Windows 7 update fails with code 80070308

Anonymous
2012-02-23T09:01:38+00:00

Window 7 x64  sp 1.

Windows Update files load to windows/software distribution / download, but installation fails.

But unable to install: 

Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer 9 for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2647516)

Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2654428)

Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2660465)

Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2640148)

Security Update for Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 for x64-based Systems (KB2633873)

Security Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2645640)

Update for Windows 7 for x64-based Systems (KB2660075)

SP1 and many updates installed OK  with only occasional failures, until the above batch.

Was able to install: Update for Office File Validation 2010 (KB2553065), 32-bit Edition

Installation date: ‎22/‎02/‎2012 9:44 p.m. Installation status: Successful

Have attempted to resolve with " FIXIT"  , removed virus and malware security or clean boot.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Windows update

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2013-04-16T07:49:17+00:00

Windows Update error 80070308 solution

First, use FixIt for Windows update and try delete or rename %windir%/SoftwareDistribution

If rename SoftwareDistribution not solve the problem, try this:

  1. Open Regedit
  2. Go to HKLM\Components
  3. Delete or rename REG_DWORD "pendingrequired=1"
  4. Profit!

Was this answer helpful?

300+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2012-02-24T01:34:47+00:00

Hi,

Are there any restarts pending after installing updates?

I would suggest you to try the following Methods and check if it helps.

Method 1:

 Run the Windows update troubleshooter and check if it helps.

Open the Windows Update troubleshooter:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Open-the-Windows-Update-troubleshooter

Method 2:

Perform a cleanup of .Net Framework and check if that helps.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/976982

Method 3:

Try the steps provided in the following Microsoft article and check if it helps.

Troubleshoot problems with installing updates:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Troubleshoot-problems-with-installing-updates

For further reference, check the following Microsoft article.

Learn how to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1):

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/learn-how-to-install-windows-7-service-pack-1-sp1

Hope the information is helpful.

Was this answer helpful?

60+ people found this answer helpful.
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Anonymous
2014-04-26T19:27:23+00:00

Windows Update error 80070308 solution

First, use FixIt for Windowthwes update and try delete or rename %windir%/SoftwareDistribution

If rename SoftwareDistribution not solve the problem, try this:

  1. Open Regedit
  2. Go to HKLM\Components
  3. Delete or rename REG_DWORD "pendingrequired=1"
  4. Profit!

Hi kissko. I was referred to the above posting by another member of Microsoft community back in March when I was struggling with windows update. Your method worked like magic. However, I now have another problem with updates. I keep getting error code 80073712 coming up ie windows 7 update failed. Plus I'm getting a repeated message in sys tray stating there are updates available and at the same time when I hover over shutdown button, there's a note about shutting down and installing updates. When I check update history, certain updates come up as failed so I download these manually from Microsoft website. So I've tried your method with regedit etc. But when I go into HKLM\Components, there is  no sign of REG_DWORD "pendingrequired=1". I'd be more than grateful if you can crack this one for me.

Regards

Was this answer helpful?

2 people found this answer helpful.
0 comments

75 additional answers

Sort by: Oldest
Most helpful Newest Oldest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-02T10:53:27+00:00

    Windows Update error 80070308 solution

    First, use FixIt for Windows update and try delete or rename %windir%/SoftwareDistribution

    If rename SoftwareDistribution not solve the problem, try this:

    1. Open Regedit
    2. Go to HKLM\Components
    3. Delete or rename REG_DWORD "pendingrequired=1"
    4. Profit!

    tried this after all of the other "fix it" and .net repair / reinstall..  deleted update databases and all the other Jazz....  Thanks for the simple fix.

    This fix still works perfectly even in 2016 with a Windows 7 SP1 computer. I spent 2 days trying all the recommended fixes and nothing worked until I found this solution. So simple and so very effective. Microsoft should include this in the Fix and save those with this problem hours of frustration.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments
  2. Anonymous
    2016-04-24T03:12:24+00:00

    > This fix still works perfectly even in 2016 with a Windows 7 SP1 computer. I spent 2 days trying all the recommended fixes and nothing worked until I found this solution. So simple and so very effective. Microsoft should include this in the Fix and save those with this problem hours of frustration.

    The registry hack fixed my ills here.

    200+ post-SP1 updates is absolutely ridiculous! This is what happens when Microsoft refuses to roll this many updates into an SP2 and SP3 for Windows 7.

    Rolling these into second and third service packs just might keep people from having to install so many updates that Windows Update breaks itself along the way. What we have instead is two more service packs' worth of individual updates to contend with every time we must 'nuke things and start over'.

    Good luck in trying to install them all via Windows Update online! To make things easier on myself, I use WSUS Offline Update to do the 'grunt work' of the first 140 or so of them - which leaves me about 90 updates to install, via several cycles of Windows Update.

    Determining what needs to be updated has become such a mess that WSUS OU needs over 12 hours (in this case, 13) to sort it all out, and install the first 100 updates. I then reboot and run OU a second time to get the remainder of them.

    After a total of 1-1/2 days spent restoring Win 7 from the recovery DVDs (pre-SP1, of course), I'm backing up the entire drive with Redo Backup so that next time, I can restore things in just an hour or so instead...

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments