These errors mean Windows Update cannot find files it expects, almost always because the local update cache is corrupt or a download was incomplete. Jump to your situation below or work through the methods in order.
0x80070002 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND) and 0x80070003 (ERROR_PATH_NOT_FOUND) mean Windows Update expected a file or folder and could not find it. The cause is nearly always the local update cache: the SoftwareDistribution folder is corrupt, or a previous download finished only part way and left references to files that are not there. A wrong system clock, stopped update services, or a damaged catroot2 folder produce the same result. The fix is to clear the cache cleanly: stop the Windows Update, BITS and Cryptographic services, rename or delete SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 so Windows rebuilds them, restart the services, correct the date and time, and run the troubleshooter. After that, the missing-file references are gone and the update downloads fresh.
Windows Update downloads and stages files in the SoftwareDistribution folder, and tracks them in a small database. The error means the agent followed a reference to a file or path that is no longer there, so it cannot continue. It is a bookkeeping problem in the local cache, not a problem with your PC's hardware.
That is why clearing the cache fixes it so reliably: when you remove SoftwareDistribution and catroot2, Windows rebuilds them from scratch and downloads the update fresh, with no stale references. A wrong clock causes the same symptom because the security checks on the files fail, so the agent treats them as missing.
“This one is almost always the update cache lying to itself, it has a note that says fetch this file, and the file is not there. So I do not overthink it. Stop the update services, rename SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 so Windows is forced to rebuild them, start the services, and the next check downloads everything clean. The one thing people forget is the clock, if the date is wrong the file checks fail and you get the exact same error, so I always glance at the time too.”
net stop wuauserv net stop bits net stop cryptsvc
ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start wuauserv net start bits net start cryptsvc
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth then SFC /scannow.chkdsk /f on the system drive.This is a cache problem, so clearing SoftwareDistribution and catroot2 fixes the large majority of cases, renaming rather than deleting so you can roll back. Do not overlook the system clock, a wrong date causes the identical error because the update's file checks fail. Run the troubleshooter first since it automates the same reset.
If clearing the cache and fixing the clock do not help, a single update may be the blocker. Note the failing KB number, download it from the Microsoft Update Catalog, and install it manually to get past it. You can also submit your error to us for a tailored fix.