Windows Error 0X80072F8F-0X20000 [17 FIXES]

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:

1. Navigate to the “Search Bar” located on the “Taskbar” of your PC and type “Notepad.”

   

2. Open the “Notepad” app.
3. 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
4. Click on “File” at the extreme left of the top bar at choose “Save As.”

   

5. Remember to save it with the “.reg” extension.
6. 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:

1. Come to the PC Settings and click “Update And Security.”

   

2. Highlight “Troubleshoot” on the left menu and press “Additional Troubleshooters” on the right.

   

3. Scroll to “Windows Update” and click on it.

   

4. Hit the “Run The Troubleshooter” button.

   

5. 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:

1. Select “Clock And Region” on the “Control Panel.”

   

2. Click “Set Time And Date” under “Date And Time.”

   

3. Stay on the “Date And Time” tab and press “Change Time Zone.”

   

4. Make sure you input the correct time zone settings from the drop-down.
5. Choose “OK.”

   

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:

1. Open “Command Prompt” on your screen.

   

2. 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
   
   dism/online/cleanup-image /restorehealth

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:

1. Launch “This PC” and right-click on “Local Disk C” or where your OS data is installed.
2. Scroll to “Properties” and click on it.

   

3. Head to the “General” tab and press “Disk Cleanup.”

   

4. Allow the scanning to complete.
5. Put a mark on all the available files and hit “OK.”

   

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:

1. Launch “This PC” and go to “Local Disk C” or the disk where Windows OS-related files are stored.

   

2. Select the “Windows” folder.

   

3. Open “SoftwareDistribution.”

   

4. Go to “Download.”

   

5. Select all the files and delete them.

   

6. Now, open “Command Prompt” by searching for it in the “Search Bar.”

   

7. 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:

1. Access the “Run” box with the “Windows+R” keys.
2. Type “msconfig” and start the search.

   

3. Stay on the “General” tab and mark “Selective Startup” and “Load Startup Items” under it. 

   

4. Navigate to the “Services” tab in the same window.
5. Put a mark beside “Hide All Microsoft Services” and click the “Disable All” button.

   

6. Next, switch to the “Startup” tab.
7. Press “Open Task Manager.”

   

8. Right-click on each application in this window and hit “Disable” in the mini-menu.
9. 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:

1. Again, launch the “Run” menu and type “regedit.”

   

2. Pick “Yes.”
3. Write this code in the search bar, “Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\OSUpgrade” and press “Enter.”

   

4. If you cannot find the “OSUpgrade” folder in the “System Registry,” go to the “WindowsUpdate” section from the left bar.

   

5. Right-click on the white screen and pick “New.” 
6. Click on “DWORD (32-bit) Value.” 

   

7. This will create a new folder on the current page. Name it “AllowOSUpgrade.”

   

8. Click on the file and set the “Value Data” to 1 in the mini-menu.
9. 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:

1. Write “services.msc” in the “Run” box to launch the “Services” screen.

   

2. Find the “Windows Update” service and right-click on it.
3. Click “Properties.”

   

4. Choose “Automatic” in the “Startup Type” drop-down.
5. Hit “Apply” then “OK.”

   

6. Now, “Restart” the service from the option on the left edge.

   

7. 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.

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:

1. 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
2. Now, use the code “netsh winsock reset.”
3. Also, rename Software Distribution with “ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old.”
4. Start the services with the following codes
   net start bits
   net start wuaserv
   net start appidevsc
   net start cryptsvc
5. 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:

1. Close any opened apps and tabs on your computer.
2. Download the “Windows Media Creation Tool” on your PC.

   

3. Run it in administrator mode once installed.
4. Press “Accept” to agree to the terms and conditions.

   

5. Go with “Upgrade This PC Now” and select “Next.”
6. Now, decide whether you want to keep your data or not.
7. Hit the “Install” option to begin the updates.
8. 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:

1. Search for “System Restore” in the “Search Bar” and open the result.

   

2. Open the “System Protection” tab, then press “System Restore.”

   

3. Hit “Next.”
4. Pick the most recent restore point in the dialog box and choose “Next.”
5. 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: 

1. Download the Windows Media Creation Tool respectively for your Windows version on another computer.

   

2. Attach an empty USB with a minimum of 8GB space and format it as “NTFS.”
3. Launch the Media Creation Tool after it has finished installing.
4. Select the second option, “Create Installation Media (USB Flash Drive, DVD, Or ISO File) For Another PC.”

   

5. Select the option “Use The Recommended Options For This PC.”
6. Choose “Next.”

   

7. Pick the connected USB drive in this section and press “Next.”

   

8. Go with “USB Flash Drive” and then “Next.”

   

9. Wait for the downloading to complete.
10. Hit the “Finish” button.

    

11. Remove the USB containing the Windows update and connect it to the original PC that requires the update.
12. Once the screen comes on, select “Next.”
13. Proceed with “Install Now.”

    

14. “Accept” the terms.

    

15. Decide with “Custom: Install Windows Only (Advanced).”

    

16. Select the target disks if it prompts.
17. The installation should now begin.