Error 0X80072F8F-0X20000 is a Windows issue due to faulty data, inaccurate date/time, and more. Though, the good news is that we tested many solutions, like editing System Registry and enabling TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2, that effectively eliminated the error on our PC.
Key Takeaways
- Error code 0X80072F8F-0X20000 arises from internet connectivity issues, hard disk problems, or interference from third-party software.
- Quickly solve the error by performing a clean boot, adjusting time and date settings, and restarting the Windows Update service.
- Only proceed with resetting your PC or reinstalling Windows if other methods fail since they wipe out all your data.
What Causes The Error 0X80072F8F-0X20000?
Some causes that may lead to this error are:
- Miscommunication between the PC and Microsoft servers.
- Software conflicts.
- Glitches or bugs in the PC or its files.
- Disabled TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2.
- Poor internet connectivity.
- Restricted access to essential system services.
- Low hard disk space or corrupt drive.

Users who face this error will see the following error message on the screen:
Also Read: Windows Could Not Prepare Computer To Boot Installation Error
What Are Some Signs Of This Error?
Look for these signs to confirm the presence of this error:
- Failure to install the latest Windows updates.
- Errors related to Windows Service.
- Crashes/freezes during the update process.
How To Fix Error 0X80072F8F-0X20000?
Our team tried various fixes to resolve the error on our Windows PC, starting with power cycling the computer and the internet router. On the other hand, also make sure your system is compatible with the standards for running the desired Windows updates.
Enable TLS 1.1 And TLS 1.2
Transport Security Layer (TLS) protects your data while you surf the internet. Enabling TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2 enables your computer to use the latest security protocols for accessing websites and other data on the internet, keeping away bugs and errors.
Here is the method to enable TLS on your PC:
- Navigate to the “Search Bar” located on the “Taskbar” of your PC and type “Notepad.”
Search Notepad (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Open the “Notepad” app.
- Paste the following code once
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\WinHttp] “DefaultSecureProtocols”=dword:00000a00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\WinHttp] “DefaultSecureProtocols”=dword:00000a00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.1\Client] “DisabledByDefault”=dword:00000000 “Enabled”=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols\TLS 1.2\Client] “DisabledByDefault”=dword:00000000 “Enabled”=dword:00000001 - Click on “File” at the extreme left of the top bar at choose “Save As.”
Save The Note (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Remember to save it with the “.reg” extension.
- Once saved, double-click on the file, and it will make the desired changes to the Windows Registry.
Also Read: Windows 11: Computer Won’t Wake Up From Sleep
Use Windows Update Troubleshooter
Windows Update is one of the many built-in troubleshooters for the Windows OS that helps users identify and quickly resolve prominent faults with its features.
Running Windows Update troubleshooter is easy with this method:
- Come to the PC Settings and click “Update And Security.”
Update And Security (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Highlight “Troubleshoot” on the left menu and press “Additional Troubleshooters” on the right.
Additional Troubleshooters (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Scroll to “Windows Update” and click on it.
Windows Update Troubleshooter (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Hit the “Run The Troubleshooter” button.
Run Troubleshooter (Image By Tech4Gamers) - The system will look for errors or faults and fix them.
Set The Correct Date/Time
Because Windows Updates requires communication with Microsoft servers, you must maintain the right date and time on the PC to avoid any miscommunication during the process.
Verify the date and time using the method below:
- Select “Clock And Region” on the “Control Panel.”
Clock And Region (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Click “Set Time And Date” under “Date And Time.”
Set Date And Time (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Stay on the “Date And Time” tab and press “Change Time Zone.”
Change Time Zone (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Make sure you input the correct time zone settings from the drop-down.
- Choose “OK.”
Set Time Zone (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Also Read: Activate Windows Before You Can Personalize Your PC
Use SFC And DISM Scans
System File Checker (SFC) analyzes and repairs all system files for errors or inaccurate data. Similarly, Deployment Image Servicing And Management (DISM) deals with and solves Windows installation and updates issues.
Use these codes to carry out this fix:
- Open “Command Prompt” on your screen.
