Windows Error 0x8007000D: The Data Is Invalid

Error 0x8007000D translates to "The data is invalid": Windows received a file, a setting or a package in a form it cannot read. It most often shows up during Windows Update, activation or a program installation, and the root cause is usually a corrupted download, a damaged update cache or a clock that is wrong. Start by clearing the update download cache and repairing the component store, then move to an in-place repair only if those fail.

Reading the message: where "the data is invalid" comes from

The 0x8007 prefix marks a Win32 error code wrapped into a Windows result, and the last part, 0x0D, equals 13 in decimal. In plain terms, something handed Windows a block of data and the format check failed. It is not a message about your hard drive being full or your internet being down, even though those can indirectly cause it.

The code is documented as a general-purpose result, so it can appear in unrelated places. The scenarios people report most are these:

• A cumulative update or feature update downloads, then fails at install with 0x8007000D.
• An activation or licence step reports the error after a hardware change or a restore from backup.
• An installer (an MSI or a Microsoft Store package) stops with the code partway through.
• An older Windows setup or Windows Server role installation fails the same way.

Likely causes at a glance

Cause	How to recognise it	Fix section
Partly downloaded or corrupted update files	Update retries then fails at the same percentage every time	Reset the update cache
Damaged component store	sfc or DISM reports corruption, other update codes appear too	DISM and sfc
Wrong date, time or time zone	The clock is off, CMOS battery is old, dual-boot with Linux	Check the clock
Bad installer file	A downloaded setup or ISO fails on one PC but another is fine	Re-download and verify
Security software interfering	Started after installing or updating antivirus	Clean-boot test
Damaged system image after restore or clone	Activation and updates both misbehave after a migration	In-place repair

Fix 1: Check the date, time and time zone

This takes thirty seconds and prevents a lot of wasted effort. Windows validates certificates and signed packages against the clock. If the clock is wrong, the data can be rejected as invalid even when it is perfectly fine.

1. Open Settings, then Time and language, then Date and time.
2. Turn on Set time automatically and Set time zone automatically.
3. Click Sync now under Additional settings.

A clock that keeps resetting after a power-off usually means a weak CMOS battery on the motherboard, which is a small hardware fix and a good thing to know about. On a dual-boot machine with Linux, a mismatch between UTC and local time handling can also shift the clock by hours.

Fix 2: Reset the Windows Update download cache

Windows keeps downloaded updates in C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and signature data in C:\Windows\System32\catroot2. If a file in there is broken, retrying the same update repeats the same failure. Renaming those folders forces Windows to download fresh copies. Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:

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
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

Then go to Settings, then Windows Update, and select Check for updates. The first scan after a reset takes longer than usual and the update history may appear empty; that is normal and the .old folders can be deleted once everything works. If a .old folder already exists from a previous attempt, delete or rename it first, because the rename command cannot overwrite it.

If a service refuses to stop, restart the PC and run the commands again before anything else loads. The point of renaming rather than deleting is that you can restore the old folder if the reset changes nothing.

Fix 3: Repair the component store with DISM and sfc

Windows Update installs onto the component store (the WinSxS area). If that store has damaged entries, new packages cannot be applied cleanly. The built-in repair tools work in a fixed order, and the order matters, so run them like this from an elevated Command Prompt:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
sfc /scannow

RestoreHealth downloads clean replacement files from Windows Update, so it needs a working internet connection. It can appear stuck near 20 or 40 percent for a long time; give it at least half an hour before assuming it has hung. When it finishes, sfc checks protected system files against the repaired store. Restart afterwards and retry the update.

If DISM itself returns an error such as 0x800f081f, the source files could not be found. That case, and how to point DISM at a mounted Windows ISO instead, is covered in our guide to error 0x800f081f. A related component-store failure is explained in error 0x80073712.

Fix 4: Take the installer or ISO question seriously

If the code appears while installing a program or while running a Windows ISO setup, suspect the file you are installing. A download interrupted by a flaky connection can still look complete in File Explorer. Delete it and download it again from the publisher, ideally on a wired connection. For a Windows ISO, compare its hash with the value published on the download page. You can compute the SHA-256 of a file in PowerShell:

Get-FileHash C:\Users\YourName\Downloads\setup.iso -Algorithm SHA256

A different hash from the publisher's means the file is damaged, and no amount of repairing Windows will make it install. If you copy the installer to a USB stick, eject it properly and test whether the same file works from the local disk.

Fix 5: Clean-boot test for interference

Third-party security suites, disk tools and "cleaner" utilities sometimes hold files open or modify what the installer reads. To test without uninstalling anything:

1. Press Windows+R, type msconfig and press Enter.
2. On the Services tab, tick Hide all Microsoft services, then click Disable all.
3. On the Startup tab, open Task Manager and disable the startup items.
4. Restart, retry the update or install, then undo the changes with the same tool.

