Resolving the KB5019980 or KB5020622 Update Not Installing or Downloading on Your Windows 11 Machine

We‘ve all been there. You excitedly install the latest big Windows 11 update, hoping it‘ll fix some nagging issues and make your PC run faster than ever. But after waiting impatiently through multiple reboots, you discover the update just won‘t install properly on your machine.

Frustrating right? Many Windows 11 users have reported this exact issue with two recent cumulative updates – KB5019980 and KB5020622.

In this epic troubleshooting guide, I‘ll walk you through every method I‘ve picked up for getting these stubborn updates to finally install, drawing from my many years as an IT pro and tech enthusiast.

We‘ll start by demystifying what‘s in these updates, then systematically tackle each fix – from quick automated tools to getting your hands dirty under the Windows hood.

Grab a caffeinated beverage my friend – we have meticulous work ahead of us!

What Do the KB5019980 and KB5020622 Updates Do?

Before fixing something, it helps to understand what it‘s supposed to do. Let‘s quickly recap what‘s included in these problematic updates:

KB5019980

This cumulative monthly patch for Windows 11 was released on November 8, 2022. Key highlights:

• Squashes pesky Taskbar bugs: Fixes issues with Taskbar pinned app flyouts and missing Task Manager data

• Bolsters security: Closes vulnerabilities across Windows components like the App Platform, Windows Fundamentals, Active Directory, and more.

• Other improvements: Addresses problems impacting search, Event Viewer, Windows Sandbox, going back to earlier October and September patches.

This update is a grab bag of critical bug fixes and security patches. Microsoft has issued several versions as they iron out issues.

KB5020622

Released alongside KB5019980 on November 8, 2022. This update:

• Plugs security vulnerability: Resolves a nasty flaw allowing incorrect data retrieval in the SqlClient data provider libraries under high load scenarios.

• Protects SQL connections: Avoids data corruption and crashes when querying SQL Server from .NET apps using SqlClient APIs.

So in summary, one update addresses multiple reliability issues including Taskbar glitches, while the other secures SQL data access from .NET code.

Why Are These Updates Failing to Install?

Before we dig into solutions, let‘s go over what might cause these critical updates to fail installation on your system:

• Pending restart: Updates often require a restart. Postponing restart can lead to failure.

• Disk errors: Bad sectors or file system corruption can block installs.

• Windows Update services stopped: Background services may be disabled or encounters issues.

• Driver conflicts: Outdated or problematic drivers can interfere with installs.

• Storage space: Updates require free space to download and extract temporary files.

• Software conflicts: Some apps like old antivirus or tools may block changes.

• System file corruption: Damaged Windows system files, registry issues or malware.

• Hardware problems: Faulty RAM, storage or components lead to crashes and failures.

• Microsoft server issues: High demand and temporary glitches can also occur on Microsoft‘s side.

Now let‘s get straight into the fixes! We‘ll start easy and get more technical as we go along.

Fix #1: Run the Built-in Windows Update Troubleshooter

The Windows Update Troubleshooter is like an automated doctor for common Windows Update issues. It‘s quick, doesn‘t require technical knowledge, and may solve the underlying problem – so it‘s a great first step.

Here‘s how to run it:

1. Open the Settings app, and go to System > Troubleshoot.

2. Under Other troubleshooters, select Windows Update > Run the troubleshooter as shown below:

3. Wait as the tool diagnoses issues and attempts repairs. It may prompt you to restart if needed.

4. After completing, try installing the updates again from Windows Update.

The Windows Update Troubleshooter will fix common issues like service problems or system corruption blocking updates. Fingers crossed this quick fix does the job!

Fix #2: Restart the Windows Update Services

The Windows Update and Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) are what powers the mechanics of downloading and installing updates in the background.

If these crucial services encounter issues or stop unexpectedly, your updates can fail. Let‘s restart them and get them back up running optimally:

1. Press Win + R to open the Run dialog, type services.msc and press Enter.

2. In Services, scroll down and locate the Windows Update service. Right-click it and select Restart as shown:

3. Also restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service the same way.

4. For both services, check they are set to Startup type: Automatic.

5. Restart your PC after restarting the services.

This should kickstart the Windows Update services, resolving any temporary glitches. Go ahead and run Windows Update again after restarting.

Fix #3: Trigger an Update Install with the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

Manually triggering an update installation using the official Windows 11 Installation Assistant may help bypass any blocks or issues contacting the Microsoft servers.

