- Open Command Prompt by Start -> Run and type “cmd“
- On the Command Prompt, type “net stop wuauserv“. This is done so that you will terminate the windows automatic update service to allow us to delete the cache files
- Still on the Command Prompt, type “cd /d %windir%” or “cd\windows“
- Type “rd /s SoftwareDistribution“
- Thats it, the cache has been purged. Now we need to restart the windows automatic update service again. To do that, type “net start wuauserv“
- Or go to this link: http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=971058
December 2, 2008
Clearing Windows Update Cache Upon Update Failure
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RahulPatel--twikies... 
Hi,
Really good stuff from you rahul. This thing really help me recently for one server at workplace. Thanks and go ahead.
Comment by Pratik Maheta — December 17, 2008 @ 10:43 am |
Thank you for this invaluable advice.
Comment by Stephen Plustwik — February 28, 2009 @ 7:03 pm |
Too many thanks! It very useful note/howto to clear windows server 2008 r2: foundation update center cache! One point: Of You delete only SoftwareDistribution\Download directory, all settings and update log would be preserved.
Comment by Vasily Eremenko — November 12, 2010 @ 12:48 pm |
Thanks for the information.
Comment by Vikram — February 9, 2011 @ 9:24 pm |
Great trick.
I owe you a least, a pizza of your choice.
Thanks
Comment by Larry Schneider — February 25, 2011 @ 1:41 am |
or if you want to do it via within windows.
1. Stop Windows update service
2. Delete C:\windows\softwaredistribution folder <– This Folder
3. Start Windows update service.
Comment by chander — November 30, 2011 @ 1:51 am |
YOU ARE THE MAN! Thanks!
Comment by Jeevz — February 16, 2012 @ 8:05 am |
All right, just found this on a whim…
Kept getting told that an update needed to be installed, although it was already successfully installed.
This exact trick put a quick end to my WinUpdate Deja Vu in WinXP SP3.
Don’t know how to pay you back, or what to pay u with?
Totally blind since birth; Using #FireFox to read these articles.
Comment by Jason Bratcher — May 22, 2012 @ 10:08 pm |
thanks so much! stuck here for hours doing unpaid overtime sorting the server you saved me god knows how long LOL
my new best buddy 😉
Comment by garry — May 25, 2012 @ 1:30 am |
Too awesome — I keep starting the check for updates, then in the middle I remember I haven’t installed service pack (duh!) — don’t want things out of order — this is great!
-Sue
Comment by Sue — August 18, 2012 @ 6:32 am |
Good buddy thanks
Comment by Amrish Patel — September 13, 2012 @ 5:04 pm |
Great tip shared…ur link comes up first in google search 🙂
Comment by Anand — November 7, 2012 @ 11:48 am |
Very good info! Exactly what my computer needed. Thank you!
Comment by Kostas — January 15, 2013 @ 1:30 pm |
This dude rules with an iron cock. Thanks for saving me some time on my neighbor’s PC, this post did the trick. Thanks again!
Comment by John Thompson — January 30, 2013 @ 2:42 pm |
No matter if some one searches for his essential thing, thus he/she wishes to be available
that in detail, so that thing is maintained over
here.
Comment by Scott — February 2, 2013 @ 10:24 am |
Does anyone know if there’s any harm in running these updates again? In other words, my server now thinks I haven’t applied SP1 but I had in the past. Is there a problem with running that update again?
Comment by stu — March 27, 2013 @ 5:20 am |
Thanks for finally writing about >Clearing Windows Update Cache
Upon Update Failure | RahulPatel–twikies… <Loved it!
Comment by Mohammed Mentgen — May 13, 2013 @ 3:05 am |
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Comment by breakfast bread — July 18, 2013 @ 1:41 am |
I think the admin of this web site is truly working hard for his site, because
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Comment by 585 gold — October 22, 2013 @ 9:27 am |
Thanks! It solved all update problems on Windows 8.1.
Comment by saleen1451 — January 20, 2014 @ 12:06 am |
Super, it worked out. Thanks and God bless you.
Comment by Pavel — February 18, 2014 @ 1:07 pm |
How to clear the windows 8.1 update history. Kindly help me
Comment by Robin Paulose — January 5, 2015 @ 9:42 am |
please follow below link
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971058
Comment by Rahul Patel — January 5, 2015 @ 12:25 pm |
Thank you! This saved me on a 2012 r2 server, tried deleting the cache many different ways but this was the only way that actually worked without error. Cheers!
Comment by Mike — July 22, 2015 @ 11:18 am |
wuaserv doesn’t exist on my Windows 2012? How’d you do it?
Comment by Brett Schulte — August 2, 2015 @ 10:39 pm |
hi Brett,
did you check in the services.msc ? it is there with “windows update” name.
or you can query that service with below cmd
sc queryex wuauserv
Comment by Rahul Patel — August 3, 2015 @ 10:14 am