This guide will help you troubleshoot and fix Error Code 0x80070013, which can appear on Windows 10 and earlier versions.
We will start by explaining exactly what error code 0x80070013 in Windows 10 means. Usually, you may get it when you are trying to install a driver on your computer that is already installed. Or you are attempting to install a driver that is less compatible with your hardware than the one that is already installed on the system. If this happens to you, you should know that this error code may be the reason for your failed Windows 10 updates. Error code 0x80070013 may not allow you to install any updates to your Windows 10 and every attempt to do so may crash until the error code issue is resolved. And having in mind that the system updates are mandatory if you want to keep your OS healthy, solving this issue as soon as possible is the best you could do. Luckily, it is not such a big deal to fix the 0x80070013 error and in this guide, we will show you the easiest way to do that:
Error Code 0x80070013 Fix
The Guide
Manually reset your Windows Update Components
To reset the Windows Update Components you will need to use a few commands in the elevated command prompt. Now, to open it, you need to simultaneously press the Windows and the X keys from the keyboard. A menu with options will open where you need to select Command Prompt (Admin).
A User Account message may appear where you need to press “Yes” to allow the elevated command prompt to start. Once inside, you need to first stop the MSI Installer, the Windows Update Services, and the BITS. For that, type the commands below and press Enter after each of them. Be careful when typing the commands, tough, because incorrect or spelling mistakes may make a mess with your system. Also, be patient because completing them may take some time.
net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver
When the services are stopped, rename the Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution folders.
This can be done directly from the elevated command prompt by typing the following commands and pressing Enter after each of them.
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old
ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
Next, you need to restart the services that you stopped earlier, so Windows Update can continue working. To do that, while still in the elevated command prompt, type the following commands and as usually don’t forget to press Enter after you type each of them:
net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver
When you are done, simply close the command prompt by clicking the X box in the upper right corner.
If you have completed all the steps from above you have successfully reset the Windows Update Components and now the annoying 0x80070013 error code should be gone.
- Important! Start command prompt as an administrator, because an “Access is denied” message will prevent you from renaming the folders and the 0x80070013 error won’t be solved. So keep in mind this and when you are finished with the fix, you can update your Windows 10 with all its latest stability and security fixes.