How to fix Windows update error 0x800706ba?

Error 0x800706ba is Windows error 1722, "The RPC server is unavailable": Windows Update asked a background service for help and got no answer. It is almost never a sign of damage. Restart the update services and select Retry first, then reset the Windows Update components.

Facts checked on 16 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 (25H2 and 26H2) and Windows 10 22H2.

What Windows update error 0x800706ba means

0x800706ba is a normal Windows error number in the form Windows Update prints. The first half, 0x8007, marks a Win32 error. The last part, 06BA, is 1722 in decimal, and Microsoft's list of system error codes gives 1722 (0x6BA) the text "The RPC server is unavailable."

RPC, the remote procedure call, is how one part of Windows asks another one, usually a service, to do work. "Remote" does not mean the internet here: most of these calls stay on your own PC. Error 1722 means the other side was not there to take the call at all, because the service was stopped, hung or blocked.

What users report about Windows update error 0x800706ba

The best known case is a Microsoft Q&A thread from October 2018. The 2018-10 Cumulative Update for Windows 10 Version 1803 for x64-based Systems (KB4462919) failed with Error 0x800706ba. The user reports that Retry searched for about 15 seconds and returned to the same error, and that a restart changed nothing.

• How common it is: the thread has 300+ "same question" marks, so many readers hit the same wall.
• What was suggested: reset the Windows Update components, run System File Checker and DISM, and as the last step a repair upgrade of Windows. Those are Fixes 2, 5 and 7 here.
• What Microsoft has not said: we found no Microsoft known-issue entry that ties 0x800706ba to one update. It is a general failure of the update chain, not a bad update.

Because the old answers jump straight to scripts and repairs, this page starts with the cheaper checks that match the meaning of the code: is the service there, and can Windows Update reach it.

Why error 0x800706ba happens, from most to least likely

Microsoft has not written a support article for this code in Windows Update. The ranking below follows the error text, which says exactly what failed, and Microsoft's Windows Update troubleshooting notes. Each cause points to the fix that matches it.

How to fix Windows update error 0x800706ba

Fix 1 takes five minutes and solves the common case. Fix 2 clears the update cache. Fix 3 is for a download error behind a VPN, proxy or security suite. Fixes 4 to 7 are general repairs, from the troubleshooter to a repair install that keeps your files.

Fix 1. Restart the PC and the services Windows Update calls, then select Retry

5 minutesNo riskAlways first. The error says that a service did not answer, and this checks those services directly.

Error 1722 means the service on the other side of the call was not there. A full restart and a manual restart of the update services bring them back in a clean state, which is often all the update needs.

1. Restart the PC with Start > Power > Restart. Do not use Shut down: with Fast Startup on, it does not fully restart the services.
2. Press Win + R, type services.msc and press Enter.
3. Find Remote Procedure Call (RPC). Its Status should be Running. If it is not, stop here and go to Fix 5, because Windows itself is damaged.
4. Right-click Windows Update and select Restart. If it is not running, select Start.
5. Do the same for Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Cryptographic Services.
6. If any of them shows Disabled under Startup Type, double-click it and set it back to Manual (Windows Update and BITS) or Automatic (Cryptographic Services), then select Apply.
7. Open Settings > Windows Update and select Retry or Check for updates.

Fix 2. Reset the Windows Update components and the download cache

15 minutesLow riskThe same update fails with 0x800706ba after Fix 1, or after every restart.

The update services read their download queue and the SoftwareDistribution cache on every start. When those files are damaged, a service can fail as soon as Windows Update calls it, which shows up as error 1722. Renaming the cache lets Windows build a fresh one. This was also the first answer in the Microsoft Q&A thread.

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Stop the update services. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. If Windows says that other services depend on Cryptographic Services, it stops them too. A message that a service is not started is fine.

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
   net stop cryptsvc

   

3. Delete the download queue files. This clears the list of downloads that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service keeps. If Windows says it cannot find the files, continue.

   del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"

4. Rename the update cache folders. Renaming keeps a copy in case you need it; Windows creates new, empty folders when the services start again. If you get Access is denied, a service is still running: repeat the previous step.

   ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

   

5. Start the services again. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. The requested service has already been started is fine: Windows started it on its own.

   net start cryptsvc
   net start bits
   net start wuauserv

   

6. Restart and check for updates. Restart the PC. Then select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. The first check can take longer than usual because everything is downloaded again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (the steps are the same). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reset Windows Update components

Fix 3. Check the proxy, the VPN and a third-party firewall

10 minutesLow riskYou see Download error - 0x800706ba, and the PC uses a VPN, a proxy or a third-party security suite with its own firewall.

