How to get rid of the error 0x80070426 on Windows 10?
When it comes to upgrading from an older version of the Windows operating system to Windows 10, Windows Defender takes the place of Microsoft Security Essentials, the previous built-in security tool. It is worth noting that a small percentage of all Windows 10 upgrades encounter issues. In some cases, users reported that Windows Defender had failed to start. The problem is usually accompanied by the Error Code 0x80070426.
If you are one of the few unlucky victims of this bug, do not despair yet because we’ve got you covered. In this post, we are going to share how to fix the Error 0x80070426 on Windows 10. Of course, we also want to free you from this curse forever. So, to prevent it from happening again, we will also discuss what causes the Windows Error Code 0x80070426.
What is the Error Code 0x80070426?
You may have noticed that when you upgraded to Windows 10, Windows Defender failed to replace Microsoft Security Essentials. Basically, the two antivirus programs are running on the new operating system.
Perhaps, you tried launching Windows Defender, but it failed to start. As such, you turned to Microsoft Security Essentials. However, when you opened it, you noticed that the Virus Protection and Spyware & Unwanted Software Protection features were disabled. So, you tried to switch them on. Unfortunately, a Microsoft Security Client dialog with the following error message showed up:
“An error has occurred in program initialization. If this problem continues, contact your System Administrator. Error Code: 0x80070426.”
To get rid of the Windows Defender Error 80070426, you need to uninstall Microsoft Security Essentials first. Once you’ve done that, you can follow our solutions below to get Windows Defender up and running.
Solution 1: Running an SFC Scan
It is likely that this error occurred during the upgrade process due to some problematic Windows system files in your computer. To determine if this is true, we recommend performing an SFC scan. Here are the steps:
dism. exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth
Note: If the error code appeared while you were upgrading, then instead of running the command above, you need to use your Windows installation media. After that, you must paste the text below on Command Prompt:
dism. exe /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth /source:[DRIVE]:\sources\sxs /limitaccess
Do not forget to replace [DRIVE] with the drive letter for your Windows installation media.
Solution 2: Checking if there are Software Conflicts
As we’ve mentioned, the Error Code 80070426 occurs due to software conflicts. So, to ensure that no other program will interfere with Windows Defender, you must perform a clean boot. Doing so will allow you to launch your operating system with only the essential programs, services, and drivers. This process will help you determine if there are other items coming in conflict with Windows Defender. Once you’re ready, just follow the instructions below:
After restarting your computer, check if the Error Code 0x80070426 is still there when you launch Windows Defender. If it isn’t, then you need to go back to the System Configuration window and enable a startup item. After that, restart your PC to see if the error is gone. Keep in mind that you need to perform this process for all the startup items until the Error Code 0x80070426 shows up again. Once you identify the culprit, you can disable it or remove it completely from your computer.
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Solution 3: Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter
As we’ve mentioned, the issue usually occurs because of problems during the upgrade process. So, to get rid of the Windows Defender Error 0x80070426, it is best that you run the built-in troubleshooter for updates. To do that, you need to follow the steps below:
Solution 4: Resetting the Windows Update Components
It is possible that some components of the updates were corrupted, prompting the Error 0x80070426 to appear. To resolve this problem, you simply need to reset all the services, folders, and files associated with Windows Update. Here are the instructions:
net stop bits
net stop wuauserv
net stop appidsvc
net stop cryptsvc
ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution. old
ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.old
net start bits
net start wuauserv
net start appidsvc
net start cryptsvc
Solution 5: Setting the Windows Update Services to Start Automatically
It is possible that the Windows Update services were not configured to start automatically, causing issues during the upgrade process. To fix this, you just have to follow the instructions below:
SC config bits start= auto
SC config cryptsvc start= auto
SC config trustedinstaller start= auto
SC config wuauserv start= auto
Note: Remember to press Enter on your keyboard after every line.
Solution 6: Updating Your Device Drivers
There can be conflicts during the upgrade process if you’re using the wrong or outdated device drivers. So, you need to ensure that there are no issues with your drivers in order to get rid of the Error 0x80070426 on Windows 10. The best way to do this is to use Auslogics Driver Updater. After your installing this tool, it will automatically recognize your processor type and operating system version. All you need to do is click a button, and the program will locate, download, and install the latest compatible drivers for your computer.
Pro Tip: To ensure that your PC will perform smoothly after the upgrade, we encourage you to install Auslogics BoostSpeed as well. The powerful cleaning module of this software will effectively sweep out all types of junk in your PC and other items that may affect its performance. After using this tool, you can expect most operations and processes to go at a faster pace.
Fix Error 0x80070426 for Microsoft Store and Windows Update
Since there are common services that support both Windows Updates and Microsoft Store, the solutions are similar too. We will be discussing the fixes for this error here.
Error 0x80070426 for Microsoft Store & Windows Update
1] Reset Microsoft Store
Wait for the process to complete and then try to install your App or Windows Update again.
2] Run Windows Update Troubleshooter
To run Windows Update Troubleshooter, start by opening the Settings app from the Start Menu and navigating to Update & Security > Troubleshooter.
Select Windows Update from the right-side panel and click on Run Troubleshooter.
Follow the on-screen instructions to troubleshoot the issue that you are facing.
3] Use System File Checker and DISM
Restart your system after the scan is completed.
You can also use our freeware FixWin to Run the System File Checker utility with a click.
Now, in order to fix Windows Update files using DISM, open Command Prompt (Admin) and enter the following three commands sequentially and one by one and hit Enter:
Let these DISM commands run and once done, restart your computer and try again.
4] Download the required update manually
5] Configure the Firewall or Antivirus
You can try to temporarily disable Windows Defender which is installed out of the box on your Windows 10 computer. You can also disable your Windows Firewall on your computer and check if that fixes the errors that you are encountering. If you are using 3rd-party security software, disable them and see.
6] Reset Windows Update components
To rename SoftwareDistribution & reset Catroot2 folders, start by hitting the WINKEY + X combinations and select Command Prompt (Admin) to launch Command Prompt with Administrator Privileges.
Now copy and paste the following commands one by one in the Command Prompt console and hit Enter.
This will stop all the Windows Update Services running on your Windows 10 PC.
After that, type in the following commands to rename the respective directories on your computer,
Finally, type in the following commands and hit Enter to restart the Services for Windows Update that we stopped earlier,
Close Command Prompt and reboot your computer and check if that fixes the error mentioned above.
7] Check Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant Service status
Deepak adds below in the comments:
Ensure that Microsoft Account Sign-in Assistant service is not disabled in Windows Service Manager. It should be set to Microsoft default which is Manual – and it should be started. If not click on the Start button.
Did these fixes help you?
NOTE: Please also check the suggestions by BLaCKnBLu3B3RRY and Deepak Mohapatra in the comments, below.
Read: If you encounter the same error for User Accounts, read our guide about it, Your Account Wasn’t Changed To This Microsoft Account, Code 0x80070426.
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Ayush has been a Windows enthusiast since the day he got his first PC with Windows 98SE. He is an active Windows Insider since Day 1 and is now a Windows Insider MVP. He has been testing pre-release services on his Windows 10 PC, Lumia, and Android devices.
https://www. auslogics. com/en/articles/fix-error-0x80070426-on-windows-10/
https://www. thewindowsclub. com/error-0x80070426-microsoft-store-windows-update