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How do I fix error code 0x80004005 in Windows 10/8/7?
The 0x80004005 error is a kind of unspecified Windows error code and it can be seen in various situations. It is a frustrating experience when actions like installing system updates, working with Outlook, access shared files are blocked by the error. Although no official solutions or suggestion are released on the Microsoft website, there are solutions to get it fixed. In this article, we will dig this issue deeper and talk about a couple of specific examples of the error and possible solutions.
Fix #1: Windows 10 update error
Many Windows 10 users complain that the error occurred while downloading KB3087040 update. Windows 10 was just officially released in the second half of 2015, and recently new update was released to make up flaws and fix bugs. Microsoft works hard to push the update to users by mandatory update, while this time it ended up with an error for lots of users.
KB3087040 update was provided to rectify security issues presenting in the Internet Explorer Flash player. However, thousands of users reported on online forums or other social communities that the process of downloading the update failed, and here is the error message: "There were problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: Security Update for Internet Explorer Flash Player for Windows 10 for x64/x32 based Systems (KB3087040) – Error 0x80004005"
Method #1: Run the Automatic Troubleshooter
Step 1. Click Start menu and type troubleshooting in search box. Then click "Troubleshooting" in searching box.
Step 2. Click "View All" in the left part of the popup up window.
Step 3. Click Windows update and then click Advanced.
Step 4. Check Apply repairs automatically and Run as Administrator. Then you can click Next and follow the step-by-step to finish troubleshooting.
Method #2: Delete everything in the download folder
Sometimes the Windows 10 update error 0x80004005 occurs if the downloaded Windows update file is corrupted. Were that so, the problem would be fixed by simply deleting all corrupted files in the folder which contains the downloaded Windows updates and then trying to downloading the update file once again.
Step 1. Double click the "This PC" icon on desktop to open File Explorer.
Step 2. Navigate the path: C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
"C" is the drive letter of the partition where Windows is installed. If you installed system on other partition, you should replace C with corresponding drive letter.
Step 3. Press "Ctrl + A" to select all files and folders and press Delete on keyboard.
Step 4. Confirm the deletion when prompted by system.
Step 5. When everything is deleted, empty the Recycle Bin. Then try.
Method #3: Download and install the update manually
Though quite a number of users encounter the issue, there is an easy way to tackle it. Users can simply download and install the update manually without using Windows Update control panel. Update file can be downloaded from many sites online and you need to find it through searching with Google. Once the file is downloaded, you can run the setup file to install it. The setup process won't take long and you need to restart computer after setup finishes. Then Windows on your computer will be up-to-date and won't be threatened by system vulnerabilities.
Step 1. Launch Edge or other internet browser and open a search engine such as Google.
Step 2. Type following content in searching box and press Enter.
"Microsoft Windows update KBXXXXX download"
Tip: please replace KBXXXXX with the KB code of the update you want to install.
Step 3. Download the Windows 10 update. Please make sure the update is downloaded from the link to MS official site.
Step 4. Once download is done, you can double click it and follow the onscreen instruction to install it manually.
Fix #2: Virtual Machine and the error code
The error code we talk about here may involves many programs and it is not a specified error. Thus we can explain them one by one. A lot of times the error code is the result of virtual machine error or when you try to access the shared folders. If you are among those users who are bothered by the error 0x80004005, never mind, you can definitely handle it by yourself with the guide below. If the error appears on virtual machine, then there might be something wrong with registry key. And here are steps to deal with it.
Method #1: Delete registry key
Step 1. Open the Run dialog box. The easiest way to get it is pressing key combination of Windows key and R. Another way to find it is clicking Start button, All Programs and Accessories. Then you can see Run is listed that then click it to open the box.
Step 2. Type regedit in the dialog box and click "OK", as follows:
Step 3. Then you can open the Registry Editor. Check registry key following the path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\ Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\ AppCompatFlags\ Layers
What you should do is checking whether the key is presented there, if yes, then delete it and start virtual machine. Deletion of the registry key should get the error fixed in most cases. If it doesn't, you need to try the next method.
Method #2: Modify registry value in Registry Editor
If the error is caused by the Shared Folders, then please try steps below:
Step 1. Open Registry Editor again with method mentioned in previous part and navigate the path:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ System
Step 2. Create a new DWORD value called LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy if your computer is running 32-bit Windows system; and you need to create a QWORD (64-bit) called LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy if your computer uses 64-bit system. Do not forget to set value to numeric 1 and hit OK.
