Fix We could not complete the install because an update service was shutting down

If you are facing an error message saying ‘We could not complete the install because an update service was shutting down’ while updating the Windows, then don’t worry; you are at the perfect place reading the perfect article. The fact is, we have been through the same situation, and we too looked around for solutions. We totally get the situation you are in right now, and therefore, in this article, we intend to help you out.

Fix We Could Not Complete The Install Because An Update Service Was Shutting Down

Fix We could not complete the install because an update service was shutting down

Method 1: Reboot Your Computer

In order to install pending windows updates, most of the time, you need to reboot your system. It is the requirement of the system to validate the update services of windows.

Reboot your system

As for the errors, you must have solved many problems by just rebooting your computer. Miraculously, it happens to work most of the time. Therefore, here you just need to reboot your system to fix the windows error. Press Alt+F4 or straight go to start options to reboot your computer. If that doesn’t work, we have other ways mentioned to help you out.

Reboot your system to fix the windows error

Method 2: Run Troubleshooter

If the reboot does not work, the next best option is troubleshooting. You can fix your error by using windows troubleshoot by following the given steps:

1. Press Windows Key +I to open Settings then click on Update &security options.

Press Windows Key + I to open Settings then click on Update & Security

2. On the left, you’ll find the Troubleshoot option. Click on it.

3. Here, you need to click on the Additional troubleshooters.

4. Now, in this additional troubleshooting section, click on the Windows Update option.

5. And in the last step, select Run the troubleshooter option.

Select Run the troubleshooter option

That’s it. You only need to follow the above steps, and windows will automatically repair the system and fix the error. Windows Troubleshoot feature is meant to solve such irregular errors.

Method 3: Make Sure Windows Update Service is Running

Windows services. msc is an MMC (Microsoft Management Console) that is meant to keep a check on Windows Services. It allows users the permission to start or stop running services on the computer. Now follow along to fix your problem:

1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run window then type services.msc in the box and click OK.

Type services.msc in the run command box then press enter

2. Now, a window Services Snap-will show up. Check there for the Windows Update option in the Name section.

Search for Windows Update service, right click on it and select

3. The Windows Update service should be set to automatic, but if it is set to Manual in the Startup Type, double click on it. Now, go to the Startup Type dropdown menu and change it to Automatic and press Enter.

Set the start-up type to automatic and if the service status is stopped then press start to make it running

4. Click Apply followed by OK button. As for the final step, try again to reinstall the system updates which are pending.

This method has worked for many and must work for you too. Usually, the given problem is because of Updates being set to manual. Since you have turned it back to automatic, your problem should get solved.

Method 4: Uninstall Third-Party Antivirus Software

Sometimes these third party antivirus applications also block your system from installing the updates. They disable the service of installing the updates on your system because of the potential threat they sense. As it seems completely senseless, you can fix the error by uninstalling these third-party applications from your system. Follow the given steps to uninstall the third-party apps:

1. First of all, search for the Control Panel in Windows Search and open it.

2. Under the Programs section in Control Panel, go for the ‘Uninstall a program’ option.

Under the Programs section in Control Panel, go for the ‘Uninstall a program’

3. Another window will pop-up. Now search for the third-party application you want to uninstall.

4. Now right-click on it and select Uninstall.

After uninstalling the third-party apps, reboot your device. This will apply the changes that occurred after the uninstalls. Now try to update your Windows again. If it worked and you have installed the pending updates, you can reinstall the antivirus.

Method 5: Disable Windows Defender Service

You can also fix the ‘We could not complete the install because an update service was shutting down’ error by disabling the Windows Defender Service from the Services window. Here is how you can do it:

1. Press Windows Key + R to open Run window then type services.msc and hit the Enter button or click OK.

Type services.msc in the run command box then press enter

3. Now, in the Services window, search for the Windows Defender Service in the Name column.

Check for the Windows Defender Service in the Name column

4. If it is not set to Disabled the Startup Type column, double-click on it.

5. From the Startup Type dropdown menu, select Disabled, and press Enter.

Method 6: Fix Corrupted Windows Update Database

Maybe your Windows Update Database has got corrupted or damaged. Therefore, it will not allow installing any updates on the system. Here you may need to fix the Windows Update Database. To fix this problem, go through the given list of steps correctly:

1. Open Command Prompt with administrative right.

2. Now type the following commands to stop Windows Update Services and then hit Enter after each one:

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver

Stop Windows update services wuauserv cryptSvc bits msiserver

3. Next, type the following command to rename SoftwareDistribution Folder and then hit Enter:

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

Rename SoftwareDistribution Folder

4. Finally, type the following command to start Windows Update Services and hit Enter after each one:

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

Start Windows update services wuauserv cryptSvc bits msiserver

Once you have completed these steps, Windows 10 will automatically create a folder and download the necessary elements for running Windows Update services.

Method 7: Repair Windows Files using DISM

You can try to fix the Windows corrupted files first. You will need the DISM as well as System File Checker Tool. Don’t worry about the jargon here. Follow the steps to fix this issue and update your system:

1. Search for Command Prompt in the Windows search bar, right-click on the search result, and select Run As Administrator.

You will receive a User Account Control pop-up requesting your permission to allow Command Prompt to make changes to your system. Click on Yes to grant permission.

2. Once the Command Prompt window opens up, carefully type the following command and press enter to execute. 

sfc /scannow

To Repair Corrupt System Files type the command in the Command Prompt

3. The scanning process will take some time so sit back and let the Command Prompt do its thing. If the scan didn’t find any corrupt system files, then you will see the following text:

Windows Resource Protection did not find any integrity violations.

4. Execute the below command (to repair Windows 10 image) if your computer continues to run slow even after running an SFC scan.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

To repair Windows 10 image type the command in the Command Prompt | Fix Windows 10 running slow after update

Now reboot your system to check whether the error is fixed or not. Your problem must have been solved by now. But, in case you are still struggling, we have one last trick up our sleeve.

Also Read: Why are Windows 10 Updates Extremely Slow?

Method 8: Reset Windows 10

Note: If you can’t access your PC then restart your PC a few times until you start Automatic Repair or use this guide to access Advanced Startup options. Then navigate to Troubleshoot > Reset this PC > Remove everything.

1. Press Windows Key + I to open Settings then click on Update & Security icon.

2. From the left-hand menu select Recovery.

3. Under Reset this PC click on the “Get Started” button.

On Update & Security click on Get Started under Reset this PC

4. Select the option to Keep my files.

Select the option to Keep my files and click Next | Fix Windows 10 won’t download or install updates

5. For the next step you might be asked to insert Windows 10 installation media, so ensure you have it ready.

6. Now, select your version of Windows and click on only the drive where Windows is installed > Just remove my files.

7. Click on the Reset button.

8. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the reset.

If nothing works then you can directly download the Windows 10 ISO using the Media Creation Tool. Once you have downloaded the ISO then right-click on the ISO file and select Mount option. Next, navigate to the mounted ISO and double-click on the setup.exe file to start the in-place upgrade process.

Recommended: Fix Windows 10 won’t download or install updates

Now as we have discussed eight different methods to fix the problem, “We Could Not Complete The Install Because An Update Service Was Shutting Down”. We are sure that you will find your potential solution here in this article. Still, if you face any problem, let us know in the comment box.

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