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Windows update stopped working since may 2024. I am getting warnings that system needs to be updated soon.

HW : Ace T8 Plus - Intel 12th Alder Lake N95 × 1
SW : Windows 11 Pro 23H2

BITS and Windows update services are disabled when the system boots up ( even though they are set to Automatic).

What could be the reason?

TIA

Hopefully someone will be able to help, but if not, I'd seek help on Microsoft's Support Community, as this problem appears to be more with Windows than the unit itself.

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/

nkesuj wrote: ↑Sun Aug 11, 2024 12:45 pm Windows update stopped working since may 2024. I am getting warnings that system needs to be updated soon.

HW : Ace T8 Plus - Intel 12th Alder Lake N95 × 1
SW : Windows 11 Pro 23H2

BITS and Windows update services are disabled when the system boots up ( even though they are set to Automatic).

What could be the reason?

TIA

Windows update is messed up sometimes.
Check this from microsoft:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troub ... ate-issues

Another way that usually helps is:

• Set BITS and Windows Update to disabled

• Delete (or rename if you want to be on the safe side) the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder

• Enable BITS and Windows update and check for updates. The folder will be recreated and if you're lucky updates will install.

pausenklaus wrote: ↑Sun Aug 11, 2024 6:59 pm Another way that usually helps is:

• Set BITS and Windows Update to disabled

• Delete (or rename if you want to be on the safe side) the C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution folder

• Enable BITS and Windows update and check for updates. The folder will be recreated and if you're lucky updates will install.

I tried the above steps. didnt work.

If it were me, and I had tried what I could find or think of, but nothing worked, I'd reinstall the system.

You can use the system available here, though it's 22H2 and you'd have to subsequently upgrade to 23H2, or a clean install of 23H2 using installation media created you create, if you're familiar with the process.

Either way, make sure to save any important info before doing so. If you're going to do the clean install, I'd also make sure to either save the drivers from the system or download the drivers available here before doing so.

Lastly, again if you're going to do the clean install, though the Windows Activation is recorded on Microsoft's servers, I would also sign into your Microsoft account if you haven't already, or if you don't have one create one and sign into it, even if just for this purpose. This way the Windows Activation is also logged on your Microsoft account. It's just an extra step to ensure everything works fine with Windows Activation after a clean install. Or you could elicit the Product Key from the system and write it down so you have it. I find the command prompt method to be the easiest, which you can see here.

Gabe is completely right here!

Troubleshooting broken Windows updates can take a lot more time than a clean installation would take.

Gabe wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2024 5:41 pm If it were me, and I had tried what I could find or think of, but nothing worked, I'd reinstall the system.

You can use the system available here, though it's 22H2 and you'd have to subsequently upgrade to 23H2, or a clean install of 23H2 using installation media created you create, if you're familiar with the process.

Either way, make sure to save any important info before doing so. If you're going to do the clean install, I'd also make sure to either save the drivers from the system or download the drivers available here before doing so.

Lastly, again if you're going to do the clean install, though the Windows Activation is recorded on Microsoft's servers, I would also sign into your Microsoft account if you haven't already, or if you don't have one create one and sign into it, even if just for this purpose. This way the Windows Activation is also logged on your Microsoft account. It's just an extra step to ensure everything works fine with Windows Activation after a clean install. Or you could elicit the Product Key from the system and write it down so you have it. I find the command prompt method to be the easiest, which you can see here.

When I bought the desktop it asked me to activate the windows by logging into my Microsoft account.

I don't see any product key when I use the command line method.

When I check System > Activation property it says "Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft Account"

Gabe wrote: ↑Mon Aug 12, 2024 5:41 pm Lastly, again if you're going to do the clean install, though the Windows Activation is recorded on Microsoft's servers, I would also sign into your Microsoft account if you haven't already, or if you don't have one create one and sign into it, even if just for this purpose. This way the Windows Activation is also logged on your Microsoft account. It's just an extra step to ensure everything works fine with Windows Activation after a clean install.

Where do I find the windows activation key in microsoft account? I do have a microsoft account and logged into that. Not able to find any info on the windows activation. My devices are showing the info on PC.

nkesuj wrote: ↑Wed Aug 14, 2024 9:51 pm Where do I find the windows activation key in microsoft account? I do have a microsoft account and logged into that. Not able to find any info on the windows activation. My devices are showing the info on PC.

It's not something you can actually see in your Microsoft Account. The Activation of Windows on the unit is just logged there.

Not being able to elicit the key isn't all that unusual. Normally it works, but not always. Three or four of the units I have don't show a key when I try to find it. The result just shows a blank space.

Eliciting the key was just an extra step, though it's not necessary. Either way you do it, as in using the system available here or the clean install, Windows should Activate once you connect to the net, as the Product Key is embedded in the BIOS. Then, when you look at the Activation status it should show the same thing, as in Windows being Activated with a digital license.

To be honest, I've only ever used a system available from here one time, and that was for my S1, and only because I couldn't get the LCD display to work properly with a clean install at the time. All of my mini PCs, including one that I don't yet have added to my signature (an AK2 Pro), have had clean installs of Windows performed on them, which I do with every PC I buy after initial Windows setup, with that initial setup being so I can save the drivers and a system image, and to have the Activation logged on Microsoft's servers. I do clean installs to minimize bloatware and just to have a clean system, not that there's anything wrong with preinstalled system the units come with. Not one time after any of those clean installs did I have any issues with Windows automatically Activating after connecting to the net (it has to check the servers). Now I don't say this to necessarily recommend a clean install over the available system, especially to those not familiar with the process. I only mention it regarding the Activation.

Well, I did a clean install by following the instructions.

Logged in to my Microsoft account.

System > Activation says: Windows reported that no product key was found on your device. Error code : 0xC004F213.

What do I do now?