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0x80070bc2: How to resolve this Windows Update error

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What's behind the Windows error 0x80070bc2 notice?
How to Resolve Windows Update Error 0x80070bc2: Best Solutions
First solution: restart Windows and update services
Second solution: use the Windows Update troubleshooter
Third solution: disable or uninstall third-party security software
Fourth solution: restore a previous system state
Fifth solution: manually install the problematic update
Sixth solution: block the update and wait for the next cumulative update

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0x80070bc2: How to resolve this Windows Update error

To bring the latest features into Windows operating systems and fix their bugs and security gaps as soon as possible , Microsoft provides new updates to all users who have a registered version of the software about once a month. It is installed by the update center included by default in the system . Unfortunately, it is common for the update to be interrupted precisely due to an error. In these cases, notices appear with codes such as 0x80070bc2, which, in general, do not serve more than to confuse or make more than one despair. So that it does not happen to you, we help you understand what the error message 0x80070bc2 consists of and in what ways you can solve it..

Index
  1. What's behind the Windows error 0x80070bc2 notice?
  2. How to Resolve Windows Update Error 0x80070bc2: Best Solutions
    1. First solution: restart Windows and update services
    2. Second solution: use the Windows Update troubleshooter
    3. Third solution: disable or uninstall third-party security software
    4. Fourth solution: restore a previous system state
    5. Fifth solution: manually install the problematic update
    6. Sixth solution: block the update and wait for the next cumulative update

What's behind the Windows error 0x80070bc2 notice?

The code 0x80070bc2 indicates an error that occurred in Windows 10 during the process of installing new cumulative updates. For example, it could be the following updates:

  • KB4056892
  • KB4074588
  • KB4088776
  • KB4093112

All of them were published in 2018. The causes of the problem, which is not usually solved by clicking the "Retry" button in Windows, can be very diverse: for example, the error 0x80070bc2 sometimes occurs when the update services or Even the Windows system in general does not work properly . It is also possible that the complications are only due to the fact that the corresponding update is already installed on the system. In other cases, it is third-party security software that causes the update process to fail.

How to Resolve Windows Update Error 0x80070bc2: Best Solutions

The 0x80070bc2 warning does not provide any information about the origin of the update problem, so the user often feels lost when looking for a possible solution. Generally, you can always go to Microsoft's technical support service to try to solve this, but you will need to be patient with waiting times and other typical problems of inquiries by phone or email. If you have proposed to solve the error 0x80070bc2 quickly and on your own, in the following sections we present the options that usually give the best results..

First solution: restart Windows and update services

In many cases where the error message 0x80070bc2 appears, the problem lies in a malfunction of the services that handle the update processes. If so, to solve it you just have to stop these services and then restart the whole system to start them again. First, you need to run the Windows command line interface as an administrator: open the Windows start menu, right-click on " Command Prompt " and, in the drop-down list, left-click on " Run as administrator ":

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If the command prompt does not appear in the start menu, you can use the "Search" function to find it.

The Windows update service ( wuauserv ), the data transfer service ( bits ), the installation service ( trustedinstaller ), the application identity service ( appidsvc ), and the cryptography service ( cryptsvc ). To do this, type the following commands at the command prompt in this order, confirming each one with the [Enter] key:

  net stop wuauserv net stop bits net stop trustedinstaller net stop appidsvc net stop cryptsvc  

Then configure all five services to always start automatically. To do this, enter the following commands in this order, again confirming each one with the [Enter] key:

  SC config wuauserv start=auto SC config bits start=auto SC config trustedinstaller start=auto SC config appidsvc start=auto SC config cryptsvc start=auto  

Finally, restart your computer for the changes to take effect and install the update that caused the 0x80070bc2 error again.

Second solution: use the Windows Update troubleshooter

Windows incorporates a troubleshooter capable of solving many bugs found in the operating system with a single click..

Note

Administrator rights are required to use the Windows Update troubleshooter.

To access this application, installed by default in Windows 10 , open the configuration menu by clicking on the icon of the same name (gear) that appears in the start menu. Select the " Update & Security " category , and then open the " Troubleshoot" section , where you will find a list of various items, including "Windows Update . " Clicking on this item brings up the " Run the troubleshooter " option , which implements the tool to resolve the 0x80070bc2 error:

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Windows troubleshooter not only helps to resolve error code 0x80070bc2, but also failures related to hardware, internet connection or video playback.

