Windows 10: Fresh Windows 10 Activation/Update Issue 0x800705B4

Hello,

I just did a fresh installation of Windows 10 Pro, because of issues with Windows Update not being able to update the system.
I tried everything I could find on google but finally gave in and figured a fresh install would solve the problem.
Now after the fresh install my windows is unable to activate (0x800705B4) and Windows Update is not working (just keeps searching).

I'm seeing the same errors as I did before the fresh install in the Event Viewer which is an error with DistributedCOM:

The error in Event Viewer is outputted every 2 minutes exactly, I'm assuming this is Windows Update trying to find updates.

I've also tried running SFC and DISM, and I bypassed my router in case that's causing the connection issues between me and Microsoft.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm seriously starting to lose faith in Microsoft.

Thanks in advance!

:)

 

things I can't do, what can I do to resolve this situation ?

I can't make a stick USB bootable with media creation tool, I receive an error, this is not a problem , I did a stick USB with rufus..after fresh reinstall I can't make update, activation and troubleshooting for update, i get this error 0x800705b4 when
I try to activate windows

I have windows 10 home and a valide key from windows 8.1

 

Windows Update stopped working. Not working after format

Hi!

My windows update stopped working on my Windows 10 Pro 1709. I tried 10 different solutions on Google but nothing worked. So I've now formatted and installed windows 10 pro 1709 fresh. Same problem as before and now I can't even activate windows (error code:
0x800705B4).

In Services Windows Update is stuck at "Starting". It was stuck before and after reinstall of Windows. And a cmd net stop wuauserv gives message "The service is starting or stopping. Please try again later."

I've absolutely no clue as to what is going on as a fresh install of Windows isn't even fixing this problem...

 

Hi Marabon.

When you did the fresh install where did you obtain your media and did you create an ISO or USB. If USB did you let the Media Creator create it?

I'm just asking, please don't shoot messenger, are you sure you had Pro before the fresh install?

Have you seen the Activation Trouble Shooting tutorial?

Use Activation Troubleshooter in Windows 10


Ken

 

Hi Ken,

I used Microsofts Media Creation Tool to create an ISO which I then used to make an USB with Rufus. (I did this as I've had issues with MCT creating the USB in the past, it's possible it would work now though)

I'm 100% sure I was on Pro before reinstalling. *Smile

As for the Troubleshooter it doesn't seem to do anything, just keeps loading. The same goes for Windows Update Troubleshooter.

As this is a fresh install I'm already in the thoughts of just formatting and reinstalling again. Do you think this would be the right thing to do, and if so should I be remaking the USB? (Either with MCT or ISO and Rufus?)

Thanks a lot for your reply, I'll await the next reply before proceeding.

 

Myself I would do the clean install and I would make it the extra clean version, that is I would delete all the existing partitions on my boot drive and let windows lay them down as it wants. Of course I don't know what is in your partitions so backups are in order.

The forum Clean install tutorial is very useful.

Clean Install Windows 10

Yes I would use the MCT to create the USB key. It formats it correctly, FAT32, and does all the work.

 

I've already formatted the partition (most of the disk) so there's nothing on the disk that needs backup. (Backups are on other drives already)
I did however not delete the partitions (I had 3. Main and 2 System Reserved)
Perhaps the issue is with the system reserved partitions?

I'll remake the USB using the MCT and try deleting all partitions and following the Clean Install guide you linked.

 

I think it's due to non-functioning component(s) Windows uses to communicate with MS servers (activation is a subset of that and will work if communication is restored)

Problem is .. I assume Error 0x80080005 (of unknown description - probably why the message "Something happened" was invented)

This may help... Windows Update Error 0x80080005 | Live Support for Microsoft Products

Note: Difficulty Very Hard Hmmm you don't say! LOL

...anyway maybe worth a try.

 

I've reinstalled once again and after some troubleshooting I figured out it was an old faulty drive (not the main drive) that somehow was interfering with windows being able to update properly.
I'm not entirely sure how that disk could be messing with, from what I could see, only windows update/activation and not other areas in Windows.

As far as I can tell things seem to be working.

Thank you both for your replies.

 

Thanx for the report back *Smile

Interesting solution to a vague problem... but an option for future such issues - marking the thread as solved will help with that *Wink