Removing Software Distribution and Catroot2 in Windows 11/ 10 very often helps solve errors with updates in “Windows Update”.
Both folders contain files for installing Windows updates and, if the files in these folders are damaged, there will be errors like 0x80070643 when installing updates.
Software Distribution – The folder contains the necessary temporary files for installing Windows 11/10 updates.
Catroot2 – The folder contains signatures for windows 11/10 updates that the encryption service needs to update.
This instruction tells you how to delete the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders themselves in Windows 11/10, how to delete their contents and how to rename them by creating new folders.
How to delete the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders
Delete the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders by renaming them and automatically creating new ones. To do this, run the command prompt as administrator and enter the commands below in order:
- net stop bits
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop cryptsvc
- net stop msiserver
- ren %systemroot%\softwaredistribution softwaredistribution.mwp
- ren %systemroot%\system32\catroot2 catroot2.mwp
- net start bits
- net start wuauserv
- net start cryptSvc
- net start msiserver
Restart your PC.
How to delete the contents of the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders
To delete all or all of the contents of the Software Distribution and Catroot2 folders in Windows 11/10, run Command Prompt as an administrator and enter the commands below:
- net stop bits
- net stop wuauserv
- net stop cryptsvc
- net stop msiserver
Navigate to the path and delete the necessary or all files, then enter the commands below: C:\Windows\System32\SoftwareDistribution and C:\Windows\System32\catroot2
- net start bits
- net start wuauserv
- net start cryptSvc
- net start msiserver
Restart your PC.
