Fix: “Potential Windows Update Database” Error Detected

This article will show you how to Fix “Potential Windows Update Database” Error Detected. Even though Windows is a great operating system that most people use, it does have some problems, especially with mistakes. Most of these mistakes have a code you can look up in the Microsoft help section or in one of our guides, but the one we’re going to talk about today is a little different.

When you try to access Windows Update to see if there are any possible operating system updates, you might see the message “Potential Windows update database error detected.” Most of the updates you want to install are done automatically, so you won’t run into this problem.

However, if you’ve turned off automatic updates, you’ll have to update your machine directly and won’t be able to do so because of this annoying error. Handling Windows updates is always stressful because there are so many things that can go wrong. You can also go to the official Microsoft support site for more information about this error.

ways to Fix “Potential Windows Update Database” Error Detected

Use the DISM Tool

Deployment Image Servicing and Management, or DISM, is a tool that can be used to fix and maintain Windows files. Microsoft also recommends this, since it can fix some problems on its own.

• Run the Command Prompt as Administrator as described in Solution 1.
• There are two separate commands you need to use in order to complete the process:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /scanhealth
DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

• You will have to wait for a certain amount of time for the process to finish but DON’T cancel it yourself in any way.

Using the Windows Update Troubleshooter

Windows comes with a troubleshooter that is made to deal with problems like this, and it can help if you have tried everything else.

• Open Control Panel >> Troubleshooting >> System and Security >>Fix problems with Windows Update.
• Follow the instructions on screen.

Deleting Some Folders

• Locate C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete everything you find inside.
• Open C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution and delete the Download.old file you see.
• The update should start without issues.

Resetting the Windows Update Components Manually

This method is a bit more complicated because you have to reset the whole update tool by hand and start the process of updating all over again. Pay close attention to the directions below.

• Run the Command Prompt as Administrator as described in the solutions above.
• You can use the following commands in order to stop the processes Windows Update Services, MSI Installer, BITS, and Cryptographic.

net stop wuauserv
net stop cryptSvc
net stop bits
net stop msiserver

• You need to rename two folders, SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2. You can try to find them yourself but it’s definitely easier just to copy the commands below. You can see the location of these files in the command if you want to rename them manually.

ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 Catroot2.old

• It’s time to start the processes we ended in the Step 2 by using the following commands:

net start wuauserv
net start cryptSvc
net start bits
net start msiserver

• It’s time to restart your PC and proceed with Windows Update once again.

Use the SFC Scan

Microsoft’s answer to this problem helped a lot of people, which is different from their other solutions, which seem almost automatic. Before you do anything else, try this out. The SFC, which stands for “System File Checker,” looks for broken or corrupt system files on your computer and fixes them instantly.

• Enter “Command Prompt” in your Search box, right click on the icon and select “Run as administrator.
• Type “sfc/scannow” and press Enter.
• The process should begin and automatically fix faulty files.