Are you seeing the Windows Update Error 80246001 whenever you try to update your OS? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. The guides in this article are proven solutions to the issue. Even if you’ve read the regular tutorials on how to fix Windows Update database errors without luck, you can make a headway here.

The tips here will show you how to get rid of the Update Error Code 0x80246001 in Windows 10 and Windows 7.

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

The first step you should take is to run the Troubleshooter for Windows Update. The error might be caused by common problems, such as malfunctioning or disabled system services; conflicts with other programs; inability to communicate with your system’s network infrastructure; and software dependency issues, among others.

The Troubleshooter’s job is to find and fix these issues. If you don’t know how to use the tool, the steps below will guide you:

  1. Click on the Start button, then select the cogwheel icon once the Start menu shows up. You can also use the Windows + I keyboard combination to open the Settings application.
  2. After the home page of Settings opens, click on the Update & Security icon located toward the bottom of the window.
  3. Once the Update & Security interface appears, go to the left pane of the window and click on Troubleshoot.
  4. Now, navigate to the right pane and click on Windows Update.
  5. Once the Run the Troubleshooter button fades out under Windows Update, click on it.
  6. The Troubleshooter will now begin to scan for issues plaguing the Windows Update utility.
  7. Once the scan is complete, the Troubleshooter will ask you to apply the recommended fixes if it has any.
  8. Click on the Apply button, then allow the tool to complete the process.
  9. Once the process completes, try updating your PC.

If you’re experiencing the issue on Windows 7, then go to Microsoft’s website, download the program, and then run it.

Scan and Replace Corrupt System Files

System files are needed to run any process on your computer, especially Windows Update. If any of these files become corrupt or go missing, errors will occur. The Error 80246001 might be showing up because you have one or more problematic system files.

You might have unknowingly tampered with some of these files, your antivirus program might have overreacted and deleted them, or a malicious program has removed them.

To solve the problem, you’ll have to find these damaged or missing system files and replace them. To do that, you’ll be using the System File Checker (SFC). SFC is a command-line tool that checks protected system files for integrity violations. It fixes these violations by replacing any file that is missing or damaged.

If you’re using a Windows 10 device, you’ll have to run the inbox Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool before running SFC. DISM provides all the files necessary for the repair.

The guide below will show you how to run the SFC tool:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run, by searching for Run in the Start menu, or by using the Windows + R keyboard combo.
  2. After Run shows up in the bottom-left corner of your screen, type “CMD” (without the quotes), then hit the Ctrl, Shift, and Enter keys simultaneously.
  3. The User Account Control dialog window will now pop up and request for permission to run Command Prompt as an administrator. Click on the Yes button once this happens.
  4. Once the Command Prompt window opens in administrator mode, type the following line into the black screen and hit the Enter key:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Note: This is the normal command line to use when summoning DISM. However, since you are dealing with an issue that prevents the Windows Update client from running properly, you’ll have to use a different repair source. You can use a bootable USB or a Windows 10 DVD. You can also mount a Windows 10 ISO file as a virtual DVD and use it as the repair source. Take note of the path to the windows folder in the DVD or bootable media that you are using.

  1. Now, use the following line instead:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:X:\Source\Windows /LimitAccess

Note that X:\Source\Windows represents the path to the Windows folder in the repair source that you’re using. Replace it accordingly before entering the command.

  1. Wait for the command to fully execute before you move on to the next step.
  2. Now, type “sfc/ scannow” (no quotes) into the Command Prompt and hit the Enter key.
  3. After the command completes, restart your system if you see the completion message that reads, “Windows Resource Protection found corrupt files and successfully repaired them.”

Rename the Software Distribution Backup Folders

The Windows Update utility downloads new software updates to the SoftwareDistribution folder. Interruption to the download process might corrupt the files in the folder, causing the error message to show up the next time you try to update your computer.

The Catroot2 folder is another directory that might contain corrupted files as a result of the interrupted update process.

It’s also possible that malware corrupted some files in any of these folders.

You’ll have to rename these folders so that Windows can create new ones. Once the new folders are created, the utility will start downloading the updates again.

