Update that will not load

[upset2025]

Hi  my computer is continually trying to load  Hewlett-Packard - USB - 1/16/2017 12:00:00 AM - 44.0.3748.1716.  As you can see this has been going on for some time. I have tried a dozen different ways to get rid of it. Including messing around in the registry. The error showing is Install error - 0x80070103. How do I get rid of it and have it stop trying to load on my computer?

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @upset2025,

Welcome to the HP Support Community! We're stoked to have you on board! 

To help us get started on resolving your issue, could you please share the model name of your device?

We're looking forward to helping you get back up and running! 

Best regards,

[upset2025]

HI Kuroi

I finally worked out how to sign in??   Ha!

Anyway, my computer is custom built. I have listed the computer hardware and Windows edition below.

I am not going to be available for a while. If you have an answer please forward it. If you require more info I will get you what I can and if it is computer specific I will get it to you when I able.

Thanks for helping out

upset2025

13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-13600KF 3.50 GHz

32.0 GB (31.8 GB usable)

64-bit operating system, x64-based processor

Gigabyte   B760M DS3H AX DDR4

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060

Windows 11 Home

24H2

Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.26100.54.0

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @upset2025,

The Install error - 0x80070103 typically occurs when Windows Update tries to install a driver that’s already installed or is not compatible with your system. Since it's an old Hewlett-Packard USB driver from 2017, you can stop Windows from trying to install it using the following steps:

 

Stop the Update from Installing

Hide the Update (Prevent Windows from Installing It)

Download Microsoft’s Show or Hide Updates Troubleshooter:

Download Link

Run the tool and select the HP USB driver update.

Choose Hide to stop Windows from attempting to install it again.

Remove Pending Windows Update Files

Press Win + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter.

Find the Windows Update service, right-click, and stop it.

Navigate to C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

Delete all files inside this folder.

Restart the Windows Update service.

Manually Remove the Faulty Driver (If Installed)

Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).

Expand Universal Serial Bus controllers.

Look for any HP-related USB driver, right-click, and choose Uninstall.

Restart your PC.

Block Driver Updates via Group Policy (Optional) If the update keeps coming back, you can block automatic driver updates:

Open Run (Win + R), type gpedit.msc, and hit Enter.

Navigate to:
Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update

Double-click Do not include drivers with Windows Updates.

Enable the setting and apply changes.

After doing these steps, Windows Update should stop trying to install the HP driver.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[upset2025]

Hi Kuroi

Sorry I am so long in answering but we were in the South Pacific for 6 weeks, we got home a week ago and I am finally getting to a few of the things that arose while we were away.

I tried the four ways you outlined below and that download is still there pending. Bah!

First the Show and Hide link leads to a 404 error which I believe means the service is discontinued. I think I have looked for it before and was not able to connect. 

Second, the Windows Update Service was not running when I found it in services.msc. So I went to the downloads in Windows Software\Distribution. There were two one SoftwareDistribution and SoftwareDistribution.old. I delete all under both. Then started the service. Still the pending HP download is still there.

Third, there are no HP products in Universal Serial Bus controllers in Device Manager.

Fourth, when I type gpedit.msc into run I get, Windows cannot find 'gpedit.msc'.

That pesky update is still there. 

Any more tricks we can try? 

Thanks for you help so far

Murray Sugden

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @upset2025,

Thank  you for the response.

Updated Steps to Remove the Stuck HP Update

Use PowerShell to Hide the Update

Since Microsoft has discontinued the "Show or Hide Updates" tool, we’ll use a PowerShell method:

Open PowerShell as Administrator.

Right-click the Start menu → Select Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Run this command to see all pending updates: Get-WindowsUpdate

If you see the HP update listed (or anything close to "Hewlett-Packard - USB - 1/16/2017"), run this command to hide it: 

Hide-WindowsUpdate -Title "Hewlett-Packard - USB - 1/16/2017" -Verbose

If the Hide-WindowsUpdate cmdlet doesn’t work, we can install the PSWindowsUpdate module first: 

Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate 

Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[upset2025]

Evenin Kuroi

I tried to run the command you sent. Copied and pasted it so I did not have a typo.

