Resolve 0x800A01AE Windows Update Error Message

The following error message may be displayed when you attempt to open the Windows update or Microsoft Update Web site on your Windows 2003 or Windows XP computer:

Error number: 0x800A01AE
The website has encountered a problem and cannot display the page you are trying to view.

Or, you may receive an error message with error code: 0x80070570.

Cause of the Error

These errors may occur if the Windows Update or Microsoft Update folder or files are corrupt on your system.

Resolution Method

You can resolve error “0x800A01AE” or error “0x080070570” by performing the following steps:

Step 1: Stop the Background Intelligent Transfer Service and the Automatic Updates service.

  1. Open Start menu, select Run, type CMD, and then press Enter.
  2. In the Command Prompt window that opens, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each of them:
    net stop wuauserv
    net stop bits
    exit

Step 2: Rename the Catroot2 Folder

Note: Do not perform this step on a Windows 2000 PC.

  1. Open Start menu, select Run, type CMD, and then press Enter.
  2. In the Command Prompt window that opens, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each of them:
    net stop cryptsvc
    ren %systemroot%\System32\Catroot2 oldcatroot2
    net start cryptsvc
    exit

Note: While running these commands, ensure that you rename only the Catroot2 folder and not the Catroot folder. This is essential because where “Catroot2” gets created automatically, the “Catroot” folder is not recreated if you rename it.

Step 3: Rename the SoftwareDistribution folder.

  1. Open Start menu, select Run, type %systemroot%, and then press Enter.
  2. Locate and right-click on the SoftwareDistribution folder, and then select Rename.
  3. Change the name to SoftwareDistribution.old, and then press Enter.

Step 4: Register the Windows Update and Microsoft Update Files

  1. Open Start menu, select Run, type CMD, and then press Enter.
  2. In the Command Prompt window that opens, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each of them:
    regsvr32 wuapi.dll
    regsvr32 wuaueng1.dll
    regsvr32 wuaueng.dll
    regsvr32 wucltui.dll
    regsvr32 wups2.dll
    regsvr32 wups.dll
    regsvr32 wuweb.dll

Step 5: Restart the Background Intelligent Transfer Service, the Automatic Updates service, and the Event Log service

  1. Open Start menu, select Run, type CMD, and then press Enter.
  2. In the Command Prompt window that opens, type the following commands, and then press Enter after each of them:
    net start bits
    net start wuauserv
    net start Eventlog
    exit

There are many reasons that may cause damage to the files and folders on your system. Some of the common reasons are: installation of faulty programs and device drivers, virus and spyware infections, and registry problems. This is the reason why it is recommended that to maintain a healthy system, you must be a vigilant user and do the following:

  • Avoid downloading games, programs and tools from Web sites that are not trustworthy.
  • Perform regular antivirus scans using a reliable tool, such as STOPzilla Antivirus.
  • Perform regular antispyware scan using a reliable tool, such as Spyware Cease.
  • Implement a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to your system.
  • Keep your operating system and device driver updated with the latest security releases and patches.
  • Perform regular registry cleanup using a reliable tool, such as RegServe.