Windows Error 0x8024A105 Fix: "There Were Some Problems Installing Updates" on Windows 10 and 11

What error 0x8024A105 means (and what Microsoft does not say about it)

Error 0x8024A105 is a Windows Update failure code that appears in Settings with the message "There were some problems installing updates, but we'll try again later" and the code in brackets. It has shown up on Windows 10 for years and still appears on Windows 11 devices: a Microsoft Q&A thread opened in October 2026 describes it hitting only a subset of Windows 11 computers in a fleet while the others update normally.

Here is the part most guides skip. When we checked Microsoft's official Windows Update error reference on Microsoft Learn, 0x8024A105 is not listed. The nearby codes that are listed in the 0x8024A000 range are 0x8024A000, A002, A003, A004, A005 and AFFF (Automatic Updates service errors), and Microsoft's "Common Windows Update errors" page documents a neighbour, 0x8024A10A, as USO_E_SERVICE_SHUTTING_DOWN. The letters USO stand for the Update Session Orchestrator, the component that schedules and runs updates in modern Windows. Because the numbers are close, 0x8024A105 probably belongs to the same family, but we have not found a Microsoft page that says so, so treat that link as a reasonable guess, not a fact.

What does that mean for you? It means there is no official one-line explanation to quote, and any website that claims "0x8024A105 means X" is guessing too. What exists instead is Microsoft's general update troubleshooting process, a handful of answers on the Microsoft Q&A forum from moderators and independent advisors, and a pattern of fixes that have worked for many people. This guide puts them in an order that wastes the least time.

What it looks like, and how it differs from similar errors

If your code is not exactly 0x8024A105, check the table above before you continue. The fix for a permissions error is not the fix for a stuck orchestrator.

Who tends to see it

From the public Microsoft Q&A threads about this code, three groups show up again and again.

• Home users on Windows 10 with an older build. The oldest threads describe people trying to move between feature updates and seeing 0x8024A105 alongside other codes. One answer from a user reported that updating the BIOS let the update install, which points to firmware and driver compatibility in some cases.
• Home users with a long-running, never-restarted PC. Updates that were staged and never completed can leave the orchestrator in an odd state.
• Business PCs in small fleets. The October 2026 thread describes a few Windows 11 devices failing while others pass. A Microsoft independent advisor's answer in that thread pointed to local component-store problems, policy conflicts, and security tools that lock update staging files.

The takeaway: when only one or two machines fail and the rest update fine, suspect something local to that machine (damaged files, a locking security tool, a policy applied to it) rather than a Microsoft outage. When everything fails, check your network, proxy and update source first.

The first five minutes: do the cheap things

Do these in order. Each one costs nothing, and together they clear a surprising share of 0x8024A105 messages.

1. Restart the PC. A restart finishes any staged update and resets services. Do not use Sleep or Fast startup as a substitute: choose Start, Power, Restart.
2. Check Windows Update once. Settings, Windows Update, Check for updates. If it installs, you are done. If you see the code again, continue.
3. Look at the date, time and time zone. Settings, Time and language, Date and time. Turn on "Set time automatically" and "Set time zone automatically", then Sync now. Microsoft lists this as a standard update step.
4. Check disk space. Microsoft's update guide says 16 GB free for 32-bit and 20 GB for 64-bit. Open This PC in File Explorer and look at C:. Aim for 30 GB or more for feature updates.
5. Disconnect what you do not need. USB drives, docks, extra monitors with their own hubs, and unused devices. Microsoft recommends removing external hardware before retrying an update.
6. Turn off any VPN. Then retry. If updates work without the VPN, ask your VPN provider about update traffic, or leave the VPN off while updating.

If the code is still there after this list, go on to the troubleshooter and the cache reset.

Step 1: run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Microsoft's guide for Windows 11 puts the automated troubleshooter first. The manual path is:

1. Select Start, then Settings, then System.
2. Select Troubleshoot, then Other troubleshooters.
3. Beside Windows Update, select Run.
4. Restart if it asks, then check for updates again.

