7 Ways to Overcome Unspecified Error 0x80004005

Unspecified error 0x80004005 can strike at any time. But don't worry, because this is easy to fix. Unlike most other errors in Windows, error 0x80004005 is an “unspecified error. That is, it can be caused by a number of reasons.

The most common reasons for unspecified error 0x80004005 include Windows Update issues, corrupted files and folders, and errors extracting compressed files. Because of this, dealing with this error can be a little more complicated than usual, but one of these methods is sure to help. So, here's how to fix unspecified error 0x80004005 in Windows.

1. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

If error code 0x80004005 appears when you try to update your Windows PC, we recommend running the Windows Update Troubleshooter. This utility is competent enough to identify and fix common errors that may occur during updates. Follow these steps to launch the Windows Update Troubleshooter:

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then head to Update & Security.

2. In the navigation bar on the left, click Troubleshoot.

3. In the Troubleshoot window, click Additional troubleshooters.

4. Under Get up and running click Windows Update.

5. Click Run the troubleshooter.

Apart from that, users can also try other fixes for Windows Update. Like deleting files in the Windows Update folder. To do this, navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download and delete all contents of the folder.

After deleting the Windows Update files and running the troubleshooter, it's time to run Windows Update again.

1. Press Windows key + I to open Settings, then head to Update & Security.

2. Under Windows Update, click Check for updates.

3. If prompted, allow Windows to download and install updates.

2. Clean Boot Windows

Occasionally, third apps can interfere with Windows functionality. Since 0x80004005 is a widespread error, it's best to perform a clean boot to rule out third-party apps as the cause of the problem. To do so follow the steps below:

System Configuration

1. In the Start menu search bar, type sysconfig. From the search results, click System Configuration.

2. In the System Configuration window, navigate to the Services tab.

3. Check the Hide all Microsoft services box.

4. Now select all services in the list and click on Disable all.

5. Click OK and close System Configuration.

6. After this, press CTRL + Shift + Esc to launch Task Manager.

7. Click on the Startup tab.

8. Select each entry in the services list and click Disable. Unlike System Configuration, you have to disable services one by one.

9. Click OK and close Task Manager.

10. Restart your computer.

After booting, check to see if the error still occurs. If something triggers the error, try doing it again. If the error doesn't appear, uninstall recently installed apps or drivers.

3. Change Registry Entries

This fix is specifically for users who are getting error 0x80004005 when accessing shared files or folders. A few changes to the Windows 10 registry entries can get rid of error code 0x8004005.

Change Registry Entries

1. Press Windows key + R to launch the Run box. Type regedit in the text box and press Enter.

2. Navigate to the following location in Registry Editor: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

3. Right-click anywhere from the white area in the window. Go to New>QWORD (64-bit) Value. If you are using a 32-bit system, click DWORD (32-bit) Value.

4. Rename the newly created entry to LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy.

5. Double click on the entry and change the value data from 0 to 1.

6. Close Registry Editor and reboot your computer.

4. Uninstall Microsoft 6to4 Devices

Unexpectedly, Microsoft 6to4 network adapters are also known to cause this problem. In such a case, the user must remove all Microsoft 6to4 devices from the computer. You can do this by using the Device Manager.

Uninstall Microsoft 6to4 Devices

1. Press Windows key + R to open the Run box. Type devmgmt.msc in the text box and press Enter.

2. Since these devices are usually hidden, you will need to open View under the Device Manager title bar. Click Show hidden devices.

3. Navigate to Network adapters and expand the menu.

4. Right click on any Microsoft 6to4 Adapter and click Uninstall device.

5. When prompted, make sure to select Delete driver software for this device.

6. Close Device Manager and reboot the computer.

5. Use Third-party Archiving Software

If you see this error code when trying to extract compressed files using Windows Explorer, it might be time to switch to a third-party archiver utility. There are tons of options available out there, the popular being WinRAR, 7Zip, and WinZip. Third-party archiving software also helps extract password protected archives.

6. Re-Register Jscript.dll And Vbscript.dll

Another simple fix for error code 0x80004005 is to re-register the jscript.dll and vbscript.dll files. This can be done using Command Prompt:

Re-Register Jscript.dll And Vbscript.dll

1. In the Start menu search bar, enter cmd. From the search results, right-click on Command Prompt>Run as administrator.

2. In the console, type regsvr32 jscript.dll and press Enter.

3. After this, type regsvr32 vbscript.dll and press Enter.

4. Close Command Prompt and reboot the computer.

7. Run SFC To Check For Damaged System Files

Windows has many tools for diagnosing and fixing common errors. SFC (System File Checker) is one of them. It checks for missing or corrupted system files and fixes them. It's easy to use and can be run with simple Command Prompt commands.

Run SFC

1. Press Windows key + R to launch the Run box. In the text box, type cmd and press CTRL + Shift + Enter to launch Command Prompt as administrator.

2. In the Command Prompt console, type SFC /scannow and press Enter.

3. SFC will automatically scan and repair your system files.

4. Reboot the computer.

Conclusion

So that's how to solve the unspecified error code 0x80004005. One of the methods above will definitely get rid of the error 0x80004005 problem. However, users should try different fixes because the type of error that occurs can be caused by different things. Ideally, you should also try all the common troubleshooting methods besides the ones mentioned above.