To clear the contents of the software distribution folder and resolve any issues with it, you can use the following steps: Open the Start menu and type "cmd" into the search box. Right-click on the "Command Prompt" option in the list of results and select the "Run as administrator" option. In the Command Prompt window, type the following commands, pressing Enter after each one: net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bits net stop msiserver ren C:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:\\Windows\\System32\\catroot2 catroot2.old net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver Close the Command Prompt window and try running the Windows Update again to see if the error has been resolved.