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How do you fix 80070003?

Alton Alexander
By Alton AlexanderUpdated on June 4th, 2022

The 80070003 error code is a Windows update error. This error code happens when the Windows Update service is not running or is not set to the correct start type.

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1. Restart your computer and try again

  1. If your computer is on, turn it off.
  2. Unplug all your devices from the computer.
  3. Wait 10 seconds, and plug in all your devices.
  4. Turn on the computer.
  5. If the problem still occurs, perform the following steps: a. If your computer has a CD or DVD drive, insert the CD or DVD. b. If your computer has a USB drive, connect the USB drive. c. Follow the instructions on the screen to restart your computer. d. If the problem still occurs, contact your computer manufacturer.

2. Try running the System Update Readiness Tool

  1. Launch the System Update Readiness Tool by opening the "Windows Update" app from the Start menu.
  2. On the main window, click on the "Check for updates" button.
  3. On the "Check for updates" window, select the necessary Update Catalogs and then click on the "Check" button.
  4. Once the "Check for updates" window has been completed, click on the "Download and install updates" button.
  5. On the "Download and install updates" window, select the necessary Update Languages and then click on the "Install updates" button.
  6. Once the "Download and install updates" window has been completed, click on the "Close" button.
  7. Once the "Close" button has been clicked, the System Update Readiness Tool will start to install the necessary updates.

3. Try running Windows Update troubleshooter

  1. Open the Start menu and search for "Windows Update."
  2. Click on the "Windows Update" app and click on the "Troubleshoot" button.
  3. Select the "Windows Update Service" in the list and click on the "Next" button.
  4. Select the "Check for updates" option and click on the "Next" button.
  5. If there are any new updates available, they will be listed in the "Available updates" section. Click on the "Install updates" button to install them.
  6. After the updates are installed, click on the "Finish" button.
  7. If there are any errors, they will be listed in the "Troubleshooting Information" section. Click on the "End" button to fix the problems.

4. Try resetting the Windows Update Components

  1. Click on the Start button and type "cmd" in the search bar.
  2. Right-click on the cmd.exe application and select "Run as administrator."
  3. Type "wusa.exe /uninstall" and press Enter.
  4. Type "wusa.exe /update" and press Enter.
  5. Restart your computer.

5. Try running the DISM tool

To try running the DISM tool to fix 80070003, follow these steps:

  1. Open a command prompt and type DISM.
  2. When DISM is displayed, type the following command to fix the 80070003 issue. dism /image:C:\ /add-package /packagepath:C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
  3. If the 80070003 issue is not fixed after running the DISM tool, you may need to reinstall the Windows operating system.

If the answers above didn't work then you should also try:

  1. Try fixing corrupted system files.
  2. Try disabling your antivirus software temporarily.
  3. Try using a different Windows Update client.