Here's the  message it returned. In red;  Get-WindowsUpdate : The term 'Get-WindowsUpdate' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again. 

There  is more but that should explain it.

I then tried to Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate. Sorry I closed Power Shell before I copied the message but basically it said I had to install something else in order to install the above. I said 'Y' and it came back with the path was untrustworthy and did I want to follow the path anyway. The default was 'N'. I didn't obey and used 'Y', trusting your suggestions. I then tried to Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate again. The message I got was, in short was the command was found in 'PSWindowsUpdate' but the module could not be loaded. For more info, run 'Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate'. I did this and the message is; Import-Module : File C\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Modules\PSWindowUpdate\2.2.1.5\PSWindowsUpdate. psm1 cannot be loaded because running scripts is disabled on this system. For more info, see_Execution_Policies at

https : go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=135170

After a bit of fooling about I managed to change the Execution Policy and I could run Get-WindowsUpdate. Low and behold The HP update was there. I ran it and it seems to have obeyed the command. I am about to shut off and restart the computer so I have to send this before I do so. 

Will update as soon as I return.

Murray

[upset2025 · Accepted solution]

HI again K

So it all seemed to go as planned. I shut down the computer and turned it back on AND the update still shows under Systems>Windows Update. Still there indicating Install error - 0x80070103.

On Power Shell before I hid it the HP update had its status as D. None of the others had anything under status.

Just before I typed 'Y' and "hid" the update it had two letters under status, D and H. I presume the H was to indicate hidden. 

I just brought up Power Shell again and the update is no longer showing. Nice to have it gone from the list but since it still shows in Systems it is not really hidden or deleted.

Where now?

I had such high hopes.

Murray

[Kuroi_Kenshi]

Hi @upset2025,

You're really persistent, and I admire that. 

Since you managed to use PowerShell to hide the update (great job getting past the execution policy wall!), but it still appears in Settings > Windows Update with the 0x80070103 error, that usually means it’s cached in Windows Update history, not pending install anymore, just lingering as a failed attempt.

Let’s clean that up and stop it from ever bothering you again. Here's what to do next:

Reset Windows Update Components

This clears the cache properly and removes stuck entries like the HP driver.

Open Command Prompt as Administrator

Press Win + S, type cmd, right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.

Run these commands one by one:

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

Reboot your computer.

This clears the Windows Update download cache and corrupt history that may still be referencing that HP driver.

Use DISM and SFC to Repair Update Corruption

Just to make sure your update system is healthy:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator again.

Run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

After it finishes (might take a while), run: sfc /scannow

Then reboot again.

 

Double-check the Hidden Update List

Just to confirm it's not going to return in the future:

Open PowerShell as Admin.

Run: Get-WindowsUpdate -IsHidden

You should see the HP USB driver listed here. If so, it’s safely blocked from reappearing.

If the update still shows after all this:

It’s not actually trying to install, it’s just stuck visually in the Update UI. You can ignore it safely, or go one step further and:

Block Driver Updates from Windows Updates altogether (especially useful for custom-built PCs):

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, press Enter.

Go to Hardware tab → Device Installation Settings.

Choose No (your device might not work as expected) → Save Changes.

I hope this helps.

I'm glad I could help! 😊 If this resolved your issue, please mark it as "Accepted Solution" and click "Yes" on "Was this reply helpful?" Your feedback not only keeps us going but also helps others find the solution faster! 👍✨

Take care and have an amazing day ahead! 🚀

Best regards,

[upset2025]

Hi Kuroi

Surprise, surprise. I get on my computer this morning and have not checked Settings>Windows Update since I tried the procedures in your last email and things worked out but the pesky item was still in Settings>Windows Update. Today I open your email and I am about to start the process you outline. Trying to figure out how to 'Reset Windows Update Components", I opened Setting>Windows Update and low and behold the HP update is not showing. I don't know what time has to do with it is but gone, fineto, no more. At least for the time being. 

Thanks so much for you help and I will mark you second last email as the accepted solution.

Have a great week and I hope I have future opportunities to work with you. You are as persistent as I am.

Murray