Step 3. Reboot computer and check if you are able to access the shared folders.
Fix #3: Microsoft Outlook 0x80004005
Many Microsoft Outlook users have experienced such issue: when new messages arrive and you get the error message: "Sending and receiving reported error "0x80004005": The operation failed." Besides, some users may receive error code "0x800ccc0d" while trying to send an e-mail. This problem can be caused by antivirus software such as Norton whose script blocking feature is enabled or registry problems, for instance missing or corrupted registry keys.
It's highly advised to get this error settled down, otherwise it may bring about inconvenience. For example, the error may prevent your Outlook from receiving or sending emails properly, which hampers you to communicate with your clients, friends and family. The good news is that repairing the error is an easy task.
Method #1: Disable anti-virus blocking feature
Usually it is a false positive report of anti-virus software installed on your computer. Then you can resolve the error by disabling the script blocking feature. Also you can report this to anti-virus developer. The disadvantage of doing so is that computer may not be well protected.
Method #2: Disable the new-mail notification in Outlook
If your computer doesn't install antivirus like Norton, then try the second method. This method needs to disable the feature of reporting new email in Outlook, as the outlook error code often relates to switching off the feature. This solution may works on the issue of new email but it can't fix email sending issue.
To disable the feature, you need to find the Tools menu after opining your Outlook account, and then click Options and choose Preferences tab. Afterwards, select "Email Options" option and uncheck the item "Display a notification message when new mail arrives". Then click "OK" twice.
Fix #4: Corrupt .dll file or Corrupt Registry
The error code may occur when certain operating system file is missing or damaged, which basically results in that system is not well maintained. Likewise, different users get this error due to various reasons; let's see how to get rid of it.
One of the most possible reasons for error 0x80004005 is missing or corruption of DLL files or registry. But there are lots of other reasons accounting for the error, as it is certainly a complicated issue. The most frequently used resolution is cleating temp folders and you can do so by following steps here:
Step 1. Click Start menu and All Programs to find out System Tools under Accessories. Then click Disk Cleanup and you'll get a wizard which identifies files you can delete and how much disk space can be freed.
Step 2. Select the item Temporary Internet Files and click "Clean up system files" button.
Alternative, you can clear temp files manually. Click Start button and type %temp% in the search box and hit Enter key. Then you'll see a list of files and folders which are placed in the temp folder. Select all these files by pressing Ctrl and A and hit Delete. After that, you can click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and right-click mouse button to empty it. Then these files will be permanently deleted from computer. Please make sure there are not important files in the Recycle Bin before emptying it.
Fix #5: Windows XP-based computer with error 0x80004005
The error code 0x80004005 may appear when users try to start a Windows XP-based computer and the file which is required by Windows Product Activation (WPA) is lost or corrupt. This problem is triggered by following reasons:
- The file required by WPA is changed, missing or damaged.
- The installation of Windows XP is affected by some third-party anti-virus or backup software.
Follow steps below to get rid of the error:
Step 1. Set computer to boot from CD or DVD drive instead of XP system. For more information about how to configure this please read guides coming with your PC or contact manufacturer.
Step 2. Put Windows XP CD into computer and restart your PC. Then before computer boot to system you can see a prompt "Press any key to boot from CD" and press a key to make it boot to CD. Again you can see an instruction "To repair a Windows XP installation by using Recovery Console, press R.", then press R to enter Recovery Console.
Step 3. When you see the option "1. C:\WINDOWS", please press 1 and you can access the primary drive installation. Meanwhile, if you are asked to enter administrator password, then type it in if you have set one otherwise press Enter to continue.
Step 4. Type cd C:\WINDOWS\System32 and hit Enter. Use REN command to rename following files by typing REN File_Name.extension File_Name.old. Wpa.dbl Pidgen.dll Actshell.html Licdll.dll Regwizc.dll Licwmi.dll Wpabaln.exe
Step 5. Enter the drive letter of CD including a colon (e.g. G:) and hit Enter key. Go on tying cd i386 and press Enter. Type commands below and each command followed by pressing Enter.
- expand licwmi.dl_ %systemroot%\system32
- expand regwizc.dl_ %systemroot%\system32
- expand licdll.dl_ %systemroot%\system32
- expand wpabaln.ex_ %systemroot%\system32
- expand wpa.db_ %systemroot%\system32
- expand actshell.ht_ %systemroot%\system32
- copy pidgen.dll %systemroot%\system32
When you finish previous steps, you can type Exit to close Recovery Console and press Enter key to restart computer.
