How to Fix Install Error 0x80070103 in Windows 11 Update

Windows 11 is far ahead in design and performance from the previous iterations of the operating system. That being said, it is far from perfect and bugs tend to crop up here and there.

One such issue is the windows update install error 0x80070103. The error impacts all the available updates and only displays “Install error” text which is annoyingly inadequate information to resolve it.

Fortunately, Windows update install errors have been a part of the operating system for quite some time and they are well documented. The errors are usually faced due to a common list of issues that can be easily resolved using the methods provided in this guide.

Thus, giving a look at the common culprits behind the issue can provide a bit more insight into the problem.

Common Culprits Behind the Install Error 0x80070103

Microsoft has said that the Install Error 0x80070103 is harmless and it usually appears because Windows 11 is trying to install a driver that is already installed on the system or incompatible with it during a Windows update. Microsoft also says that the error shouldn’t impact your general usage since Windows will work in the meanwhile even if you can’t install the updates. They’re also working on fixing it. But if you’re not one to wait, you can try to resolve the error yourself.

There are also other potential culprits that can cause the error on your Windows 11 system which include:

Corrupted/Damaged System Files
The driver being updated is under use
Corrupted or Damaged Update Cache Data
Update Mechanism Services stopped/disabled

No matter why you might be facing this error, the fixes mentioned below will help you get rid of it and get things working like clockwork again.

1. Pause and Resume the Update

Before embarking on any lengthy fixes, try this simple fix instead. Click the ‘Retry’ option on the update that’s been presenting the error while trying to install it.

Then, pause the update once and resume it immediately. If you’re one of the lucky ones, this simple pause/ resume fix should make the error go away and your updates will be installed.

2. Run Update Troubleshooter

The first and foremost step is to run the troubleshooter to ensure there are no system and/ or configuration issues with the system.

After that, make sure you have selected the ‘System’ tab from the left sidebar.

Next, from the right section, click on the ‘Troubleshooter’ tile.

Afterward, click on the ‘Other troubleshooters’ tile to proceed.

Now, locate the ‘Windows Update’ tile and click on the ‘Run’ button to commence the troubleshooting.

Once the troubleshooting is completed, you will be able to see the list of problems along with suggestions to fix them. To understand the problem deeply, click on the ‘View detailed information’ option.

3. Run DISM and SFC Scan to Fix Corrupted System Files

System files could be damaged or corrupted due to incomplete Windows updates, improper installation of third-party apps, or due to a virus. DISM will first restore the system image and then SFC will use that image to scan for any discrepancies and fix them.

Head to the Start Menu and type Terminal to perform a search. Then, from the search results, right-click on the ‘Terminal’ tile and click on the ‘Run as administrator’ option.

Now, an UAC (User Account Control) window will appear on your screen. If you are not logged in with an admin account, enter the credentials for one. Otherwise, click on the ‘Yes’ button.

After that, click on the ‘chevron’ (downward arrow) icon and click on the ‘Command Prompt’ option.

Then, type or copy+paste the below-mentioned command and hit Enter on your keyboard. This will restore the currently installed OS image on your device.

DISM/ Online/ Cleanup-Image/ RestoreHealth

Afterward, type or copy+paste the following command to check and repair the system files on your PC.

SFC /scannow

Once done, restart your PC and try to update your PC to check if the problem still persists.

4. Reset Windows Update Service

Windows Update services run in the background silently to make sure all the updates are delivered properly to your system. However, at times, a third-party app or service can interfere with these services causing hindrances to their functionality.

Now, head to the Start Menu and type Terminal. Then, right-click on the tile and select the ‘Run as administrator’ option.

Next, a UAC (User Account Control) window will appear on your screen. If you are not logged in as an admin, provide credentials for one. Otherwise, click on the ‘Yes’ button.

After that, click on the ‘chevron’ icon and select the ‘Command Prompt’ option.

After that, type or copy+paste the below-mentioned command to stop the currently running update service. Ensure you press Enter after you enter each command separately to execute them all.

net stop bits

net stop wuaserv

net stop cryptsvc

After that, press the Windows+R keys together on your keyboard to open the Run command utility. Then, type or copy+paste the below-mentioned address path and click on the ‘OK’ button to proceed.

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore

Then, press the Ctrl+A keys to select all the files and folders, and then press the Shift+Delete keys to permanently delete all the files.

After that, head back to the Command Prompt and type or copy+paste the below-mentioned command and hit Enter.

Del "%AllUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*.*

Then, if prompted, press Y to confirm the deletion of files.

After that type or copy+paste the below-mentioned command and hit Enter. This will clear the Windows Update cache and will enable the operating system to re-download the updates. Make sure to press Enter after each command.

