Windows Update says a service is not running

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This afternoon I checked to see if there were any updates I might need to install. However I cannot run Windows Update. There is no error message number, only the text that it cannot run because a service is closed (I think the English would be: has not been started). Through the services app I checked that Windows Uodate is set to Automatic, Remote Procedure Call (RPC), RPC Endpoint Mapper and  DCOM Server Process Launcher are also automatic and running. Apparently there is no troubleshooter or error number for this problem. What next?

I am running Win 10, build 2004 (19041.388)

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There’s a troubleshooter at Settings, Update & Security, Troubleshoot, Additional troubleshooters, Windows Update.

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Another service that must be running, for Windows Update to work, is the  Update Orchestrator Service (service name UsoSvc).  This service can be set to Manual, but if not running, try starting it and see if that fixes the problem.

Windows 10 Pro 64 bit 20H2

1 user thanked author for this post.

doriel

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I have experience, that turning on BITS service (Background Intelligent Transfer Service) can repair certain errors too, but I dont know if this can be used to solve issue on non-domain-joined computers.

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Thanks to all so far, but the problem is still there. I ran the troubleshooter, and at each step it came back with “Problem not present.” The BITS service was already running, but I stopped and restarted it just to be sure, no change. The  Update Orchestrator Service (service name UsoSvc) was running, but I changed the way it starts from Automatic ( delayed) to Automatic.

If I read the message correctly, it says that an installation of an update could not be completed because a service has been stopped. If I look at the list of installed updates, Then I find that on August 7, 8 and 9 the system tried to install “Preview version of cumulative update for .NET Framework 3.5 and 4.8 for Windows 10 Version 2004 for x64 (KB4562899). There must be a way to clear out updates that didn’t succesfully complete.

 

 

What else can I check?

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If I were you, I would go to Windows log:

Right-click This PC -> Manage

Event Viewer -> Windows Protocols -> System

Look for critical errors (red circle, white cross inside) with timestamp corresponding to your issue. You can also try to filter protocols with the button on the right pane.

Try to provide suspicious records here. Important is EventID.

See my screenshot (sorry for czech), I filtered WindowsUpdateClient events for example..

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Alternatively you can run PowerShell end enter command

Get-WindowsUpdateLog

On the desktop, file will be created. Post that WindowsUpdate.log file here

Dell Latitude 3420, Intel Core i7 @ 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM, W10 22H2 Enterprise

HAL3000, AMD Athlon 200GE @ 3,4 GHz, 8GB RAM, Fedora 29

PRUSA i3 MK3S+

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Problem solved! I reread the message, and it said an update could not be completed because a service wasn’t running. This means an update has been downloaded and an attempt was made to install it. Whatever was causing the problem had been downloaded. I quickly found how to delete unsuccesfull updates, by clearing out the softwaredistribution\download folder. I then ran Windows Update and the update that had previously failed installed with no problem. Restarted the system and verified the WU is working correctly. The culprit was:

2020-07 Preview-versie van cumulatieve update voor .NET Framework 3.5 en 4.8 voor Windows 10 Version 2004 voor x64 (KB4562899)

Thanks for all the help and good advice!

1 user thanked author for this post.

doriel

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I’m pleased to know that your problem is solved.  By the way, I installed KB4562899 last weekend with no problems, so possibly it was not the culprit?

Windows 10 Pro 64 bit 20H2

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We will never know for certain what the culprit was. But after clearing out the softwaredistribution\download folder the update installed without problem. So it would appear to be a one-off problem.

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