Bonus tip: How to recover lost data caused by error code 0x80004005?
Occasionally, the error code may give rise to data loss, as the error happens when programs or operating system fails to behave normally. Data loss is annoying and sometimes disastrous, and we should have an effective approach to solve it. DiskGenius is professional hard drive recovery software which is designed to handle all kinds of data loss cases. When you encounter data loss issues, you can try following steps to get back deleted or lost files easily and quickly.
Step 1. Install and launch DiskGenius and select drive that lose data and click "File Recovery" button.
Step 2. Select "Complete Recovery" and check the option "Search for known file types" and click "Start" button.
Step 3. While the scan is still underway, you are able to view files and open files to check content. Moreover, the scan process can pause so that you'll be able to copy files to a specified location.
More on Windows error codes
0x80004005 is one of the Windows error codes you may encounter, for example, it may appear and prevent you from renaming a folder: An expected error is keeping you from renaming the folder. If you continue to receive this error, you can use the error code to sear for help with this problem.
According to the error message, the given error code should indicate a type of errors, as it can be used as the clue to search for solutions. Hence, it is very likely that Windows defines a type of error with specific error code. So the question is how the error code is generated and what it represents.
Windows error code is a signed integer with four bytes(32 bits) length, commonly shown as a hex number. The first two letters of the error code "0x" is hex number. Four bytes, 32 bits length Windows Error Code, including three parts actually, look image below:
Part 1 (0..4, 5 bits)
According to Msdn, these five bits have the following meaning individually:
- S : Severity. If set, indicates a failure result. If clear, indicates a success result.
- R : Reserved. If the N bit is clear, this bit MUST be set to 0. If the N bit is set, this bit is defined by the NTSTATUS numbering space .
- C : Customer. This bit specifies if the value is customer-defined or Microsoft-defined. The bit is set for customer-defined values and clear for Microsoft-defined values.
- N : If set, indicates that the error code is an NTSTATUS value, except that this bit is set.
- X : Reserved, should be set to 0.
Part 2 Facility (5..15, 11 bits)
11 bits length facility indicates the source of the error. So you can judge where the error comes from through the facility value.
Some facility values are listed below, and you can get lots of facility values form Msdn.
- 0 - FACILITY_NULL
The default facility code.
- 1 - FACILITY_RPC
The source of the error code is an RPC subsystem.
- 2 - FACILITY_DISPATCH
The source of the error code is a COM Dispatch.
- 3 - FACILITY_STORAGE
The source of the error code is OLE Storage.
- 4 - FACILITY_ITF
The source of the error code is COM/OLE Interface management.
- 7 - FACILITY_WIN32
This region is reserved to map undecorated error codes into HRESULTs.
- 8 - FACILITY_WINDOWS
The source of the error code is the Windows subsystem.
Return to the error code 0x80004005, the facility value of this error code is 8 - FACILITY_WINDOWS, so It is a Windows system error.
Part 3 Code(16..31, 2 bytes)
The remaining 16bits are the real error code. These three parts combine a single 32 bits number space – Windows Error Code. Furthermore, most Windows error codes also contain a specified human readable text message, then you can learn what error occurs. Also from Msdn, you can get all the Windows error codes and their text massages, and the following content gives some examples.
- 0x00030200 STG_S_CONVERTED
The underlying file was converted to compound file format.
- 0x00030201 STG_S_BLOCK
The storage operation should block until more data is available.
- 0x00030202 STG_S_RETRYNOW
The storage operation should retry immediately.
- 0x00030203 STG_S_MONITORING
The notified event sink will not influence the storage operation.
- 0x00030204 STG_S_MULTIPLEOPENS
Multiple opens prevent consolidated (commit succeeded).
- 0x00030205 STG_S_CONSOLIDATIONFAILED
Consolidation of the storage file failed (commit succeeded).
- 0x00030206 STG_S_CANNOTCONSOLIDATE
Consolidation of the storage file is inappropriate (commit succeeded).
- 0x80004005 E_FAIL
Unspecified error
Conclusion
As discussed above, the 0x80004005 error code is quite common and can appear in difference situations, such as Outlook, Windows update, virtual machine, etc. By following solutions given in this article, you should be able to troubleshoot it easily and get your computer and installed applications working again. In closing, should you have any doubts or suggestions regarding this issue, feel free to share them with us.
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