Windows Update Error 0x8024A000 — UA_E_SELFUPDATE_VERSION_MISMATCH Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

Windows Update error 0x8024A000 means the Windows Update Agent — the software that manages updates — found a version mismatch when trying to update itself. Windows Update regularly updates its own agent software before downloading other updates. If this self-update process fails due to a version conflict, Windows Update cannot proceed. This is usually caused by corrupted update agent files or a stuck previous self-update attempt.

Affected Models

Windows 10
Windows 11
Windows 8.1

Common Causes

The Windows Update Agent files are corrupted or the wrong version
A previous Windows Update Agent self-update attempt was interrupted and left files in an inconsistent state
Windows system files used by the update agent are damaged
A group policy or registry setting is preventing the update agent from updating itself
Third-party software has locked or modified Windows Update Agent files

How to Fix It

Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter first. Go to Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters and click Run next to Windows Update. Restart after it completes.

The troubleshooter specifically checks for update agent version problems and can often repair the self-update process automatically.
Clear the Windows Update cache. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: net stop wuauserv — del /f /s /q C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\* — net start wuauserv — restart and try updating.

Clearing the entire SoftwareDistribution folder removes any stuck self-update files and lets the agent restart fresh.
Run DISM to repair Windows Update components. In Administrator Command Prompt: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth — wait for it to complete fully, then restart.

DISM repairs the component store that contains the Windows Update Agent files, which often resolves version mismatch problems.
Run System File Checker. In Administrator Command Prompt: sfc /scannow — restart after it completes.

Corrupted Windows Update Agent support files will be repaired automatically by SFC.
Re-register Windows Update DLL files. In Administrator Command Prompt, run each of these commands one at a time: regsvr32 wuapi.dll — regsvr32 wuaueng.dll — regsvr32 wucltui.dll — regsvr32 wups.dll — restart and try updating again.

Re-registering these DLL files refreshes the Windows Update Agent component registrations and can resolve version conflicts.

When to Call a Professional

This error is almost always fixable with the repair steps below. If DISM and the troubleshooter fail, a Windows repair install is the most reliable final fix.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Windows Update Agent?

The Windows Update Agent (WUA) is the software on your PC that communicates with Microsoft's update servers. It scans for available updates, downloads them, and coordinates installation. Before doing any of that work, it first checks whether its own software is up to date and updates itself if needed. If that self-update step fails — which is what this error reports — the entire update process stops.

Why would the update agent need to update itself?

Microsoft regularly improves the Windows Update Agent to add support for new update types, fix bugs, and improve security. The agent updates itself automatically before doing other work. This is similar to how an app store on a phone updates its own app before offering updates to other apps. When the self-update fails, it blocks everything that comes after it.

Nothing I have tried fixes this error. What next?

If DISM, SFC, and the troubleshooter all fail, perform a Windows repair install. Download the Windows Media Creation Tool from Microsoft, create a USB installer, boot from it, and choose to upgrade the existing installation. This replaces all Windows Update components with fresh, matched versions while keeping your personal files, apps, and settings.