Note: The /S modifier key will delete all subdirectories and the /Q modifier will allow you to delete the files without any additional confirmation.

rmdir %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 /S /Q

Then, type or copy+paste the following command and execute it. This command will reset BITS and Windows Update services to their default security descriptor. Also, make sure to hit Enter after each command.

sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)

After that, execute the below-mentioned command to change the directory to the System32 folder.

cd /d %windir%\system32

Next, type the below-mentioned commands and hit Enter after each command to execute them all. This will update BITS and Update DLL files on the Registry.

regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll

regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll

regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll

regsvr32.exe /s shdocvw.dll

regsvr32.exe /s browseui.dll

regsvr32.exe /s jscript.dll

regsvr32.exe /s vbscript.dll

regsvr32.exe /s scrrun.dll

regsvr32.exe /s msxml.dll

regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll

regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll

regsvr32.exe /s msxml3.dll

regsvr32.exe /s msxml6.dll

regsvr32.exe /s actxprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe /s softpub.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wintrust.dll

regsvr32.exe /s dssenh.dll

regsvr32.exe /s rsaenh.dll

regsvr32.exe /s gpkcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe /s sccbase.dll

regsvr32.exe /s slbcsp.dll

regsvr32.exe /s cryptdlg.dll

regsvr32.exe /s oleaut32.dll

regsvr32.exe /s ole32.dll

regsvr32.exe /s shell32.dll

regsvr32.exe /s initpki.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuapi.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuaueng1.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wucltui.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wups.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wups2.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuweb.dll

regsvr32.exe /s qmgr.dll

regsvr32.exe /s qmgrprxy.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wucltux.dll

regsvr32.exe /s wuwebv.dll

Finally, head back to the elevated Command Prompt window, type or copy+paste the following command one by one, and hit Enter to start the services you disabled earlier.

net start bits

net start wuaserv

net start cryptsvc

After that, restart and check if you are able to update your PC.

5. Manually Install the Update

If you haven’t had success with the methods listed till now, you can also manually update the PC by downloading the update from the Microsoft Catalog Website.

First, head to the Microsoft Catalog website, catalog.update.microsoft.com using your preferred browser. Then, enter the KB (Knowledge Base) number of the update you desire to download in the ‘Search’ bar and hit Enter on your keyboard.

Now, from the list of search results, click on the option that has the ‘x64-based Systems’ suffix.

You can then check the supported OS, and package details and install resources for the update.

Once identified, move to the previous page of the website and click on the ‘Download’ button. This will open a separate browser window on your screen.

Afterward, right-click on the link displayed and then select the ‘Save link as…’ option.

Now, choose a desired directory using File Explorer and click on the ‘Save’ button.

Once downloaded, head to the download directory and double-click on the package to run the installer.

The standalone installer will then prepare your system. Once the update is ready to install, a prompt will appear on your screen. Click on the ‘Yes’ button to proceed.

The update package will now take a few minutes to install.

Once the package is installed, restart your PC and check if your PC is updated or not.

6. Reset your PC

In case you haven’t been able to fix the issue using the above-mentioned methods, the last option is to reset your PC to eradicate any deep-rooted systemic issue. Though you will not lose any personal files and folders, the system settings will be reset to factory defaults and all your installed programs will also be deleted.

First, head to the Start Menu and click on the ‘Settings’ tile.

After that, ensure you have selected the ‘System’ tab from the left sidebar.

Then, from the right section of the window, scroll down and click on the ‘Recovery’ tile to proceed.

Afterward, locate and click on the ‘Reset PC’ button to proceed. This will bring a separate window to your screen.

Now, click on the ‘Keep my files’ tile from the opened window, In case you wish to remove all your personal files as well when resetting, click on the ‘Remove everything’ option instead.

On the next screen, you will need to choose a method for reinstalling the operating system on your machine. Since there could be an issue with the copy already present on your system, it is recommended that you click on the ‘Cloud download’ option.

Note: ‘Cloud download’ will require an active internet connection and will consume upwards of 4 GB of data.

After that, Windows will list the settings that you have chosen. In case you wish to change any of it, click on the ‘Change settings’ option to continue.

If you chose to change the settings, you can configure the following settings on the next screen. You can choose to not restore the apps and settings by clicking on the toggle switch present under the ‘Restore preinstalled apps?’ option and bringing it to the ‘No’ position. You can even switch from the Cloud download to the local installation by clicking on the toggle switch present under the ‘Download Windows?’ option to change the installation method. Once adjusted according to your preference, click on the ‘Confirm’ button to proceed.

After that, from the main window, click on the ‘Next’ button to continue.

In case your PC was updated recently, you will receive a message on the screen stating that you will not be able to roll back once you rest the PC. To continue, click on the ‘Next’ button.

After that, Windows will list out all impacts resetting your PC will have on your system. Read them carefully and click on ‘Reset’ to commence the resetting process.