ErrorVaultHQ

Solved Error

How to Fix Windows Update Error 0x80073712

Quick Fix

Open Command Prompt as administrator and run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, then sfc /scannow, then reboot and retry the update. Run DISM before SFC — not the other way around.

  1. 1Open an elevated Command Prompt. Right-click Start, choose Command Prompt (Admin) or Terminal (Admin).
  2. 2Run DISM RestoreHealth. Type DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth and press Enter. Wait for it to finish, this can take several minutes.
  3. 3Run SFC and reboot. Type sfc /scannow, let it complete, restart the PC, then try Windows Update again.

What this error means

Error 0x80073712 is ERROR_SXS_COMPONENT_STORE_CORRUPT. The Windows component store (WinSxS), which holds the files Windows uses to install and service updates, is damaged or has files missing, so Windows cannot build the update from an inconsistent store and the install fails before it really begins. Microsoft's own troubleshooting documentation lists 0x800F081F, 0x80073712 or 0x80246007 as caused by corrupted or missing system files or an incomplete download. You'll often see it paired with the on-screen message "the component store has been corrupted."

Likely Causes

  • Component store (WinSxS) corruption. The most common cause: files in C:\Windows\WinSxS, which Windows Update relies on to assemble updates, are damaged or missing, so the update can't be built and installation fails.
  • Incomplete or interrupted prior update. A previous update that was interrupted (power loss, forced shutdown) can leave the component store in an inconsistent state, as seen in cases traced back to a power outage.
  • Antivirus interference. Third-party antivirus software actively scanning or locking files inside WinSxS during a DISM repair or update install can make Windows misreport those files as corrupted.
  • Missing update manifests for the installed build. On some builds, DISM looks for a specific component version that simply isn't present in the local install image, requiring a matching ISO or install.wim as a repair source.

Step-by-Step Guide

Fix 1: Run DISM then SFC (in that exact order)

  1. 1Open Command Prompt as administrator. Search for Command Prompt or PowerShell, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator.
  2. 2Repair the component store first. Run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth to check for corruption, then run DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth to actually repair it. This pulls clean replacement files from Windows Update.
  3. 3Run System File Checker second. Once DISM finishes successfully, run sfc /scannow. Do not run this before DISM — SFC copies good files out of the component store, so if you run it first it just copies from a store that's still broken.
  4. 4Reboot and retry the update. Restart your PC, then try installing the update again through Windows Update.

Fix 2: Repair DISM using a Windows ISO as the source

  1. 1Download the matching Windows ISO. Get an ISO that matches your exact Windows edition and build from Microsoft's official download page, then mount it (it will get a drive letter, e.g. X:).
  2. 2Run DISM with the /Source flag. Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth /Source:wim:X:\sources\install.wim:1 /LimitAccess, replacing X: with your mounted ISO's drive letter. This tells DISM to repair the store using clean local files instead of Windows Update.
  3. 3Run SFC and retry. After DISM completes successfully, run sfc /scannow, reboot, and attempt the update again.

Fix 3: Rule out antivirus interference

  1. 1Temporarily disable third-party antivirus. Some users have traced this error to antivirus software scanning or blocking the WinSxS folder or dism.exe during the repair. In one confirmed case the fix was adding an exclusion for C:\Windows\WinSxS and the dism.exe process in their antivirus (ESET).
  2. 2Re-run DISM and the update. With antivirus disabled or excluded, repeat the DISM RestoreHealth and sfc /scannow steps above, then try the update.

Fix 4: Free up disk space and use the Update Assistant / Media Creation Tool

  1. 1Check free disk space. Component store repairs need room to work. Free up at least 5GB of space by running Disk Cleanup or moving large files off the drive.
  2. 2Try the Windows Update Assistant or Media Creation Tool. If DISM/SFC don't resolve it, download the Update Assistant or Media Creation Tool from Microsoft's official Windows download page and let it install the update or upgrade directly.
  3. 3As a last resort, run an in-place repair install. Mount the matching ISO, run setup.exe, and choose Keep personal files and apps. This rebuilds Windows components while keeping your files and installed programs.

When to seek further help

If repeated DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth runs (including with a local ISO source) and sfc /scannow still can't clear the corruption, or the CBS.log shows more than a handful of unfixable entries, a full repair is likely required. Error 0x80073712 is listed as a common corruption error that can prevent updates from installing, and when DISM and SFC do not resolve the issue, further manual repair or advanced troubleshooting is required. At that point, back up your files and either run an in-place repair upgrade from official Windows installation media, or contact Microsoft Support (or your device manufacturer/IT department for work and Server machines) with your CBS.log and DISM.log ready, since deep component-store rebuilds on Windows Server sometimes need a case-specific fix from a specialist.

Sources:

Heads up: this guide was drafted with AI assistance from the real sources listed below, and structured by our team for clarity. It may not cover every possible cause — if it doesn't fix your issue, let us know and we'll take a closer look. See how we create our fixes.

Was this fix helpful?

Related Error Fixes