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FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

This tutorial contains step by step instructions to resolve the 'Windows Update Service is missing' issue on Windows 10. When the 'Windows Update' service is missing from the Services list (services.msc), the  following error occurs when you try to check/install updates: "There were some problems installing updates, but we "ll try again later" with one of the following error codes: 0x80070006, 0x80080005, or 0x80070424.

FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

How to FIX: Windows Update Service Not Listed in services.msc – Error 0x80070006 or 0x80070424 in Windows 10.

Method 1. Scan your computer for viruses and malware.
Method 2. Restore Windows Update Service in Registry.
Method 3. FIX Windows corruption errors with DISM & SFC tools.
Method 4. Repair Windows 10 with an in-place Upgrade.

Method 1. Scan your computer for viruses and malware.

Important: Before following the steps below, make sure that your computer is 100% clean from harmful programs like rootkits, malware or viruses. To accomplish this task, follow the steps from this Quick Malware Scan and Removal Guide, and then try to check for updates again. If the problem persists, then continue below.

Method 2. Restore Windows Update Service in Registry.

The main cause of the absence of the Windows Update Service from the list of Windows 10 services, is the lack (or the destruction) of the "Windows Update" registry key (wuauserv). To restore or repair the 'wuauserv' service registry key, follow the instructions below:

1. Open Registry Editor. To do that:

a. Simultaneously press the Windows FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved) + R keys to open run command box.
b. Type regedit and press Enter.

FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

3. At the left pane, navigate to the following registry location and expand the "Services" key:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services4. Under the "Services" key, if you see the "wuauserv" registry key: *

    a. Right click on it and select Export to backup the key for safety reasons. *

    * Note: if the "wuauserv" key is missing then skip to step-5.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    b. Save the Key to your Desktop with name "Win10UpdateOld.reg"

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    c. Then right click again on the "wuauserv" key and click Delete.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    5. Close the Registry Editor.

    6. Open Notepad application. To do that:

    a. Simultaneously press the Windows FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved) + R keys to open run command box.
    b. Type notepad and press Enter.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    7. Select and copy/paste to notepad the below text (in bold letters):

    Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv]
    "DependOnService"=hex(7):72,00,70,00,63,00,73,00,73,00,00,00,00,00
    "Description"="@%systemroot%\\system32\\wuaueng.dll,-106"
    "DisplayName"="@%systemroot%\\system32\\wuaueng.dll,-105"
    "ErrorControl"=dword:00000001
    "FailureActions"=hex:80,51,01,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,03,00,00,00,14,00,00,\
      00,01,00,00,00,60,ea,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
    "ImagePath"=hex(2):25,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,72,00,6f,00,6f,00,\
      74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,73,\
      00,76,00,63,00,68,00,6f,00,73,00,74,00,2e,00,65,00,78,00,65,00,20,00,2d,00,\
      6b,00,20,00,6e,00,65,00,74,00,73,00,76,00,63,00,73,00,20,00,2d,00,70,00,00,\
      00
    "ObjectName"="LocalSystem"
    "RequiredPrivileges"=hex(7):53,00,65,00,41,00,75,00,64,00,69,00,74,00,50,00,72,\
      00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,43,00,72,00,\
      65,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,47,00,6c,00,6f,00,62,00,61,00,6c,00,50,00,72,00,69,\
      00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,43,00,72,00,65,00,\
      61,00,74,00,65,00,50,00,61,00,67,00,65,00,46,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,50,00,72,\
      00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,54,00,63,00,\
      62,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,\
      00,41,00,73,00,73,00,69,00,67,00,6e,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,6d,00,61,00,72,00,\
      79,00,54,00,6f,00,6b,00,65,00,6e,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,\
      00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,49,00,6d,00,70,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,6f,00,\
      6e,00,61,00,74,00,65,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,\
      00,00,00,53,00,65,00,49,00,6e,00,63,00,72,00,65,00,61,00,73,00,65,00,51,00,\
      75,00,6f,00,74,00,61,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,\
      00,00,00,53,00,65,00,53,00,68,00,75,00,74,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,6e,00,50,00,\
      72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,44,00,65,\
      00,62,00,75,00,67,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,\
      00,00,53,00,65,00,42,00,61,00,63,00,6b,00,75,00,70,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,\
      00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,52,00,65,00,73,00,74,00,\
      6f,00,72,00,65,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,\
      00,53,00,65,00,53,00,65,00,63,00,75,00,72,00,69,00,74,00,79,00,50,00,72,00,\
      69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,54,00,61,00,6b,\
      00,65,00,4f,00,77,00,6e,00,65,00,72,00,73,00,68,00,69,00,70,00,50,00,72,00,\
      69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,4c,00,6f,00,61,\
      00,64,00,44,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,65,00,72,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,\
      6c,00,65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,53,00,65,00,4d,00,61,00,6e,00,61,00,67,00,65,\
      00,56,00,6f,00,6c,00,75,00,6d,00,65,00,50,00,72,00,69,00,76,00,69,00,6c,00,\
      65,00,67,00,65,00,00,00,00,00
    "ServiceSidType"=dword:00000001
    "Start"=dword:00000003
    "SvcHostSplitDisable"=dword:00000001
    "SvcMemHardLimitInMB"=dword:000000f6
    "SvcMemMidLimitInMB"=dword:000000a7
    "SvcMemSoftLimitInMB"=dword:00000058
    "Type"=dword:00000020

