Windows Update are bug fixes, stability, and security improvements and driver updates released by Microsoft regularly to improve their operating system. If you cannot check for updates, the system will not get updated and be stuck with an older version of Windows. More specifically, you can fix the “Cannot Currently Check For updates” issue by resetting or repairing the “Windows Update” service.

In this write-up, we will walk through multiple ways to fix the “Windows Update Cannot Check for Updates” Issue.

How to Fix the “Cannot Check For Updates” Issue?

To fix the “Windows Cannot Check For updates” Issue, try the following fixes:

• Reset Windows Update Service
• Repair Windows Update Database

Method 1: Reset Windows Update Service

Stop the “Windows Update” service, Navigate to the Windows folder, delete the “SoftwareDistribution” folder and start the service again. We can do this by following the provided instructions.

Step 1: Open Services

Launch “Services” through the Startup menu:

Step 2: Stop the Service

Scroll down to find the ”Windows Update” service, right-click it and hit “stop”:

Step 3: Navigate to “Windows” Folder

Make your way to the “Windows” folder:

Step 4: Delete “SoftwareDistribution” Folder

Locate the “SoftwareDistribution” folder and delete it when found:

Step 5: Start the Service

Now, start the “Windows Update” service:

Method 2: Repair Windows Update Database

We can repair the Windows Update database by copying a file from a computer that can update Windows to the current one. Repair the “Windows Update Database” by following the given guide.

Step 1: Run Command Prompt as Administrator

Launch “cmd” as admin from the Startup menu as shown below:

Step 2: Move to Windows Update Database

Run the following commands sequentially to stop the Windows update service “wuauserv” and move into the relevant database folder:

Step 3: Create a Temp Folder

Create a temporary folder and name it “fixedfiles”:

Step 4: Open the “System32” Folder on Another Computer

Now, on a computer that is working perfectly and can check for updates, open the “System32” folder:

Step 5: Place the File in “fixedfiles” Folder

Find “esent.dll” and place it in the “fixedfiles” folder you created earlier:

Step 6: Repair Windows Update Database

Then, copy the required file to the specified destination:

Lastly, restart the Windows update service:

As a result, you will be permitted to check for updates.

Conclusion

The “Windows Update Cannot Check For Updates” problem can be fixed by following various methods. These methods include resetting the Windows update Service or repairing the Windows update database. This blog offered the methods for fixing the mentioned Windows update issue.