By Achilles Hill | Last Updated
Error code 0x80004005 is a standard but vague Windows error often labeled as an "unspecified error." It can occur during file extraction, Windows updates, accessing shared folders, or using virtual machines. If you're facing this frustrating issue on Windows 10 or 11, here’s how to fix it effectively.
If the error appears during a system update, try the built-in troubleshooter.
Step 1: Use Windows+I to open Windows Settings, scroll down and click on Update & Security.
Step 2: Select Troubleshoot in the left panel and Additional troubleshooters in the right panel..
Step 3: Click Windows Update. And then click on Run the troubleshooter. This action will start scanning for Windows updates and their components, including some corrupted files.
If this error is caused by corrupted or missing system files, you can run SFC or DISM scan.
Step 1: Type CMD in the Start menu bar and click Run as administrator.
Step 2: Type sfc /scannow in the command prompt. Wait a few minutes until the process is complete. Then reboot your PC.
Step 3: Open the command prompt again as administrator, execute the following command. Restart the PC after completing the process and check if the error 0x80004005 still exists.
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Step 1: Use the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box and type msconfig to open the System Configuration.
Step 2: Under the General tab, click the Selective startup option and uncheck Load startup items.
Step 3: Move to the Services tab and check Hide all Microsoft services, then click on Disable all. Finally, click Apply and OK to complete the settings.
Step 4: In the pop-up dialog box, select Restart.
Step 1: Use Windows+R to open Run dialogue box. Type %temp% and click OK.
Step 2: Press Ctrl+A to select all temporary files, then press Shift + Delete to permanently delete all temporary files. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
Step 3: Reboot your PC and check if the error code 0x80004005 is fixed.
Press Win+E at the same time to open the File Explorer. Locate the following path and delete everything in the Windows Update download folder.
C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download
If you receive error 0x80004005 while accessing shared folders, try the below fix.
Step 1: Access Control Panel and choose Network and Internet> Network and Sharing Center.
Step 2: Click Change advanced sharing settings.
Step 3: Enable Turn on network discovery and file and printer sharing. Besides, you should make sure both PCs are on the same network. If needed, reconfigure shared folder permissions.
If the error code 0x80004005 is related to an SMB problem, there are several possibilities. The SMB service is not running. AllowInsecureGuestAuth is disabled, and the NAS you are using requires it. The device or service you are trying to use requires SMBv1.
Step 1: Type CMD in the Start menu bar and click Open, and then execute the below command. Then check if the START_TYPE is set to AUTO_START.
sc.exe qc lanmanworkstation
If START_TYPE is not set to AUTO_START, you need to turn it on. Run the following two commands in the command prompt. If all goes well, you will see [SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS. If it doesn't work, move to the next step.
sc.exe config lanmanworkstation depend= bowser/mrxsmb10/mrxsmb20/nsi
sc.exe config mrxsmb20 start= auto
Step 2: You can try to allow unsecured guest to log in. Use the Windows+R keys to open the Run dialog box, type regedit and press Enter to open the Registry Editor. And paste the following location into the address bar.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanWorkstation\Parameters
Step 3: Right-click in the margin, mouse to New and click on DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name it AllowInsecureGuestAuth and set its value to 1. Click OK to save the changes. After you set the value to 1, try doing whatever originally gave you the error 0x80004005.
Step 4: Click the Start button, type windows features in the search box, then hit the Enter key or click Open. Scroll down until you see SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support. Click the + button, then check SMB 1.0/CIFS Client and SMB 1.0/CIFS Server. Then click OK.
Step 5: Windows 10/11 will automatically download these files and prompt you to restart your PC. Check and see if it works. If not, disable SMB 1.0/CIFS before you try another method. there is no point in keeping it unless you need it, and it is a potential security hole.
While repairing the 0x80004005 error on Windows, you might have deleted or lost some files by mistake that you didn't have time to back up. Don't worry, you still have a chance to recover them completely with the data recovery expert - iSunshare BitGenius, which is one of the best data recovery software with the following outstanding features.
Step 1: Customize the scan location. You can select a specific partition or folder to scan.
Click "Start" and the software will start scanning all the files on the selected hard drive that have been deleted by mistake or lost due to the repair 0x80004005 error.
Step 2: Check all files in the scan report. You can click on the "Filter" option in the top menu to filter the target files and then preview the file names in the right window.
Step 3: Check the files that need to be recovered. Click the "Recover" button and then select the destination folder where you want to store the files.
Note:
When the pop-up window indicates that the data has been successfully recovered, you can click the "Yes" button to check the recovered files.
By following these step-by-step methods, you should be able to fix error code 0x80004005 in Windows 10 or 11 without having to reinstall the system. Regular updates and system maintenance can help prevent such errors from recurring.
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