Error message when you use Windows Update or Microsoft Update Web sites to install updates on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003: 0x80070005

Source: Microsoft Support

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When you try to connect to the Windows Update Web site or to connect to the Microsoft Update Web site, you may receive the following error:

0x80070005

This issue can occur if access is denied when accessing or copying files during the Windows Update or Microsoft Update process. Access can be denied if you are logged on to the computer as a standard user and this account does not have the proper permissions to install updates. This issue can also occur if you are remotely connected to a computer and attempt to install updates to the remote computer.

To resolve the issue follow the steps listed in the methods below in the order listed, starting with Method 1.

Method 1: Log on to the computer as an Administrator or as a user with Administrative rights

To do this, follow the steps listed below:

        1.       Log on as a user who is a local administrator or is a member of the local Administrators group.

2.       Visit the Windows Update Web site or the Microsoft Update Web site and check for updates.

For more information on Administrator accounts, see the link in the “More Information” section.

Note To verify your account type on a computer, follow these steps:

1.       Click Start. 

2.       Click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.

·         If you are not part of a network domain, follow these steps:

a.        From the User Accounts window, click User Accounts.

b.       Look at your user account icon, your account type is displayed under your user name. 

·         If you are part of a network domain, follow these steps:

a.        From the User Accounts window, click User Accounts. 

b.       Select your account from the list, and then click Properties. 

c.        In Group membership, make sure that you belong to the Administrators group. 

Method 2: Reset permissions on the system using the SubInACL.exe tool

System permissions may be interfering with the Windows Update or Microsoft Update installation. The permissions can be reset by downloading and running the SubInACL.exe tool.

Important When you log on to the computer as an administrator or as a user with administrative rights, you should look in the Taskbar in the lower right corner of the monitor to see if the Windows Update icon is present. This icon indicates that Automatic Updates has already begun to download and install updates. Allow this process to complete before attempting to install updates again.

To reset system permissions, follow the steps:

1.       Download subinacl.msi from the following link, and save it on the desktop.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b&displaylang=en#AffinityDownloads (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b&displaylang=en#AffinityDownloads)

2.       On the desktop, double-click subinacl.msi to install the tool.

3.       Select C:\Windows\System32 as the destination folder.

Note This step assumes that Windows is installed in C:\Windows. If Windows is installed elsewhere, select the appropriate path to .\System32.

4.       Click Start, click Run, type notepad, and then click OK or press Enter.

5.       Copy the following commands and then paste them into the opened Notepad window.

@echo off

 

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f

subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f

 

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=system=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=system=f

subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=system=f

subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=system=f

 

@Echo =========================

@Echo Finished.

@Echo =========================

@pause



6.       In Notepad click File, Save As, and then type: reset.cmd

7.       In Notepad click Save as type, and then select All Files (*.*).

8.       Save the reset.cmdfile to your desktop, and close Notepad.

9.       Double-click the reset.cmdfile to reset the Windows Update permissions.

Note This step may take several minutes, so please be patient. When the permissions have been reset, you will be prompted with "Finished, press any key to continue."

10.    Press any key to complete the installation.

11.    Try to install updates again.

Note If the issue is resolved and you are able to install updates, you can delete the reset.cmd file.

 

 

What is an administrator account?

For more information on Administrator accounts click the link below to view the content on the web site

What is an administrator account? (http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/Windows/en-US/Help/7dcf289b-5fd3-41fd-a290-936f274def771033.mspx)

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