If it is more convenient for you, you can also start the troubleshooter tool from the control panel , which you can access by clicking on the icon of the same name in the start menu or simply pressing the key combination [Windows] + [R] and entering the word control . Once the control panel is open, you will see that an icon with the name " Troubleshooting " appears among its categories :

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If the troubleshooter doesn't appear in your dashboard, you probably have Category View turned on. In this case, you just have to switch to the icon view ("Small icons" or "Large icons").

In the " System and security" category , you will find the link "Resolve problems that prevent Windows from updating ", with which you can open the tool to solve them.

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The Windows troubleshooter does not always guarantee that bugs like update error 0x80070bc2 are resolved.

Third solution: disable or uninstall third-party security software

Security applications, such as antivirus software and firewalls, are an essential element of any computer connected to the Internet or to a private network. For this reason, Windows 10 incorporates its own applications for this purpose, although many users prefer to replace or complement them with tools from other providers , such as Symantec Endpoint Protection, Kaspersky Internet Security or Avira Antivirus. Sometimes, the virus scanning function of these programs can cause various update errors, such as 0x80070bc2, so if you come across this warning, we recommend that you temporarily disable these security applications or, in case of doubt, uninstall them .

Note

In general, antivirus programs, like other types of software , can be uninstalled through the control panel . However, because security applications are deeply embedded in the system, it is not always possible to remove them cleanly and completely. For this reason, antivirus solutions manufacturers often provide special tools for uninstalling their own products, which can be downloaded from the websites of the same providers. For a list of the most important antivirus uninstall tools, see the official Microsoft forum.

Fourth solution: restore a previous system state

Another way to fix error 0x80070bc2 is to restore a previous factory state of the system, including all its settings. Windows 10 provides a reset feature to do so, although it requires at least one restore point (automatic or manual) to have been configured in the past. Otherwise, Windows will not be able to revert the system to an earlier operating state (unless you reinstall it from scratch).

As with the troubleshooter, you can access the system restore function through the control panel : open the start menu and click on the control panel icon or, as we said before, use the combination of keys [Windows] + [R] and write the word control . When it opens, click on " Security and Maintenance " and finally on " Recovery ":

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Restoring Windows 10 to a previous factory state using the corresponding function does not affect files, such as documents, videos, or images in any way.

To finish, you just have to select the desired restore point and click on " Finish " and Windows will begin to restore the system settings.

Fifth solution: manually install the problematic update

If Windows Update Manager keeps showing error code 0x80070bc2 after trying all the solutions we have proposed, you can try to manually download and install the corresponding update. To do this, you will need to know the number of said update in the so-called knowledge base . You can get it as follows:

  1. Open the configuration menu by pressing the corresponding icon in the start menu.
  2. Click on " Update & Security ."
  3. Select " View update history " to view the list.
  4. Look for the update with the message " Could not install on ... - 0x80070bc2 " and make a note of the code starting with KB , written in parentheses.

Then, open the Microsoft update catalog in your browser of choice, type that code in the search bar and click " Search " to find the corresponding update in the database.

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The code for Windows updates always begins with the initials KB, so make sure to type them before the seven-digit combination to search the update catalog.

In this way, you will get a list of the versions available for the different architectures, such as x64 or x86. To install the update on your computer, find the correct version for your system, click " Download ", then click the download link in the pop-up window.

image
When you click the "Download" button for the corresponding Windows update, a dialog box automatically opens with the download link.

After the download is complete, run the downloaded msu file and follow the instructions in the wizard. Finally, restart Windows 10 to complete the update.

Sixth solution: block the update and wait for the next cumulative update

In some cases, the Windows Update Center may request to install an update that is already installed on the operating system. If this happens, the attempt will result in an error 0x80070bc2 and a moment of frustration if the update service cannot be repaired or reset. In this case, blocking the problematic update may be a temporary solution until Microsoft releases the next cumulative update. First of all, you should check that the update is actually installed on your computer as follows:

  1. Press the key combination [Windows] + [R].
  2. Type appwiz.cpl in the search field and click "OK".
  3. Click "Show installed updates " and see if the update causing the 0x80070bc2 error is listed under the "Microsoft Windows" category.
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You can see detailed information on all Windows 10 updates in the Microsoft community forum (https://www.microsoft.com/es-es/) by typing the corresponding code starting with KB in the search box.

If the update is in the list, it is possible to block update center installation attempts so that it will not be active again until future versions are released. To do this, Microsoft has developed a small and simple application called wushowhide.diagcab , which you can download from the official support forum.

Once the application is downloaded, double-click on it to run it. Then click " Next " to automatically check for updates. When you find the problematic update, you can use the " Hide updates " function to hide it.

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With wushowhide.diagcab you can show hidden updates again at any time.

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