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv\Parameters]
    "ServiceDll"=hex(2):25,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,72,00,6f,00,6f,\
      00,74,00,25,00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,\
      77,00,75,00,61,00,75,00,65,00,6e,00,67,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
    "ServiceDllUnloadOnStop"=dword:00000001
    "ServiceMain"="WUServiceMain"

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv\Security]
    "Security"=hex:01,00,14,80,78,00,00,00,84,00,00,00,14,00,00,00,30,00,00,00,02,\
      00,1c,00,01,00,00,00,02,80,14,00,ff,00,0f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,01,00,00,\
      00,00,02,00,48,00,03,00,00,00,00,00,14,00,9d,00,02,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,\
      05,0b,00,00,00,00,00,18,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,02,00,00,00,00,00,05,20,00,00,00,\
      20,02,00,00,00,00,14,00,ff,01,0f,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,\
      01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00,01,01,00,00,00,00,00,05,12,00,00,00

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv\TriggerInfo]

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv\TriggerInfo\0]
    "Type"=dword:00000005
    "Action"=dword:00000001
    "Guid"=hex:e6,ca,9f,65,db,5b,a9,4d,b1,ff,ca,2a,17,8d,46,e0

    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv\TriggerInfo\1]
    "Type"=dword:00000005
    "Action"=dword:00000001
    "Guid"=hex:c8,46,fb,54,89,f0,4c,46,b1,fd,59,d1,b6,2c,3b,50

    8. Then click File > Save as and save the file at your Desktop with name: "Win10UpdateFix.reg".

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    9. Close Notepad.

    10. Now double click at "Win10UpdateFix.reg" file and click Yes at UAC warning message.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    11. Click Yes again to add the information to the registry.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    12. Finally click OK at the information message.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    13. Restart your computer.
    14. After restart, proceed to check and install updates. The problem should be resolved. *

    * Notes:
    1. If the Windows Update problem is solved, then delete the .reg file(s) from you desktop and continue your work.
    2. If the you still have problems then continue to the next method.

    Method 3. FIX Windows corruption errors with DISM & SFC tools.

    The next method fix the "Windows Update Service Missing" problem in Windows 10, is to repair the corrupted system files.

    1. Open command prompt as administrator. To do that:

    a. In the Search box type: cmd or command prompt
    b. Right click on the command prompt (result) and select Run as Administrator.

    FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

    2. At the command prompt window, type the following command & press Enter:

  • Dism.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth

FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

3. Be patient until DISM repairs component store. When the operation is completed, (you should be informed that the component store corruption was repaired), give this command and press Enter:

  • SFC /SCANNOW

FIX: Windows 10 Update Service is Missing (Solved)

4. When SFC scan is completed, restart your computer.
5. Try to update your system again.

Method 4. Repair Windows 10 with an in-place Upgrade.

Another method that usually works, to fix Windows 10 update problems, is to perform a Windows 10 Repair-Upgrade, by using the Media Creation tool to create an ISO or USB Windows 10 install media. For that task follow the detailed instructions on this article: How to repair Windows 10.

That's it! Which method worked for you?
Let me know if this guide has helped you by leaving your comment about your experience. Please like and share this guide to help others.