If the installation succeeds in the clean boot, one of the disabled items was the problem. Re-enable them in small groups to find it. If the error persists, the cause is inside Windows or the file itself.

Fix 6: Activation context

When 0x8007000D shows during activation, usually after a motherboard change, a restore from backup, or an image applied to different hardware, the licensing data on the PC may be unreadable. Start with Settings, then System, then Activation, and run the Activation troubleshooter shown there if it is offered. It can re-link a digital licence to your Microsoft account if you signed in with it before the hardware change.

If you can run commands, this command shows the current licence state without changing anything:

slmgr /dlv

Do not paste product keys from sites you do not trust. If the licence belongs to a business volume agreement, contact whoever manages it rather than guessing.

Fix 7: In-place repair upgrade (keeps files and apps)

If the cache reset and the DISM repair did not help, the cleanest way to rebuild Windows system files without losing anything is a repair install over the top of the current system.

1. Download the Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft that matches your installed edition and language.
2. Right-click the ISO and choose Mount, then open the new drive in File Explorer.
3. Run setup.exe from inside Windows (not from a boot USB).
4. When asked what to keep, choose Keep personal files and apps.
5. Let it finish. Expect several restarts and a long wait.

Before you begin, back up your important files to an external drive and make sure you have at least 20 GB of free space (our rule of thumb, not a Microsoft figure). An in-place repair is not risk-free; interrupted power during it is a bad moment, so use a charger on a laptop and avoid starting it when you need the PC the same hour.

For broader update troubleshooting, our guide on Windows Update stuck or failing goes through the symptoms in order, and the article about error 0x800f0845 covers a related failure that behaves similarly.

Mistakes that make 0x8007000D worse

• Deleting random folders in C:\Windows. Of the folders in this guide, only SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 should be renamed, and only with the services stopped.
• Installing "update fixer" or "registry cleaner" downloads. They often change the very settings that cause invalid-data errors, and some carry malware.
• Using a pirated or unofficial ISO. Modified images regularly trigger invalid-data and activation failures.
• Interrupting DISM or a repair upgrade because it looks frozen. Wait, and check that the disk light or activity is still moving.
• Reinstalling Windows first. It is the last resort, not the first, and it costs time that a targeted fix would save.

When this is not just software

"Data is invalid" can be a symptom of a disk that is returning bad reads. Treat it as hardware, not as a Windows bug, if you notice any of these:

• sfc or DISM report corruption every time you run them, even after a successful repair.
• Files open slowly or fail with read errors, or the PC freezes during downloads.
• chkdsk reports bad sectors, or SMART warnings appear in the drive's own utility.
• The error follows the machine through several unrelated programs.

In that situation, copy your important files off first and then look at the drive. If you would rather have a technician check, our remote repair service can run the repair sequence with you, and the Windows support page explains what we help with. If your system also shows crashes, the guide to Windows 11 blue screens is a useful companion.

Preventing invalid-data failures

• Leave automatic time and time zone on, and replace a weak CMOS battery when the clock drifts.
• Keep at least 20 GB free on the system drive before large updates (our rule of thumb, not a Microsoft figure).
• Download installers only from the publisher, on a stable connection, and verify hashes for ISOs.
• Do not power off during update stages marked "Working on updates".
• Create a restore point or full backup before feature updates and hardware changes.
• Run sfc /scannow occasionally on a machine that has crashed or lost power.

FAQ

What does error 0x8007000D mean?

It means "The data is invalid". Windows received data it could not parse, such as a corrupted update file, a damaged package, or licence data it could not read.

Is 0x8007000D only a Windows Update error?

No. It most often appears during updates, but it also shows up in activation, program installers and Windows setup.

Will resetting SoftwareDistribution delete my files?

No. It only clears downloaded update files and update history. Windows rebuilds them, and your documents and programs are untouched.

Can a wrong clock cause the error?

Yes. Windows checks signed files against the system time, so a wrong date or time zone can make valid data look invalid. Turn on automatic time and sync.

How long does DISM RestoreHealth take?

It can take from several minutes to over half an hour, and may seem stuck at certain percentages. Let it run unless there is no disk activity for a very long time.

Do I lose my apps with an in-place repair upgrade?

Not if you choose Keep personal files and apps. Back up first anyway, because any major operation carries some risk.

Could a failing drive cause 0x8007000D?

Yes. Repeated corruption after repairs, read errors and bad sector reports point to the drive. Save your data before more repairs.

Should I just reinstall Windows?

Only after the cache reset, DISM repair and in-place repair have failed, and after you have backed up your data.