Windows 10 showing the 0x80070005 error while trying to update or upgrade? Here is how to fix the 0x80070005 error in Windows 10.
When I’m trying to check for updates in Windows 10, I recently encountered the error code 0x80070005 with the Access Denied message. The 0x80070005 error will completely stop Windows Update from checking and installing Windows 10 updates.
The good thing is, it is pretty easy to troubleshoot and fix the 0x80070005 Access Denied error in Windows 10. Here is how.
Fix 0x80070005 Error
Follow the below methods one after the other to troubleshoot and fix the 0x80070005 error in Windows 10.
- Reboot the system
- Make sure the date and time are correct
- Register Quartz.dll
- Restart Windows Update service
- Unplug unused peripheral devices
- Run SFC /Scannow command
- Run Windows Update troubleshooter
- Restore Windows to a previous time
- Re-install Windows 10
Reboot the system
When you get an error, especially if the error is with the Windows Update, the first and foremost thing you should do is restart the computer. When you restart the computer, Windows will unblock all the files and restarts all the required services. Often, this simple process will fix the 0x80070005 error.
Right-click on the Start menu and select the “Shut down or sign out > Restart” option to restart the computer.
It is important to note that you should not select the Shutdown option and then manually press the power button to reboot. When you click the Shutdown option, Windows won’t shut down entirely, thanks to a feature called Fast Boot. So, always select the Restart option to reboot a Windows computer properly.
Make sure the date and time are correct
If the date and time are incorrect, it can cause problems, especially with internet communication. The 0x80070005 error is one such problem. So, make sure the date and time are correct.
If the date and time are incorrect, open the Settings app and go to the “Time & language > Date & time” page. Here, turn off the “Set time automatically” option. Next, click the “Change” button under the “Set the date and time manually” section.
Now, select the date and time using the dropdown menus and click the “Change” button.
Finally, turn on the “Set time automatically” option in the Settings app.
Now, try to update Windows 10 and see if it fixes the 0x80070005 error.
Register Quartz.dll
Quartz.dll is a DirectX-related DLL file and is included in Windows 10 by default. For whatever reason, if the file is unregistered, it can cause problems and show the 0x80070005 error while updating or doing DirectX-related tasks. To fix it, you have to register the Quartz.dll file. Here is how.
Press the Start key, search for “Command Prompt,” and open it. Type “regsvr32 quartz.dll” in the cmd window and press Enter. You should see the “DllRegisterServer in quartz.dll” message immediately.
After that, close the cmd window and reboot the computer. Now, try to update Windows and see if the problem is fixed.
Restart Windows Update service
To run Windows Update, Windows 10 has a dedicated service called Windows Update service. If the service is not running or got stuck, it can stop Windows Update and show odd errors. 0x80070005 is one such error. So, it is essential to restart the Windows Update service and make sure it can start automatically when needed. Here is how to do it.
Open the Run dialog box with the “Start key + R” shortcut. Type “services.msc” and press Enter to open the Services window. Here, find the “Windows Update” service, right-click on it, and select the “Properties” option.
Set the “Startup type” to “Automatic” and then click the “Start” button. Click the “Apply” and “Ok” buttons to save changes.
Close the Services window and reboot the computer.
After rebooting, try to update Windows. You should no longer see the 0x80070005 error.
Unplug unused peripheral devices
The more hardware devices you connect to the system, the more things can go wrong. This is especially true if the device drivers are not up-to-date.
Often extra peripherals like pen drives, printers, scanners, cameras, etc., can cause the 0x80070005 error due to their update services interfering with the actual Windows Update service.
So, remove or unplug all the unused peripherals. In fact, I recommend you unplug everything but the keyboard and mouse. After that, reboot the computer, update Windows, and see if the error is fixed.
Run SFC /Scannow command
If important system files are corrupted or missing, it can be a reason for the 0x80070005 error with the Access Denied message. In that case, using the SFC tool will help fix the problem.
First, search for “Command Prompt” in the Start menu, right-click on it, and select the “Run as administrator” option. In the cmd window, type “SFC /Scannow” and press Enter.
As soon as you execute the command, it will run the tool, scan the system, and automatically fix any problem it finds. The entire scan process will take some time to complete.
Once the scan is complete, reboot Windows 10. The 0x80070005 error should be fixed if corrupted system files are the reason for the error.
Run Windows Update troubleshooter
Windows 10 comes with a built-in Windows Update troubleshooter that can help you locate and fix the problems with the Updater. Here is how to use it.
Open the Settings app with the “Start key + I” shortcut. Go to the “Update & Security > Troubleshooter” page. Here, click on the “Additional troubleshooter” link on the main page.
Click on the “Windows Update” option and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button.
Now, follow the on-screen wizard. If the troubleshooter finds any problems, it will show them to you and automatically fix them, if it can.
Restore Windows to a previous time
If you cannot narrow down the problem but are sure Windows Update worked fine previously, it is best to restore the system to a known good state. You can do that using the System Restore tool.
When you restore Windows 10, it will automatically undo all system-level changes and uninstall programs and drivers installed after creating the restore point. No matter the problem, if the restore point is made before the problem occurred and you restored the system to that specific restore point, the 0x80070005 error will be fixed.
To restore Windows 10, follow the linked guide — How to restore Windows 10 using System Restore
Note: System restore will not delete personal files.
Re-install Windows 10
If nothing else works, it is time to reinstall Windows 10 to fix the 0x80070005 error. Before reinstalling, make sure to back up all personal files in the C drive, backup all the program settings, and create a list of all installed programs. That way, you can reconfigure the system quickly and get started in no time.
That is it.
I hope that helps.
If you need help, comment below, and I do my best.