Before you begin, you have to stop certain services that might be using the folders. Follow these steps:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run, by searching for Run in the Start menu, or by using the Windows + R keyboard combo.
  2. After Run shows up in the bottom-left corner of your screen, type “CMD” (without the quotes), then hit the Ctrl, Shift, and Enter keys simultaneously.
  3. The User Account Control dialog window will now pop up and request for permission to run Command Prompt as an administrator. Click on the Yes button once this happens.
  4. After the Command Prompt window opens in administrator mode, type the following lines into the black screen and hit the Enter key after typing each:

net stop bits

net stop wuauserv

net stop appidsvc

net stop cryptsvc

  1. Now, type these commands into the next line and hit the Enter key after each line:

ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.bak

ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.bak

  1. Once the commands execute successfully, enter the following commands again to start the services you stopped earlier:

Note: Remember to hit the Enter key after typing each command:

net start bits

net start wuauserv

net start appidsvc

net start cryptsvc

Perform a Full Malware Scan

As we mentioned earlier, malware can tamper with some important files related to the Windows Update component. Malicious programs can also be designed to infiltrate your system in such way that they can wreak havoc on your network infrastructure, causing the update process to grind to a halt with the error.

Run a full malware scan to make sure you’re not dealing with a bad case of virus infection.

Note that a quick scan simply won’t do. You have to run a full scan so that your antivirus program can check every corner of your system for malicious programs. The steps below will show you how to run the full scan, using the Virus & Threat Protection tool of Windows Security in Windows 10:

  1. Open the Settings application by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Settings from the Quick Access menu. You can also open Settings by tapping the Windows logo and I keys together.
  2. After the home screen of Settings shows up, go to the bottom of the page and click on Update & Security.
  3. When you get to the Update & Security interface, navigate to the left pane of the window and click on Windows Security.
  4. Now, go to the Windows Security tab to the right and click on Virus & Threat Protection under Protection Areas.
  5. Once you see the interface of the Virus & Threat Protection tool in the Windows Security app, click on Scan Options.
  6. On the Scan Options screen, go to the radio button for Full Scan and select it.
  7. Next, click on the Scan Now button.
  8. The full scan will take more than one hour to complete depending on your system’s speed.
  9. After the process is complete, allow the Virus & Threat Protection tool to kill off any malware program or file that it finds, then restart your system and check for the error.


You can also enhance your PC’s security by installing Auslogics Anti-Malware. The program is the perfect malware remover whether you use Windows 10 or Windows 7. It works perfectly with with these operating systems, and doesn’t cause conflicts with other system protection programs.

Download and Install the Update Manually

If nothing works, try downloading the latest updated from Microsoft’s website, then install it.

If you’re experiencing the issue on your Windows 7 PC, then download the latest SSU, which should be KB4523206. Once you download it, run it.

Note: You must download the 64-bit version if your OS is 64-bit and the 32-bit version if you use a 32-bit Windows 7. Follow these steps if you don’t know what to check whether you have a 32-bit or 64-bit operating system:

  1. Click on the Start button.
  2. In the Start menu, select Control Panel.
  3. Go to the search box and type “Performance Information and Tools” (no quotes).
  4. Once the results list appears, click Performance Information and Tools.
  5. Next, click on the option that reads, “View and print detailed performance and system information.”
  6. You’ll find the type of operating system you’re currently running under System type in the System section. Under 64-bit capable, you’ll know whether or not you can run a 64-bit version of Windows

Note: You won’t see the 64-bit capable listing if your computer is already running a 64-bit version of Windows.

If you’re experiencing the problem on your Windows 10 PC, here are extra tips that can help you resolve the problem:

Solve Driver Issues

If you recently installed a piece of hardware or updated a device driver, it is possible that you’re experiencing a driver related problem. Windows Update works with device drivers to properly distribute Windows 10 software updates.

To resolve the issue, in this case, you’ll have to get rid of that driver issue.

The best way to resolve driver related glitches is to find problematic drivers and install their latest updates. You can do that through the Device Manager. Certain third-party applications are also great at resolving driver issues.

Using the Device Manager

When drivers go missing or aren’t properly installed, the Device Manager often flags them. You’ll see a yellow exclamation mark beside the device. You can then search for the updated version of the driver and install it. The steps below will show you what to do:

  1. Press the Windows + S keyboard combination to open the search box beside the Start button. You can also click on the magnifying glass icon in the taskbar to summon it.
  2. When the search utility appears, type “device manager” (no quotes) into the text box, and then select Device Manager from the Results list.
  3. After the Device Manager window comes up, locate the Display Adapters tree and expand it by clicking on the arrow beside it.
  4. Once you see your graphics card under the Display Adapters tree, right-click it, and then click on Update Driver in the context menu.
  5. After the Update Driver window appears, click on the “Search automatically for updated driver software” option under “How do you want to search for drivers”.
  6. Windows will now search for the driver online, and then download and install it.
  7. Once the update process is complete, reboot your PC and run Windows Update to check for the problem.

