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4 January 2021  Amanda J. Brook  Senior Product Manager
 

Summary
Error 0x8000ffff is one of the most common errors we may encounter when updating Windows 10. When we get this error notification, how to solve it? Here, possible reasons and related solutions will be provided to help you solve this error.



0x8000ffff catastrophic failure

Part 1: Possible Reasons Lead to Error 0x8000ffff on Windows 10

Error 0x8000ffff usually occurs when we update Windows or some driver software. Sometimes, it may happen when we restore system. There could be many reasons lead to this error. Here, we are going to list some possible main reasons:
1. Incorrect computer configurations.
2. Outdated or wrong driver software.
3. Computer is infected by virus or malware.
4. System file is lost or damaged.
5. Windows update file is deleted or changed maliciously.
6. System restore was processed without the privilege of administrator. If you do not have administrator privilege, please click here to create a new administrator.
windows update 0x8000ffff

Part 2: How to Fix Error 0x8000ffff on Windows 10

Method 1: Run Troubleshoot in Windows Update

Step 1: Go to Start menu and then click “Settings” button.
go to settings in start menu
Step 2: Find “Update and Security” in Windows Settings.
select update and security in windows settings
Step 3: Find “Troubleshoot” option on the left side of the window.
select troubleshoot in the left side of windows
Step 4: Find “Windows Update” in “Getting up and running”.
windows update in windows troubleshoot
Step 5: Click “Windows Update” and then “Run the troubleshooter” button.
troubleshoot in windows settings
Steps 6: Windows will scan your system to find whether there are errors and fix them if found.
windows checking for updates

Method 2: Create Administrator Account

If you have ever processed system restore without administrator privilege, you may encounter 0x8000ffff. Then you can solve this problem by creating a new administrator account.
Windows system rescue software — Renee Passnow
Enable/Create WindowsAccount Create new administrator and enable the disabled account (including administrator and local account) with simple clicks.
Windows Password ResetWhole password reset process just takes 5 minutes without damaging data inside the account. 100% safe.
Delete Password for Windows AccountSupports to remove the password for local account and administrator in Windows 10/8.1/8/7/XP/Vista.
Easy OperationIndividually reset the password without any professional knowledge or installation disk.
Overall Solutions for WindowsProvides multiple functions like disk clone, data transfers, disk erase, Windows startup error solutions, disk detection and data recovery.
Step 1: Download and install Renee Passnow on anther workable computer.
press to the download button
Step 2: Launch Renee Passnow. Select one option from [Crate a Live USB] and [Create a Live CD]. Then, select [x64] or [x86] according to your computer. Next, click on [Download Now] to download the licensed ISO. Remember to activate the software beforehand. After that, click on [Create USB] to create the boot media.
use renee passnow to create usb to reset passnword
Step 3: Get the computer to boot from USB disk by changing the boot order in BIOS settings.
steps to change the boot order in BIOS
Step 4: After loading into the software, please select “PassNow!”.
main menu of Renee Passnow
Step 5: Select the target system and click “Create new account”.
create new account in passnow
Step 6: New account with the user name of Renee and password of 123456789 will be created.
successfully create new account

Method 3: Scan for Virus

Virus infection could also lead to 0x8000ffff error. You can follow the instructions below to check whether there is malwares or virus in the computer.
Step 1: Launch the anti-virus software you have installed in your computer. And scan whole disk.
use antivirus software to scan 0x8000ffff error
Step 2: If any virus notification is shown, please follow the instructions of the anti-virus software to remove it. And then please restart the computer.
Step 3: If the software can not find any malware or virus, please close the anti-virus software and then restart the computer.
TipsIf error still exits after restart, please follow the instructions below.

Method 4: Update Driver Software

Outdated, misconfigured or incompatible driver software could also lead to error 0x8000ffff. Please follow the steps to update the driver software.
Step 1:Search “Device Manager” in the task bar.
Open device manager
Step 2: In the Device Manager, please find out the device which may lead to this error. (The driver software of this software is outdated.)
Step 3: Then please right click the device and select “Update Drive Software”.
update driver software
Step 4: Please choose “Search automatically for updated driver software” in the pop up window.
search automatically for updated driver software
Step 5: Windows will search and install the latest driver software.
windows successfully updated your drvier
TipsIf you can not find out the software which lead to this error, or the error still exits after updating, please try the methods below.

Method 5: Run System File Checker

System File Checker, a helpful tool in Windows, can scan all protected system files and check the complicity of them. Then fix the damaged system file of Windows.
Step 1: Press “Win” + “S” and enter “cmd”.
search cmd to open command prompt
Step 2: Find “Command Prompt” in the search result. Then please right click it and select “Run as administrator”.
run command prompt as administrator in start menu
Step 3: Please enter “sfc/scannow” command in the pop up window and then press “Enter” to process.
sfc command in windows
Step 4: Then System File Checker will scan the system and fix incorrect system file.
Check and fix system files Windows 10
TipsIf the methods above cannot fix 0x8000ffff, you may need to restore or reinstall Windows system. But please note that system restoration or reinstallation may lead to file lost. It is recommended to create backup for important files beforehand. Data Transfer function in Renee Passnow can help you transfer files to another disk without running Windows.

run data transfer function in renee passnow