Search Command Prompt (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Insert the following code in the window, one by one. Wait for one process to finish before inserting the next code.
sfc/scannow
dism/online/cleanup-image /checkhealth
dism/online/cleanup-image /scanhealth
Run Disk Cleanup
A cluttered disk or irrelevant and unused data in the target disk can also give rise to Windows errors. We ran a Disk Cleanup on Local Disk C, where Windows-related files are installed on our computer.
Quickly clean the local disk with the steps below:
- Launch “This PC” and right-click on “Local Disk C” or where your OS data is installed.
- Scroll to “Properties” and click on it.
Properties (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Head to the “General” tab and press “Disk Cleanup.”
Disk Cleanup (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Allow the scanning to complete.
- Put a mark on all the available files and hit “OK.”
Clean The Disk (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Erase Contents In Download Folder
Faulty or corrupt data related to Windows updates can lead to such errors. Therefore, delete the files and reinstall them to remove any faults. Meanwhile, read how we fixed the “Diagnosing your PC” error.
You can navigate to the Download folder and delete its contents with these instructions:
- Launch “This PC” and go to “Local Disk C” or the disk where Windows OS-related files are stored.
Local Disk C (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Select the “Windows” folder.
Windows (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Open “SoftwareDistribution.”
Software Distribution (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Go to “Download.”
Download (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Select all the files and delete them.
Delete Files (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Now, open “Command Prompt” by searching for it in the “Search Bar.”
Search Command Prompt (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Run the code “wuauclt.exe /updatenow.”
Run A Clean Boot
Performing a clean boot on your computer means loading the system with only the most important set of drivers and software it requires to function. Thus, we did this step to help us check if the issue lies in third-party apps.
This is the correct way to perform a clean boot on your PC:
- Access the “Run” box with the “Windows+R” keys.
- Type “msconfig” and start the search.
msconfig Code (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Stay on the “General” tab and mark “Selective Startup” and “Load Startup Items” under it.
Selective Startup (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Navigate to the “Services” tab in the same window.
- Put a mark beside “Hide All Microsoft Services” and click the “Disable All” button.
Disable Microsoft Services (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Next, switch to the “Startup” tab.
- Press “Open Task Manager.”
Open Task Manager (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Right-click on each application in this window and hit “Disable” in the mini-menu.
- Return to the “System Configuration” and select “OK.”
Also Read: Undoing Changes Made To Your Computer [16 FIXES]
Edit System Registry
For this process, we highly suggest you take expert help if you are not experienced with computer technicalities since a wrong move can affect the system’s performance.
Ensure to enter the correct codes as mentioned in the steps below:
- Again, launch the “Run” menu and type “regedit.”
Regedit Code (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Pick “Yes.”
- Write this code in the search bar, “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\OSUpgrade” and press “Enter.”
Enter Address (Image By Tech4Gamers) - If you cannot find the “OSUpgrade” folder in the “System Registry,” go to the “WindowsUpdate” section from the left bar.
Windows Update (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Right-click on the white screen and pick “New.”
- Click on “DWORD (32-bit) Value.”
DWord Value (Image By Tech4Gamers) - This will create a new folder on the current page. Name it “AllowOSUpgrade.”
Name The Folder (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Click on the file and set the “Value Data” to 1 in the mini-menu.
- Restart your PC.
Uninstall Third Party Software And Antivirus
If the error is apparent after installing certain third-party software, we recommend you uninstall the app to see if the error resolves.
However, if that is not the case, delete third-party antivirus software from your computer, like Avast or McAfee, since it may block access to Windows services. Although, reinstall them if that is not the cause since it helps prevent attacks from malware or virus on the system.
Restart Windows Update Service
one more fix we tried was restarting the Windows Update service to eliminate faulty or corrupt data. Moreover, we set the “Startup Type” to “Automatic” to ensure the service loads as soon as the computer starts.
This is a quick way to restart the service:
- Write “services.msc” in the “Run” box to launch the “Services” screen.
Services Search (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Find the “Windows Update” service and right-click on it.
- Click “Properties.”
Properties (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Choose “Automatic” in the “Startup Type” drop-down.
- Hit “Apply” then “OK.”
Automatic Startup (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Now, “Restart” the service from the option on the left edge.