On Windows 10 look under Settings, Update and Security, Troubleshoot, Additional troubleshooters. The troubleshooter often reports "Fixed" or "Could not identify the problem" without clearly telling you whether the update will install, so test Windows Update again afterwards.

Step 2: make sure the update services are healthy

A stuck or disabled service is a classic reason for "we'll try again later." Open the Services app (press Windows key + R, type services.msc, press Enter) and check these entries:

Microsoft's own table for error 0x80070422 says the Windows Update service may be stopped or not running, and tells you to check that it is running. A community answer on Microsoft Q&A for 0x8024A105 also suggests stopping BITS and Windows Update, restarting the PC, and retrying. If a service refuses to start or shows "Disabled" and you did not set it, that is a clue worth keeping: a security tool or an old "tweak" script may have changed it.

Step 3: clear the update cache

This is the single most repeated fix for 0x8024A105, and it matches Microsoft's own update guide.

1. Press Windows key + R, type services.msc, press Enter.
2. Right-click Windows Update and choose Stop.
3. Open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete everything inside (not the folder itself). If you want to be more careful, open the Download subfolder first and delete only its contents, which is where pending update files wait.
4. Return to Services, right-click Windows Update, choose Start.
5. Restart the PC, then check for updates.

If you prefer the command line, run these in an administrator Command Prompt, one line at a time. Renaming means you can undo the change:

net stop wuauserv
net stop bits
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
net start bits
net start wuauserv

Expect the next "Check for updates" to take longer than usual while Windows rebuilds its database. Wait at least five minutes before you decide it failed. Microsoft's Learn page for a different update code (0x80242006) uses the same rename idea and also renames DataStore, Download and catroot2 with the .bak suffix, which some people prefer when a plain rename was not enough.

Step 4: repair the component store and system files

The October 2026 Microsoft Q&A answer (from an Independent Advisor, not Microsoft staff) for this exact code says 0x8024A105 "might indicate a failure related to processing update payloads", often triggered by corrupt local update components or component-store discrepancies. That is an independent advisor's reading rather than an official definition, but it matches an answer posted on Microsoft's support forum in 2017: the problem can occur because of corrupted or missing system files, with a link to the general "fix Windows Update issues" steps.

Repair both layers from an administrator Command Prompt (right-click Start, Terminal (Admin) or Command Prompt (Admin)):

1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth and wait for it to finish.
2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth to see if the image is healthy, repairable or non-repairable.
3. If repairable: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth. This downloads good copies from Windows Update, so be online.
4. sfc /scannow when DISM completes.
5. Restart, then check for updates.

Microsoft's DISM documentation adds that if you cannot use Windows Update as the repair source, you can point DISM at a mounted Windows image with /Source and add /LimitAccess to stop it contacting Windows Update. That is useful at a small office with an install image on a USB drive.

Step 5: read the logs (when only some PCs fail)

If you manage a few computers and only some fail, compare a failing PC with a healthy one. The Microsoft independent advisor in the October 2026 thread suggests two places to look:

• Event Viewer: Applications and Services Logs, Microsoft, Windows, Setup, Operational. Look at the time of the failed attempt.
• The CBS log: C:\Windows\Logs\CBS\CBS.log. Search for words such as "corruption", "missing" or a hex code near the failure time.

A third useful tool, from our general knowledge and not from a Microsoft page we opened here, is the PowerShell command Get-WindowsUpdateLog, which converts Windows Update's trace files into a readable WindowsUpdate.log on the desktop. Search that log for the same timestamp and for the words "failed" and "error".

Step 6: security tools and policies that block update files

The same Microsoft advisor points to "aggressive security tools, application control policies (WDAC/AppLocker), or third-party endpoint protection agents" that can lock temporary staging files in SoftwareDistribution\Download while an update commits. On a home PC the version of this is a third-party antivirus or "PC optimizer" that scans each new file in the update folder at the wrong moment.

