Windows Update Fails Error 0x800B004

This is a fairly common Windows Update error and hopefully this article will help you resolve the problems you are having.

Sometimes Windows Update can do odd things..

One of them is to give you the message "Software Update Incomplete"

Below this message is usually the following statement:

The Windows Update software did not update successfully.

Send error number to Microsoft: 0x800B0004.

Here's how to fix the 0x800B0004 problem:

Step 1)

Did you accept the Microsoft Trust Certificate on visiting the Windows Update website?

If you did then move to Step 2.

(The Microsoft Trust Certificate appears when you visit the Update site. If you accept the first time you visit, then you should never have to again. If you have been using the Update website prior to this current issue, then this is unlikely to be the cause of your problems.)

Microsoft Trust Certificate

Step 2)

Next we just need to check your Internet Security settings are not set too HIGH.

To do this:

Click Internet Options on the Tools menu in Internet Explorer.
On the Security tab, click the Internet zone and make sure the setting is Medium.

Now click the OK button, close Internet Explorer.

(You may like to have a High setting here, but Windows Update will not work.)

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800B0004 error again try Step 3

Step 3)

In case any of the files in the Temporary Internet Files folder are causing a problem, let's go ahead and delete them.

Click Internet Options on the Tools menu in Internet Explorer.
On the General tab, click the Delete Files button and then click OK in the small window that appears.
Now click the OK button, close Internet Explorer.

Now open Internet Explorer and try the Windows Update site again.

If it fails with the 0x800B0004 error again try Step 4

Step 4)

It is likely that a component of the Windows XP digital signatures process is damaged - so lets re-register some DLL files. sounds like fun, eh? Onwards and upwards!

Click Start menu, and then click the Run icon.
In the small box that Opens, type the three letters: cmd then click the OK button.


In the command prompt window that just opened (a black background and white text), type the following commands, pressing the ENTER key on your keyboard after each line:

net start cryptsvc
regsvr32 softpub.dll
regsvr32 wintrust.dll
regsvr32 initpki.dll
regsvr32 dssenh.dll
regsvr32 rsaenh.dll
regsvr32 gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32 sccbase.dll
regsvr32 slbcsp.dll
regsvr32 cryptdlg.dll


Now type the word: exit and the window will close. Now Reboot and try and reply the Microsoft Patch again...

Reboot your machine and try Windows Update again. This should now cure your 0x800B0004 error message problem...

IMPORTANT: This article will cure the 0x800B0004 problem for 99.9% of you. However there may be some rare circumstances that the cause is a disabled Remote Procedure Recall service or an Active X control issue..

Well I hope this short article on "0x800B0004" was useful.