In some cases, the Device Manager will not be able to detect the corrupt or outdated driver. This means you might have to manually check for driver issues. However, that is not necessary. With a tool such as Auslogics Driver Updater, you can easily solve driver problems without breaking a sweat.

The program will scan your system for problematic drivers and provide a list of outdated, missing, and corrupt drivers. You can then prompt the tool to update them. If you go for the pro version, the driver’s can be updated simultaneously instead of one by one.

The steps below will show you how to use the tool:

  1. Navigate to the download page of Auslogics Driver Updater. If you’re reading this article on your system’s web browser, open the link in a new tab.
  2. Once you get to the download page, click on the Download button and prompt your browser to save the setup file.
  3. The file is not larger than 16 megabytes, so your browser should round up the download within seconds, depending on signal strength.
  4. After your browser successfully downloads the setup file, click on the Run/Open button or navigate to the folder where you saved the file and double-click it.
  5. The User Account Control dialog will now pop up and request for permission. Click on the Yes button when this happens.
  6. The Setup wizard will now appear.
  7. Select your preferred language for the program in the drop-down menu.
  8. Next, choose the directory where you want the setup to install the tool by clicking on the three dots under Installation Directory.
  9. Now, use the checkboxes that follow to decide whether you want the setup to create a desktop icon, whether you want the app to launch whenever your PC boots up, and whether you want the tool to send anonymous reports to the developers when issues occur.
  10. After entering your choices, click on the “Click to install” button, then allow the setup to complete the installation process.
  11. The program will launch automatically and begin to scan your PC for problematic device drivers once it’s installed. If it doesn’t open on its own, you can launch it via the Start menu or by double-clicking its shortcut (if you created one). After the program comes up, click on the Start button.
  12. You’ll see a list of all the outdated, missing, and corrupt drivers on your system once the scan is complete.
  13. Check if your display driver is on the list.
  14. Click on the Update button to prompt the program to download and install the updated driver software.
  15. Once the process completes, reboot your PC and check for the problem.

Reset the Winsock Component

The Windows Update Error 80246001 is usually caused by the utility’s inability to establish a network connection.

One component that might be responsible for this issue is the Windows Socket API. The programming interface is in charge of your computer’s network infrastructure and controls how applications establish connections.

Winsock is a bunch of codes crammed into a DLL file. You’ll find a Winsock.dll file in your system32 folder. This is where all the parameters for your network connections reside. The DLL file can go corrupt, and when this happens, you’ll experience network issues in some applications, and this could be the reason for the error you’re experiencing.

You’ll have to reset the Winsock component to resolve the issue. We’ll show you how to do this, using Command Prompt. Follow the steps below:

  1. Launch the Run dialog box. You can do this by right-clicking the Start button and selecting Run, by searching for Run in the Start menu, or by using the Windows + R keyboard combo.
  2. After Run shows up in bottom-left corner of your screen, type “CMD” (without the quotes), then hit the Ctrl, Shift, and Enter keys simultaneously.
  3. The User Account Control dialog window will now pop up and request for permission to run Command Prompt as an administrator. Click on the Yes button once this happens.
  4. Once the Command Prompt opens in administrator mode, type the following line into the black screen:

netsh winsock reset

  1. Windows will now reset the Winsock component by replacing the DLL file.
  2. Once the command executes successfully, restart your computer and try updating it.

Conclusion

Your computer no longer has stay out of date. With the tips above, you should resolve the issue once and for all. If you’re on a Windows 7 PC and nothing worked, try reinstalling the operating system. If you have further issues that you’ll like us to help you with, lay them out in the comments section below!

Do you want to keep your system running smoothly? Do you want to get rid of dangerous files that can cause serious damage? Use Auslogics BoostSpeed. The program is designed to keep your system healthy by flushing out junk files and corrupt registry keys that can cause harm in the future. It’s also a great way to avoid a cluttered disk drive.