• Check your security product's quarantine or event history for entries from the time of the failure.
• If you use a third-party antivirus, pause real-time protection only for one update attempt, then turn it back on. Never leave protection off. Microsoft Defender stays on.
• Remove PC cleaners and registry tools. They are a frequent source of update trouble and fix nothing here.
• On a work PC, ask your administrator whether a policy (a Group Policy, an Intune configuration profile, a WSUS setting or an application control rule) targets update paths. The advisor suggests comparing a failing machine with a passing one for a configuration they do not share.

Step 7: install the failing update manually

If a particular monthly update fails every time, you can bypass the update client's staging by installing the package yourself. The advisor's suggestion for a machine that keeps rejecting updates after a component reset and a CBS repair is to extract the failing KB package and install it offline with wusa. The practical steps are:

1. Note the KB number from Settings, Windows Update, Update history (it is in the title of the failed update).
2. Search the Microsoft Update Catalog website for that KB and download the .msu that matches your Windows version and architecture (x64 or ARM64). Download only from Microsoft's catalog.
3. Run an administrator Command Prompt and install it: wusa.exe C:\path\to\update.msu /quiet /norestart. Remove /quiet if you want to watch the progress window.
4. Restart when it finishes.

We do not list KB numbers in this guide on purpose. They change monthly, and 0x8024A105 is not tied to one specific update. Use the number on your own screen.

Step 8: drivers, BIOS and firmware

The older Microsoft Q&A threads for 0x8024A105 include a person who updated the BIOS and then saw the Windows update install, and another who recommends checking driver dependencies, firmware and BIOS before an in-place upgrade. These are anecdotes, but they fit a pattern: feature updates talk to firmware and drivers, and an out-of-date piece can stop the install. Update the BIOS or UEFI only from the PC maker's support page for your exact model, with the laptop plugged in, and never interrupt it. Our guide on a failed BIOS or UEFI update explains what happens when that goes wrong, so read it before you start. Also see our guide to updating drivers safely.

Step 9: the in-place repair or a clean install (last resort)

If every step above fails, two community answers in Microsoft Q&A end in the same place: create a Windows installer on a USB stick and run an in-place upgrade. The idea is to run Windows setup over the existing installation and choose to keep your files and apps, which replaces the system files without wiping your data. It is the standard step before a full reset.

• Before you start: back up your documents, photos and browser data. Note your software licence keys and sign-ins.
• Get the media from Microsoft only: use Microsoft's official Windows download pages to create the USB installer for the same edition and language you have now.
• Choose to keep personal files and apps when setup asks. If that option is greyed out, setup cannot keep them and a backup becomes essential.
• Expect 1 to 3 hours. Setup restarts several times.

We did not open Microsoft's current step-by-step page for this method in this review, so check its wording on Microsoft's site before you run it. If your PC no longer qualifies for the version you are running, read our guide on Windows 10 end of support (in French) for the options.

Which step for which symptom

Three realistic scenarios (illustrative)

These are Realistic scenarios, not real customer cases. They show how this error usually plays out and how long the fix takes.

Scenario 1: the PC that never restarts

A freelance bookkeeper in Gatineau leaves her desktop on for five weeks and uses Sleep every evening. Windows Update shows 0x8024A105 on a monthly update. She restarts properly, clears the SoftwareDistribution Download folder with the Windows Update service stopped, restarts again, and the update installs. Time: 25 minutes. Lesson: a real restart matters more than any tool.

Scenario 2: one PC out of six

A six-person architecture office in Montreal sees 0x8024A105 on a single Windows 11 laptop. The other five update normally. The owner compares the failing laptop with a working one and finds a third-party "PC optimizer" installed only on the failing one. After uninstalling it, running DISM RestoreHealth (30 minutes) and SFC, the update installs. Time: 90 minutes. Lesson: when only one machine fails, look for what is different about it.

Scenario 3: the old laptop and the BIOS

A student in Sherbrooke has a six-year-old laptop that fails the same feature update with 0x8024A105 and another code. Cache reset and DISM do not help. She installs the latest BIOS from the laptop maker's support page for her exact model with the charger connected, restarts, and the update proceeds. Time: 2 hours including a backup. The pattern follows a community report, so it may not apply to your laptop.

