How to fix
KB5017380 fails to install
on Windows

The newest Windows update, KB5017380, fails to install for me every time I try. It loads halfway through, and then the process crashes, saying that the update has failed. I have tried to restart my system, but that did not help. Please help.

If you didn't tamper with default Windows update settings, the operating system would automatically download and install the latest available mandatory updates. Microsoft delivers these every second Tuesday of every month, which is widely known as Patch Tuesday[ref en-1] week.

Users can expect security, cumulative, quality, feature, and out-of-band updates whenever the process is initiated. Not only do the new updates increase security with vulnerability patches, but they also provide more stability within the OS, improve existing and implement new features, as well as UI tweaks.

KB5017380 is an optional update for Windows 10, also known as a preview build, which was released by Microsoft on September 20, 2022. The build focused on new improvements to the news and interests widget and plenty of bug[ref en-2] fixes, some of which were causing users to experience Blue Screen of Death[ref en-3] errors. The update is accessible for every user running versions 20H2, 21H1, and 21H2.

Unfortunately, not everyone can get to experience the newest iterations and fixes, as people may face KB5017380 installation issues. For many people, the update may fail to install, as it happened to plenty of other Windows updates, including KB5017383, KB5016688, KB5017308, and many others.

Users can face the issue whenever they initiate the update manually or automatically. There could be various reasons for the issue to arise - from corrupted caches, inactive services, and corrupted system files to general bugs that may occur in some cases. We address plenty of these instances below, so we recommend you check the step-by-step guide.

Before you begin, we recommend you run a scan with [d1] - a sophisticated repair tool that could find corrupted files and other issues, ultimately fixing various common Windows problems, such as BSODs, update failures, registry errors, and more.

1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

Troubleshooters are built-in tools that can be accessed via system settings at any time. If you haven't tried it yet, we recommend running Windows Update Troubleshooter, as it can diagnose the problems and help you solve them.

• Type Troubleshoot in Windows search
• Select Additional troubleshooters
• Find Windows Update from the list
• Click it and pick Run the troubleshooter
• Apply the suggested fixes and restart your computer.

2. Check the system for corruption

System file corruption is one of the most common reasons for Windows errors, crashes, and other issues. We recommend running SFC and DISM scans to ensure no file integrity violations are present.

• Type cmd in Windows search
• Right-click on Command Prompt result and select Run as administrator
• Paste the following command into the new window:
  sfc /scannow
• Press Enter and wait till the scan is finished
• Once done, run this set of commands, pressing Enter after each:
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
  DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Restart your device.

3. Check the Services

In order for the automatic update process to go smoothly, relevant services should be running on your device. If they are already running, restarting them might help.

• Type in Services in Windows search and press Enter
• Locate Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)
• If it is already running, right-click and select Restart
• if the service is not running, double-click it, select Automatic under the Startup type from the drop-down menu
• Click Start, Apply, and OK
• Do the same with the Windows Update service.

4. Reset Windows update components

• Open Command Prompt as administrator, as previously explained
• Copy and paste each of these commands, pressing Enter each time:
  net stop bits
  net stop wuauserv
  net stop appidsvc
  net stop cryptsvc
  Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\*.*”
  rmdir %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution /S /Q
  rmdir %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 /S /Q
  regsvr32.exe /s atl.dll
  regsvr32.exe /s urlmon.dll
  regsvr32.exe /s mshtml.dll
  netsh winsock reset
  netsh winsock reset proxy
  net start bits
  net start wuauserv
  net start appidsvc
  net start cryptsvc
• Reboot your system.

5. Download and install manually

You can attempt to install the update manually:

• Go to the official Microsoft Update Catalog website
• Type the KB5017380 into the search bar, and press Enter or click Search
• You will find many different versions on the update – you need to find the one that matches your PC specs and Windows version (as a home user, ignore Windows server versions)
• After picking the correct version, click the Download button and proceed with on-screen instructions
• Restart your computer once done.