Follow these steps:

1. Visit https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

2. Under Windows 11 Installation Assistant, click Download now.

3. When downloaded, run the Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe file.

4. Accept the license terms, select your language, time format.

5. On the Get going screen, the Installation Assistant will download and install available updates.

The Installation Assistant will directly pull down and install recent cumulative updates like KB5019980 and KB5020622, updating your OS builds. Give it a shot and see if it has better luck than Windows Update!

Fix #4: Manually Download and Install the Latest Update Versions

Rather than relying on Microsoft‘s servers to provide the updates, you can grab the latest versions straight from the Microsoft Update Catalog website and manually install them.

Follow these steps:

1. Visit https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com

2. Search for KB5019980 and KB5020622 to locate the updates.

3. Select Download next to the latest version of each update as shown:

4. Once downloaded, double-click each .msu file and select Install to initiate the installation.

Grabbing the files directly allows you to officially update Windows without issues contacting Microsoft servers.

Fix #5: Reset Windows Update Components

Resetting and clearing out the Windows Update components can fix corrupted data that may be tripping up the installation. This technique flushes out any gremlins.

Caution: This will reset Windows Update settings and components.

1. Create a text file named WuReset.bat and copy-paste the following scripts:

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

2. Save this batch file to your desktop. Right-click it and Run as administrator. This will stop services, rename folders and restart the services.

3. Next, open an elevated Command Prompt. Copy-paste and run the following commands:

DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth 
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

4. Finally run sfc /scannow to scan and repair system files.

5. Restart your machine when done.

These steps will flush out corrupt data that could be blocking updates, and scan and repair damaged system files.

Fix #6: Perform an In-Place Upgrade with the Media Creation Tool

If you‘re still battling update installation failures after trying the above fixes, the Windows 11 Media Creation tool can perform an in-place upgrade install to refresh system files, settings and configuration.

Follow these steps to run it:

1. Visit https://www.microsoft.com/software-download/windows11

2. Under Create Windows 11 installation media, click Download now.

3. Open the downloaded MediaCreationTool.exe file. Accept the terms and select Upgrade this PC now.

4. The tool will download Windows 11 installation files and perform an in-place upgrade. Follow the prompts to complete the process.

This will reinstall Windows 11 keeping your data and apps. But the process often resolves many system issues, updates drivers, fixes damaged OS files, and installs the latest cumulative updates.

Comparing the Pros and Cons of Each Fix

Now that we‘ve covered a range of troubleshooting techniques, let‘s recap the key advantages and disadvantages of each approach:

Fix	Pros	Cons
Windows Update Troubleshooter	Quick and automatic	Limited in scope
Restart Windows Update Services	Simple, addresses service issues	Doesn‘t fix root causes
Windows 11 Installation Assistant	Quickly updates system	Requires time for multiple reboots
Manual update install	Avoids issues contacting MS servers	Time consuming to download updates
Reset Windows Update Components	Comprehensive	Very time intensive
In-place upgrade	Extensive repairs and updates	Lengthy process, risks data loss

As you can see, the trade-offs are around convenience, risk and effectiveness. Start with the gentlest options and progress down the list until our stubborn updates acquiesce!

Preventing Windows Update Woes Before They Happen

After finally getting these tricky updates installed, let‘s talk about avoiding Windows Update issues in the future:

• Restart don‘t postpone: Always restart when prompted after updates.

• Update drivers/firmware: Keep hardware drivers and firmware up-to-date.

• Check compatibility: Ensure antivirus tools or other software play nice with updates.

• Regular maintenance: Perform occasional DISM and SFC scans to fix corruption.

• Free up storage: Delete temporary files and move data to make space.

• Back up first: Have backups in case something goes wrong.

Following best practices will have you sailing smoothly through future Windows updates.

Summing Up This Windows Update Odyssey

Few things are as frustrating as eagerly installing the latest Windows update, only to bang your head against the desk as it fails repeatedly.

To recap, we took an epic troubleshooting journey to resolve KB5019980 and KB5020622 not installing, walking through every fix in the book from quick automated tools to in-depth system repairs:

• Windows Update Troubleshooter – Quickly diagnoses and repairs common issues
• Restart Windows Update services – Kickstarts the installation services
• Windows 11 Installation Assistant – Manually triggers update install
• Microsoft Update Catalog – Downloads the latest updates directly
• Reset Windows Update components – Flushes out corrupt data
• In-place upgrade – Comprehensive file and settings refresh

I hope this guide served as a comprehensive troubleshooting bag of tricks empowering you to finally vanquish those update gremlins once and for all!

Let me know in the comments below if you ran into any other issues getting these updates installed. I‘m always happy to provide more tech support tips and lend a helping hand.

Now get out there and enjoy your freshly updated Windows 11 machine my friend! Here‘s to smooth sailing ahead.