windows 10 update doesn't work

Question

'Check for updates' tells me that I am not up to date. I click on the 'Check for updates' and after a few seconds of flashing dots it says that I'm missing important security fixes, bit it doesn't download them. See the screenshot.

I'm well aware that I've not switched the machine on for some time, and that there are several months of updates pending - see the other screenshot.

Answer 1

Hello

Thank you for your question and reaching out. I can understand you are  having query\issues related  to Windows updates.

1. Disable any Antivirus program or Windows firewall you may have for temporary purpose.

2. Cleanup below Temp folders location -> Open Start -> Run -> Type below location one-by-one and press enter 
    ->  C:\Windows\Temp
    ->   %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Temp

3. Run Disk Cleanup from Select C:\ Drive from Properties- > General -> Disk Cleanup - >Cleanup system files

4. Run sfc /scannow from elevated prompt.

5.  Run below DISM commands  from elevated prompt.

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
DISM /Online  /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

6. Run Command Prompt as Administrator

Stop BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer and Windows Update Services. To do this, type the following commands:

Net stop wuauserv

Net stop cryptSvc

Net stop bits

Net stop msiserver

7.  Rename SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2 folder. To do this, type the following commands:

Ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old

Ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

8. Reboot your computer and try to update.

--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept as answer--

Answer 2

I managed to find the answer to this. There seems to have been some sort of registry corruption.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\PortableOperatingSystem was set to '1'. It should be '0'.