[FIX] Windows 10 Failed to Install due to Error Code 80240020

This error happens usually when your download of Windows 10 was not complete and setup still tried to do the upgrade to windows 10. Another possibility is either your Widows 10 installation folder is unfinished or corrupted. Now, the fix is just of few steps and you’ll be good to go again in installing Windows 10.

How to Fix Windows 10 Failed to Install due to Error Code 80240020

Here are the steps to fix this issue:

• Open “Run” command box and copy this path “C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download” into it and hit Enter.

• Now, if you see any content in that folder, delete all of it.

• Now open “command prompt” as administrator and type in:

and hit Enter.

• Open “Control Panel” now and “Windows Update” and you should see that Windows 10 should be re-downloading from scratch and just hope that this time, it may get downloaded properly as a complete package.

Please note, that you don’t have to delete the “Download” folder, rather you need to delete content in it. This solution also fix the issue caused by errors 80040020 and 80080080 and 8024600A.  Usually this error is common with Windows 8.1 users but for those who are using Windows 7, this solution applies for you too as well. If still, this fix don’t work for you, just be patient, as windows update takes time to download the upgrades in the background as you were already using the computer too with your daily tasks.

Also windows updates takes time in differentiating between Windows 7 or 8.1 for the upgrade, hence it takes time to download the correct upgrade for your current operating system.

If still out of luck, chances are that your windows update tool got corrupted resulting in malfunctioning of security settings and background processes which are required to complete the installation of windows 10. So, repairing windows update tool procedure is as follows:

Fix for Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2012 R2 or Windows Server 2012

Solution 1

• Open Command Prompt with administrator access and run following command:

Usually this tool uses windows update only to restore the files which could have corrupted in the process. But if your Windows update tool is already not working, then you need to use another source of Windows installation as the repair source like from a network share or from a removable media like Windows DVD or Bootable pen drive. Then for running same command, format would be:

Please note, that here C:\RepairSource\Windows path is the location of your repair source. You can refer this page at technet for some information regarding this.

• Once you’re done running the command, close the command prompt and run Windows Update again.

Usually DISM creates a log file at path (%windir%/Logs/CBS/CBS.log), where you can check if tool was able to find the issue and fix it. Copy above path in “Run” command to open it.

Fix for Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008

To solve the issue, rather than using the DISM tool, you need to use System Update Readiness tool. Then, you’ll be required to install windows update or service pack again of your respective operating system.

Here’s the table for respective windows editions for downloading System Update Readiness tool:

Operating system	Download link
x86-based (32-bit) versions of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7	Download
x64-based (64-bit) versions of Windows 7 SP1 and Windows 7	Download
x64-based (64-bit) versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Download
Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1	Download
x86-based (32-bit) versions of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Vista SP1	Download
x64-based (64-bit) versions of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Vista SP1	Download
x86-based (32-bit) versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2	Download
x64-based (64-bit) versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2	Download
Itanium-based versions of Windows Server 2008 SP2	Download

Now download, install and run the tool. What System Update Readiness Tool do is, it verifies the integrity of following resources:

• Files that are located in the following directories:
  • %SYSTEMROOT%\Servicing\Packages
  • %SYSTEMROOT%\WinSxS\Manifests
• Registry data that is located under the following registry subkeys:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Components
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Schema
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Component Based Servicing

This tool creates a log file which can be checked from following path:

• %SYSTEMROOT%\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.log
• %SYSTEMROOT%\Logs\CBS\CheckSUR.persist.log

If System Update Readiness Tool find any errors and update log in CheckSUR.log, then since this tool can only find errors, but cannot fix it, you need to follow following steps to fix the issue of windows update:

• Open the log file i.e. CheckSUR.log

• Now, you’ll need to identify the package which tool is not able to fix. Summary in log file shall be something like below:

As you can see, package KB958690 is corrupted, so we need to find that package and download it. You can download this package from Microsoft update catalog or Microsoft Download Center. After downloading the package, copy that package (.msu file) to:

If by default, directory doesn’t exist, create one and copy the package in it. Now, rerun the System Update Readiness Tool to check if the issue he find got fixed or not.

Solution 2

There is a registry fix too for this Error Code 80240020. This fix has been tried for Windows 8.1 users. Windows 7 users can try their luck.

• It should exist, but if not, create it.

• Locate the registry key

• Create a new DWORD (32-bit) Value with Name = “AllowOSUpgrade” (without the quotes), and set the Value = 0x00000001.

Once you modify the registry, close it. Open Control pane > Windows Update > Check for Updates.

Solution 3

This method is a bit tricky, as it requires you to move files from one path to other:

• Copy folder from C:\$Windows.~BT to D:\win10install\$Windows.~BT
• Unhide the $Windows.~BT in D:
• Open Command Prompt, and navigate to D:\win10install\$Windows.~BT path.
• Now run following commands:

Now you should get the windows with install button. It might be unresponsive in start, so leave it for some, and let it work in background. It might can take an hour to response. If still you don’t see any update, navigate in command prompt to

path again and run following commands:

And keep fingers crossed that this time, this method should work.