As you know, every Windows Update is essential for every Windows operating system. They have to be regularly installed, especially since they include various security updates that are important to the system. However, there are times when Windows Update fails to execute properly and you get errors like the error code 0x80070BC9. When you encounter this particular Windows Update error, you will get the following error message on your screen:
“0x80070BC9 – ERROR_FAIL_REBOOT_REQUIRED. The requested operation failed. A system reboot is required to roll back changes made.”
This kind of Windows Update error is most likely caused by a newly installed problematic software, corrupted Windows Update files, or policies that restrict the behavior of the Windows Module Installer. The Windows Module Installer, also known as “WMIW” or “TiWorker.exe”, is the one that checks for new updates from the Windows server and installs them on your computer. This is why you need to make sure that you do not have any policies that control the start behavior of the Windows Module Installer since this service must not be hardened to any start value and should be managed by the operating system.
To resolve the Windows Update error code 0x80070BC9, you can check out the options provided below.
Option 1 – Try checking the status of the Windows Modules Installer Worker Service
Since the Windows Update error code 0x80070BC9 has something to do with the Windows Module Installer Worker service, you need to check its status in the Service Manager. Refer to the following steps to do so.
- In the Cortana search box, type “services” and click on the Services icon to open the Services Manager. Alternatively, you can also tap the Win + R keys to launch the Run prompt and then type “MSC” in the field and hit Enter to open the Services Manager.
- After opening the Services Manager, look for the Windows Modules Installer Worker Service.
- Once you found it, check its status and make sure that its Startup type is set to Manual.
- Now click on the Start button and see if it fixes the Windows Update error.
Option 2 – Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter
You might want to run a built-in Windows Update troubleshooter to resolve the Windows Update error. It is one of the things you can check out as it is known to automatically resolve any Windows Update errors like error code 0x80072EE2. To run this troubleshooter, go to Settings and then select Troubleshoot from the options. From there, click on Windows Update and then click the “Run the troubleshooter” button. After that, follow the next on-screen instructions and you should be good to go.
Option 3 – Try contacting the IT administrator to modify the group policies
You could also try to contact the IT administrator to have the group policies modified. This option is applicable for company-managed systems. As mentioned, one of the possible causes of the Windows Update error 0x80072EE2 is the policies that control the start behavior of the Windows Module Installer. Thus, you need to have them removed so that the Windows Module Installer Worker service is managed by the operating system itself. And since there could be many policies, it is highly advised that you contact your company’s IT administrator to get the job done for you.
Option 4 – Try to install the Windows Updates in a Clean Boot State
There are some instances that some conflicting programs installed in your computer might be the one that’s causing Windows Update error code 0x80070BC9. To identify which program is causing the problem, you need to put your computer in a Clean Boot State. To do so, follow the steps below.
- Log onto your PC as an administrator.
- Type in MSConfig in the Start Search to open the System Configuration utility.
- From there, go to the General tab and click “Selective startup”.
- Clear the “Load Startup items” check box and make sure that the “Load System Services” and “Use Original boot configuration” options are checked.
- Next, click the Services tab and select the “Hide All Microsoft Services” check box.
- Click Disable all.
- Click on Apply/OK and restart your PC. (This will put your PC into a Clean Boot State. And configure Windows to use the usual startup, just simply undo the changes.)
- From there, start to isolate the problem by checking which one of the programs you installed recently is the root cause of the problem.