Microsoft's troubleshooting notes say Windows Update downloads through WinHTTP, the system-level connection, not through your browser. A proxy set only for your user account leaves Windows Update without a working path, and the download step fails when it cannot reach its servers.

1. Disconnect any VPN app and select Retry once. If the update now downloads, update with the VPN off and turn it back on afterwards.
2. Open Settings > Network & internet > Proxy (Windows 10: Settings > Network & Internet > Proxy). If Use a proxy server is on and you do not know why, ask whoever set it up before you change it.
3. If you do use a proxy, right-click Start, select Terminal (Admin) and copy your user proxy to the system level with the command below.
4. Import the proxy settings for Windows Update.

   netsh winhttp import proxy source=ie

5. If you use a security suite other than Microsoft Defender, pause its protection for one Retry and turn it back on right after. Step by step: Turn off Microsoft Defender protection for a moment
6. Check that the PC is really online. Step by step: How to check your internet connection in Windows

Fix 4. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

5 minutesNo riskSeveral updates fail, or the error came back after Fixes 1 and 2.

The troubleshooter checks the update services, their settings and the pending restart in one pass. It finds a setting that keeps a service from answering, which a manual restart in Fix 1 does not change.

1. Open Troubleshoot settings. Select Start > Settings > System > Troubleshoot.
2. Open the list of troubleshooters. Select Other troubleshooters.

   

3. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter. Under Most frequent, select Run next to Windows Update. The Get Help app opens and starts the checks.

   

4. Read the result. Wait until Get Help finishes. If it found and fixed a problem, it says so and asks whether this solved the problem. Answer the question so it can offer the next step.

   

5. Restart the PC. Restart when the troubleshooter finishes, even if it does not ask you to.
6. Check for updates again. Select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates, and install the updates it finds.

These steps were written for Windows 11 (screenshots: 26H2). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run the Windows Update troubleshooter

Fix 5. Repair system files with DISM and System File Checker

20 minutesNo riskSeveral updates fail with different codes, or the RPC service itself was not running in Fix 1.

The RPC system and the update services are Windows files. If one of them is damaged, the service cannot start and every call to it fails with error 1722. DISM repairs the component store first, then SFC repairs the files from it.

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.

   

2. Run DISM first. Type the command below and press Enter. DISM downloads clean copies of damaged components from Windows Update, so it can take several minutes. Wait until it says The operation completed successfully.

   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

3. Run System File Checker. In the same window, type the command below and press Enter. Do not close the window until the verification reaches 100%.

   sfc /scannow

   

4. Read the result and restart. Compare the last message with the table below this guide, then restart the PC so that repaired files are loaded.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

Fix 6. Install the failed update by hand from the Microsoft Update Catalog

15 minutesLow riskOnly one update fails, and you can read its KB number in Update history or next to the error.

The catalog file installs through the standalone installer, without the download and service chain of Windows Update. When that chain is what fails, the same update often installs fine this way.

1. Open Settings > Windows Update > Update history (Windows 10: Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > View update history) and note the KB number of the failed update, for example KB4462919.
2. Download the file for your Windows version and processor from the Microsoft Update Catalog, then run it.
3. Restart the PC and open Windows Update again.

Finding the right row and file is the tricky part. Step by step: Install an update from the Microsoft Update Catalog

Fix 7. Repair Windows with an in-place reinstall that keeps your files

45 to 60 minutesRead the warningNothing above helped, SFC could not repair files, or a feature update to 25H2 or 26H2 keeps failing.

A repair install replaces all Windows files with a fresh copy of the current version while keeping your files and apps. It rebuilds the services and the RPC system that error 1722 says are not answering. The Microsoft Q&A answer also ends with this step.

1. Plug in the charger on a laptop and make sure drive C: has some free space.
2. Open Settings > System > Recovery.
3. Under Fix problems using Windows Update, select Reinstall now and confirm.
4. Wait while Windows downloads and installs a fresh copy. The PC restarts a few times.
5. Sign in, open Settings > Windows Update and select Check for updates.
6. On Windows 10 22H2, run the Media Creation Tool and choose Upgrade this PC now instead. Full guide: Reinstall Windows without losing files

If 0x800706ba is still there: what to check and where to report it

When every fix fails, something outside the update chain is in the way. Microsoft's troubleshooting notes point advanced users to the Windows Update log for the real reason. The checks below cover the cases we could confirm.

