What causes error 0x''80070005, and how do I deal with it?

Question

I've run into the "0x80070005" error before (mostly on Microsoft Store) and I managed through dumb luck to clear it much of the time. Right now, I have three MStore updates hung up with this error. I've seen quite a few articles out there that claim to clear the problem up, but little (if any) of their info seems to help, so let me ask three questions:

1. What exactly (in layman's terms, if possible) causes the "0x80070005" error?
2. How do I fix it (preferably once and for all)?
3. How can (if I can) I prevent it from happening?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Hello Roger Blair,

Thanks for reaching out here in the Microsoft Answers Community.

Error 0x80070005 is a generic error code for "access denied". The error code alone does not tell you what caused the issue.

Since the issue happens with the Microsoft Store, you can press Windows+R and enter "wsreset" to fix certain common issues.

If the issue persists, try using another network (like broadband, smartphone tethering/hotspot, different ISPs), and try again.

If the issue still persists, we need to check with a new user profile by creating a local administrator account.

To do so, right-click Start->Terminal/PowerShell/Command prompt (Admin), and enter the following commands:

net user user1 pass1 /add

net localgroup administrators user1 /add

(Substitute "user1" and "pass1" with the username and password of the new user.)

After creating the user, reboot the computer, select the new user, and log in. See whether the issue persists.

We look forward to your response.

Best Regards,

Sheng G. - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 2

I added the accout as instructed; however, the system will not log me into that account--the "Password" box will not accept input.

Answer 3

Hello,

Based on the description, it seems strange, as it is a local account that does not depend on Microsoft services.

You can try using an account without password, and try again.

To do so, log into the original account, right-click Start->Terminal/PowerShell/Command prompt (Admin), and enter the following commands:

net user user2 /add

net localgroup administrators user2 /add

(Substitute "user2" with the username of the new user.)

After creating the user, reboot the computer, select the new user, and log in. See whether the issue persists.

Best Regards,

Sheng G. - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Answer 4

I created a password-less account; I logged in and updated the "stuck" updates. I don't understand what could be wrong with my Microsoft account, much less how to fix it. How can I fix it so I don't have to jump from account to account to get things done?

Answer 5

Hello,

If you can proceed with the updates in the new local account, it is likely that the user profile for the original Microsoft account has been corrupted.

Generally, such corruptions are hard or impossible to fix, as the cause can be very obscure.

Also, since you have mentioned that you are unable to input the password for the first local account, there my be system file issues as well.

Based on the situation, you need to log into the password-less account, and check/repair the system files using DISM and SFC.

To do so, right-click Start->Terminal/PowerShell/Command prompt (Admin), and enter the following commands:

dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

sfc /scannow

After running the commands, please provide a screenshot showing the output, and reboot your computer. Try logging into the first local account again, and see whether you can enter the password.

Please note that if the repair failed, or you cannot enter the password after repairing, you need to reinstall the system, so please back up all your personal files to offline storage (like USB sticks, external hard drives, and memory cards) beforehand to prevent data loss.

If there is no error, you need to migrate the files and reinstall the missing applications. The files from the Microsoft account can be accessed at file explorer->This PC->C drive->Users->(Old username).

After migrating everything, you can delete the Microsoft account and the first local account. Then, you can right-click Start->Settings->Accounts->Your info, and select "Sign in using a Microsoft account instead" to convert it into a Microsoft account if you wish.

Best Regards,

Sheng G. - MSFT | Microsoft Community Support Specialist