Printable checklist

Mistakes that make 0x8024A105 worse

• Running every fix at once. If you clear the cache, run DISM, update the BIOS and reinstall a driver in one evening, you will not know which step worked, and you may introduce a new problem. Change one thing, restart, test.
• Closing DISM or SFC in the middle. Both tools can sit at one percentage for many minutes. Interrupting them can leave the component store in a worse state than before.
• Setting Windows Update to Disabled. Some old "tweak" guides do this to stop the error message. It leaves the PC without security fixes and can cause new failures later.
• Trusting a random download. Sites offering a "0x8024A105 repair tool" are a common way to get malware. Every tool in this guide is built into Windows or comes from microsoft.com or your PC maker.
• Skipping the backup before a BIOS update or repair install. These steps are usually safe, but if power is lost at the wrong moment you want a copy of your files somewhere else.
• Ignoring the one-PC-only clue. If five computers update and one does not, the difference between them is the answer. Write down what is installed on the failing one that is missing on the others.

What it costs: DIY versus paying a technician

For a business with several PCs, the cost question changes. Spending an hour once to find what is different on the failing machine is cheaper than repeating the same restarts on every computer each month.

How to keep it from coming back

• Restart weekly. Sleep and Hibernate do not finish staged updates the way a restart does.
• Keep the PC awake and connected while updates install. Microsoft documents 0x8024A10A as the update service shutting down after a long idle period, which is the same kind of problem.
• Keep 30 GB or more free on the system drive.
• Use one security product, and keep Microsoft Defender active if you do not buy another.
• Update firmware and drivers from the PC maker once or twice a year, with a backup first.
• Avoid registry cleaners and "boosters." They are a source of update problems, not a cure.
• Back up before big updates. Our guide to November 2026 Patch Tuesday known issues lists what to check before installing a large monthly update.

Related guides and codes

• Windows error 0x80240FFF: the catch-all WU_E_UNEXPECTED code, with its own fix order.
• Windows Update stuck or failing: the general guide.
• Windows error 0x80070422: when the Windows Update service is not running.
• Windows error 0x80073712: a missing or damaged update file.
• Windows Update error 0x800F0845: another failed-install code with its own steps.

Official resources

• Microsoft Support: Troubleshoot problems updating Windows
• Microsoft Learn: Common Windows Update errors (includes 0x8024A10A)
• Microsoft Learn: Windows Update error codes by component
• Microsoft Learn: Repair a Windows image (DISM)
• Microsoft Q&A: Windows Update error 0x8024a105 on Windows 11 devices (Independent Advisor answer)

When to call a pro

Get help if DISM reports a non-repairable image, if you manage several PCs and cannot see what the failing one has in common with the others, if you are about to update a BIOS on a work laptop, if you see signs of malware, or if you simply do not want to spend an evening reading logs. IT Cares has supported people remotely and on site in Quebec since 2014. A technician connects while you watch, reads the logs, repairs the update components in the right order, and explains the cause. Call 1 (888) 711-9428 or use the booking button at the end of this page.

If you suspect the failing update is part of a bigger infection, read our guide to removing a virus from a computer first.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Windows error 0x80240FFF
• Windows Update stuck or failing
• Windows error 0x80070422
• Windows error 0x80073712
• Windows Update error 0x800F0845
• How to update drivers
• Failed BIOS or UEFI update

Sources and official references

Last verified: November 13, 2026

• Microsoft Learn: Windows Update error codes by component (0x8024A105 not listed; opened 2026-11-13)
• Microsoft Learn: Common Windows Update errors, 0x8024A10A USO_E_SERVICE_SHUTTING_DOWN (opened 2026-11-13)
• Microsoft Support: Troubleshoot problems updating Windows (opened 2026-11-13)
• Microsoft Learn: Repair a Windows image, DISM (opened 2026-11-13)
• Microsoft Q&A: Windows Update error 0x8024a105 on Windows 11 devices, Independent Advisor answer (opened 2026-11-13)
• Microsoft Q&A: How to fix error code 0x8024a105 (2017 thread, opened 2026-11-13)