How to fix Windows Update error 0x80071ab1

What is error 0x80071ab1

0x80071ab1 (ERROR_LOG_GROWTH_FAILED) is a Windows error that makes its presence known after trying to install updates related to .NET Framework 3.5. It is known to occur on Windows 11 – a new OS edition released by Microsoft quite recently. Users may see this error abruptly at any point of update installation. Retrying to perform the process again is likely to keep resulting in exactly the same error with no further development. Alike many other issues of such nature, the 0x80071ab1 code can be caused by corrupted or missing system files, glitched or damaged Windows update components, and other system issues as well. Below, we shed some light on all potential reasons along with solutions for them. Follow carefully as some methods will require extra attention and dedication as well.

1. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

The first and possibly easiest way of getting around the issue is to use the in-built Windows Troubleshooter features. Windows 11 has inherited this ability to scan various sectors for potential issues and fix them immediately from previous generations of Windows. Make sure you try it as well before moving on to other solutions below.

1. Press Windows Key + I buttons together and navigate to System on the left pane.
2. Find and open Troubleshoot on the right. Then click Other troubleshooters.
3. Next to Windows Update on the right pane click Run and follow the on-screen instructions.

Windows will notify you if any issues have been addressed. Apply the found fixes and try to download and install the same update you faced problems with.

2. Check integrity of system files

We mentioned that missing or corrupted system files can be a reason why such errors occur. Thus, it would be a good idea to double-check your file system and make sure nothing is missing. We are going to use both SFC (System File Checker) and DISM (Deployment Image Servicing and Management) to check if such an issue exists. Both scans will help us detect and restore absent components if any. Make sure to use both of the scans as they can have different influences on the error solution. This is how:

Using SFC

1. Click on the search loop and type in Windows Terminal
2. Once found, right-click on it and choose Run as administrator. Agree with the action
3. Once the console is opened, type the sfc /scannow command and click Enter.
4. When the fixing process is done, restart your computer.

Using DISM

1. Open the same Windows Terminal we did above.
2. Copy and paste this command DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth.
3. Click Enter and wait until Windows ends the scanning and fixing.
4. Once done, restart your PC and install the update again.

After completing both of these scans, attempt to run the installation of updates again. If this does not pay off, move down to further solution alternatives down below.

3. Make sure the Windows Update service is running

To have the Windows Update center work properly, it is important to have its service enabled as well. We encourage you to check this using these couple of steps:

1. Press Windows Key + R buttons together and copy-paste services.msc.
2. Once opened, find and right-click on a service called Windows Update from the list. Choose Properties.
3. Then, next to Startup type, choose Automatic and click on Start afterwards. If you are unable to click on the button and everything is already set, this means the Windows Update service is running and does not need to be adjusted in any way.
4. Finally, click Apply and OK to save the given changes.
5. Restart your PC and check if something has changed in a better way.

4. Reset Windows Update components

If you continue facing the same 0x80071ab1 error despite trying the methods above, then restoring all Windows Update components from scratch could be a good option to try. Doing so will recreate updated components from scratch making sure none of them are damaged or bugged. The entire procedure involves restarting BITS, Cryptographic, MSI Installer, and Windows Update services as well as renaming some update folders (SoftwareDistribution and Catroot2). These folders contain temporary files necessary for implementing Windows Updates. Based on this, we will force Windows to delete corrupted elements and create update-related components again. To do this, follow the instructions below.

Using manual steps

Open Command Prompt by typing cmd into the search loop.
1. Right-click on Command Prompt and choose Run as administrator.
2. Copy-paste this list of commands one by one clicking Enter after each. (This action will disable services responsible for Windows Updates)

net stop bits
net stop wuauserv

3. After this, type in the following command and click Enter as well. It will delete qmgr*.dat files.

Del “%ALLUSERSPROFILE%Application DataMicrosoftNetworkDownloaderqmgr*.dat”

4. Then, we have to rename the above-mentioned folders. Simply paste these commands by clicking Enter after each.

ren %Systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore DataStore.old
ren %Systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution\Download Download.old
ren %Systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

5. Now insert and execute these commands below. They will reset both BITS and Windows Update services.

sc.exe sdset bits D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
sc.exe sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;PU)
cd /d %windir%\system32

6. Next, execute this list of commands one by one to reregister all important DLL files.

regsvr32.exe atl.dll
regsvr32.exe urlmon.dll
regsvr32.exe mshtml.dll
regsvr32.exe shdocvw.dll
regsvr32.exe browseui.dll
regsvr32.exe jscript.dll
regsvr32.exe vbscript.dll
regsvr32.exe scrrun.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml3.dll
regsvr32.exe msxml6.dll
regsvr32.exe actxprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe softpub.dll
regsvr32.exe wintrust.dll
regsvr32.exe dssenh.dll
regsvr32.exe rsaenh.dll
regsvr32.exe gpkcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe sccbase.dll
regsvr32.exe slbcsp.dll
regsvr32.exe cryptdlg.dll
regsvr32.exe oleaut32.dll
regsvr32.exe ole32.dll
regsvr32.exe shell32.dll
regsvr32.exe initpki.dll
regsvr32.exe wuapi.dll
regsvr32.exe wuaueng.dll
regsvr32.exe wuaueng1.dll
regsvr32.exe wucltui.dll
regsvr32.exe wups.dll
regsvr32.exe wups2.dll
regsvr32.exe wuweb.dll
regsvr32.exe qmgr.dll
regsvr32.exe qmgrprxy.dll
regsvr32.exe wucltux.dll
regsvr32.exe muweb.dll
regsvr32.exe wuwebv.dll

7. You should also perform a reset of Winstock, another crucial part of this process. Simply insert this command

netsh winsock reset

8. Finally, all left to do is to turn the disabled services back. So apply these commands likewise we did previously.

net start bits
net start wuauserv


9. Now we are all done with it. Go to the Windows Update center and try to perform the installation again.

5. Use Media Creation Tool

If there is still no ringing in favor of having the issue resolved, then we recommend you to try Media Creation Tool – a great Microsoft utility designed to obtain the latest available updates by circumventing traditional methods. If you are struggling to get a .NET 3.5 Framework update installed, then Media Creation Tool is one of those you should try. Follow the instructions below:

1. At first, you have to download the utility from the Microsoft website.
2. Then, execute the downloaded file.
3. After agreeing with the Terms of use, there will be two options to choose from. Select Upgrade this PC now.
4. Choose to Keep Personal Files to ensure they will be untouched.
5. Finally, launch the process and wait until it ends.
6. Hopefully, this method helped you combat the 0x80071ab1 error.

Summary

Usually, this is the main set of solutions everybody should try when facing errors like 0x80071ab1. We hope they helped you forget about the pain you suffered from being unable to feed your system with newly available updates. Should there be anything else you think we can help you with, search it up on our website to find the right article for other problems you are interested in. There is a plethora of content we create to keep our users updated and always satisfied with solutions.