete system analysis and assist you in addressing the issue once it is installed.

Fortect is a malware detection and system repair program for any Windows machine, and it promises a comprehensive system diagnosis in a short period of time. Users should expect greater system optimization, the removal of viruses and infestations, and a healthier device due to this.

Most individuals try to reinstall Windows when their machine starts to display faults or issues. Although this is a time-tested strategy for optimizing the device’s performance, it may lead to the loss of critical data and settings. Security software and system repair tools are only two of Fortect’s many offerings.

With tools like Fortect, even people who aren’t very computer savvy can save a lot of time and effort with just a few simple clicks.

Final Words

Updating Windows should now be working correctly after implementing these troubleshooting methods. If the problem occurred after attempting to disable automatic updates, ensure that you disable Windows Update using the proper techniques to avoid causing accidental damages to your computer.