The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or has no enabled devices
What 0x80070422 Means
The 0x80070422 error on the Windows System-Errors indicates the service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or has no enabled devices. This typically occurs due to windows update service is manually set to 'disabled'.
The 0x80070422 error is a direct signal from the Service Control Manager. It means a process tried to start a service that is currently flagged as disabled, preventing it from ever entering a running state.
Technical Background
Windows services have start types: Automatic, Manual, and Disabled. If a service is 'Disabled', even an explicit command from an administrator or the system itself will fail with 0x80070422.
This error often arises after 'debloating' scripts or optimization utilities are run. These tools frequently disable services to minimize background activity, which can inadvertently break core OS features like the Microsoft Store or Windows Update.
Restoring the service to a 'Manual' or 'Automatic' state is the only way to resolve this specific code, as it reflects a deliberate configuration state rather than a software crash.
Common Causes
- Windows Update service is manually set to 'Disabled'
- Required dependency services are not running
- System optimization tools or malware have turned off core services
Typical Scenarios
- A user tries to check for updates but has previously disabled the 'Windows Update' service to save resources
- A background task fails because the 'Background Intelligent Transfer Service' (BITS) is disabled
What to Know
Open the Services management console (services.msc) and ensure that 'Windows Update', 'BITS', and 'Cryptographic Services' are not set to 'Disabled'. Setting them to 'Manual' allows the system to start them as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Windows 0x80070422 error
A required service (usually Windows Update) is disabled in your settings. You need to enable it before the computer can perform that task.