Windows Update Service (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Repeat the same process for the following services:
Background IntelligentTransfer Service
Server
Workstation
TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
IKE and AuthIP IPsec Keying Modules
Similar Guides: Windows Wireless Service Is Not Running On Computer
Update Windows
Keep your Windows OS up-to-date with the latest changes at all times. Consequently, errors like 0X80072F8F-0X20000 will not occur on your system. So, look for Windows updates and install them right away.
Important: Regularly check for new Windows updates as they can improve the overall performance of your system.Reset Windows Update Components
We also used this go-to troubleshooting step whenever Windows Update errors, such as the Error 0X80072F8F-0X20000, arise on a PC. It renames the concerned files and restarts the necessary processes involved in the update process.
These are the codes for updating Windows components:
- Open the “Command Prompt” window and run these codes to stop related services.
net stop bits
net stop wuaserv
net stop appidevsc
net stop cryptsvc - Now, use the code “netsh winsock reset.”
- Also, rename Software Distribution with “ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old.”
- Start the services with the following codes
net start bits
net start wuaserv
net start appidevsc
net start cryptsvc - Restart your PC and see if the error is gone.
Check Hard Drive
Another possible reason we found was an erroneous or corrupt hard drive where the Windows files were installed. Therefore, scan the hard disk for errors or faulty data and resolve them to fix the error.
Repair With Windows Media Creation Tool
If the error 0X80072F8F-0X20000 prevents your computer from installing updates, use the Windows Media Creation Tool to update the OS manually.
Here is how you can update your Windows with the tool:
- Close any opened apps and tabs on your computer.
- Download the “Windows Media Creation Tool” on your PC.
Download Windows Media Creation Tool (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Run it in administrator mode once installed.
- Press “Accept” to agree to the terms and conditions.
Accept Terms (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Go with “Upgrade This PC Now” and select “Next.”
- Now, decide whether you want to keep your data or not.
- Hit the “Install” option to begin the updates.
- Do not turn off your PC until the updates have finished installing.
Do A System Restore
Running a System Restore takes your computer back to a previous restore point. Plus, the method is especially useful if you installed newer updates or made system changes in the recent past. Although, it is vital to have a restore point to return to, so create one if your computer does not have it.
We simplified the System Restore process in these steps:
- Search for “System Restore” in the “Search Bar” and open the result.
Search System Restore (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Open the “System Protection” tab, then press “System Restore.”
System Restore (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Hit “Next.”
- Pick the most recent restore point in the dialog box and choose “Next.”
- Lastly, click “Finish.”
Reset PC
When nothing works, you need to reset your PC, which will automatically clear any faults or incorrect configurations to send away errors.


Reinstall Windows
You would require a second PC to carry out this fix. Unfortunately, reinstalling the PC is one of the last solutions to eliminate the error.
Carefully follow each step to avoid any mishaps:
- Download the Windows Media Creation Tool respectively for your Windows version on another computer.
Download Windows Media Creation Tool (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Attach an empty USB with a minimum of 8GB space and format it as “NTFS.”
- Launch the Media Creation Tool after it has finished installing.
- Select the second option, “Create Installation Media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, Or ISO File) For Another PC.”
Create Media (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Select the option “Use The Recommended Options For This PC.”
- Choose “Next.”
Use Recommended Options (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Pick the connected USB drive in this section and press “Next.”
Select USB (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Go with “USB Flash Drive” and then “Next.”
USB Flash Drive (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Wait for the downloading to complete.
- Hit the “Finish” button.
Finish (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Remove the USB containing the Windows update and connect it to the original PC that requires the update.
- Once the screen comes on, select “Next.”
- Proceed with “Install Now.”
Install Now (Image By Tech4Gamers) - “Accept” the terms.
Accept Terms (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Decide with “Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).”
Custom Installation (Image By Tech4Gamers) - Select the target disks if it prompts.
- The installation should now begin.
Downloading (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a Windows Update error with multiple causes, such as incorrect date/time settings, hindrances by third-party apps, and more.
Start by restarting the computer and the internet. If it does not work, set the correct time and date, or use other fixes in this guide.
Use the Windows Media Creation Tool to download the updates into a USB through a second computer. Then, attach the USB to the problematic computer and perform a clean install of the Windows.
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