• A work or school PC. Updates may come from your organization's own server, set by a policy. Send the failed KB number and the time to your administrator before you change anything.
• What to collect for Microsoft support: the full name of the failed update from Update history and the exact line next to it (Download error or Install error). Add your Windows version from Settings > System > About and the fixes you tried.
• Is it hardware? Not by itself. Error 1722 is a message between two parts of Windows. If SFC keeps finding new damage after each repair, test the disk: Check a disk for errors (chkdsk)
• Malware. Malware can stop update services on purpose. If services keep going back to Disabled after Fix 1, run a full scan: How to scan for malware with Microsoft Defender

How to keep 0x800706ba from coming back

• Restart at least once a week with Restart, not Shut down. Long uptime is the most common reason a service stops answering.
• Leave update services at their default startup type. Tweaking tools that set services to Disabled to "speed up" Windows cause exactly this error.
• Update with the VPN off if your VPN has caused a download error before.
• Keep free space on drive C:. Updates unpack into SoftwareDistribution, and a full disk breaks the services mid-way: Free up disk space and delete temporary files

If the error comes back with a new update, start with Fix 1 the same day. It takes five minutes and solves most cases.

Frequently asked questions

What does error 0x800706ba mean?

It means "The RPC server is unavailable", Windows error 1722 in the form Windows Update prints. Windows Update asked a background service to do part of the job, and that service did not answer because it was stopped, hung or blocked. It does not mean the update is bad or that your files are damaged. Restart the PC and the update services first (Fix 1), then reset the Windows Update components if the same update fails again (Fix 2).

What is the difference between Download error - 0x800706ba and Install error - 0x800706ba?

Both have the same meaning, the RPC server is unavailable, but at a different stage. A download error means Windows Update could not reach the service that fetches the files, so look at the update services first and then at a VPN, proxy or third-party firewall (Fix 3). An install error means the files arrived but the service that applies them stopped answering, so reset the components (Fix 2) and repair system files (Fix 5).

How do I fix 0x800706ba on Windows 11?

Restart the PC with Restart, not Shut down. Open services.msc, restart Windows Update, Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Cryptographic Services, then select Retry in Settings > Windows Update. If the same update fails again, reset the update components with the commands in Fix 2. The steps are the same on Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2. For a feature update that keeps failing, the repair install in Fix 7 is the most reliable way through.

Does 0x800706ba on Windows 10 need different steps?

No, the steps are the same, only some menus are named differently: Settings > Update & Security instead of Settings > Windows Update. Windows 10 shows the longer message "There were problems installing some updates, but we'll try again later" with the update name and the code. Keep in mind that Windows 10 left support on 14 October 2025, so without Extended Security Updates it no longer receives security fixes at all.

I restarted and pressed Retry, but it fails again in seconds. What now?

That is the pattern the 2018 Microsoft Q&A thread describes: Retry searched for about 15 seconds and came back with the same error, and a restart did nothing. A plain restart is not enough when the update cache is damaged. Restart the three update services by hand (Fix 1), and if that does not help, reset the Windows Update components and the SoftwareDistribution cache (Fix 2). That reset was also the first answer in the thread.

What does printer error 0x800706ba mean?

It is the same Windows message, the RPC server is unavailable, but the service that did not answer belongs to printing. Restart the Print Spooler service in services.msc and try again. If you print to a shared printer on another PC, make sure that PC is on and reachable on the network. Windows Update fixes do not help with a printer error. Step by step for the service: Check and restart Windows services

What is configuration problem 0x800706ba?

A program that shows "configuration problem" with this code could not reach a service it needs, the same RPC server is unavailable message. Microsoft also documents error 0x800706ba during certificate enrollment on Windows Server, which is a business network case for an administrator. On a home PC, find out which program shows the message, then make sure the service that program depends on is running and not blocked by a firewall.

Can 0x800706ba delete my files or harm my PC?

No. The error stops the update before anything changes, so your files and apps stay as they were. Fixes 1 to 6 do not touch your personal files either. Only the repair install in Fix 7 rewrites Windows, and it keeps files and apps, but a backup before it is still wise. The real risk is waiting: a PC that cannot install updates misses security fixes.

что делать при ошибке 0x800706ba (what to do, in Russian)?

This page is in English, but the steps are the same in Russian Windows. Restart the PC, open services.msc and restart Windows Update (Центр обновления Windows), Background Intelligent Transfer Service and Cryptographic Services, then select Retry. If the update fails again, reset the Windows Update components with the commands in Fix 2. Commands like net stop wuauserv work the same in every language of Windows.