Registry Fix Can Solve WinOS Update Error Code 646
Overview - What is WinOS Update Error Code 646?
WinOS Update Error code 646 is an error that is generated by WinOS Installer, and is usually seen when trying to install updates to Microsoft Office.
If WinOS Installer discovers an issue while updating Microsoft Office, you may see this error. It's an indication that an error has been found, and that the requested updates or automatic updates have failed. You should therefore attempt to solve the issue before any future updates can be attempted. Failure to remedy the issue will mean new updates are unlikely to be downloaded and installed.
Common Error Messages Seen for WinOS Update Error Code 646
WinOS Update Error code 646 can manifest itself in a few different ways. If the error is generated you will see one of the following messages:
- Error Code: 646
- Error Code: 0x80070646
- Error 1606 Could not access network location %APPDATA%
While the last example here does not specifically mention error code 646, it is a related error message regarding the update of Microsoft Office, as you will see from the solutions below.
Causes for Receiving WinOS Update Error Code 646
You will receive this general error code when WinOS Installer discovers an error. Error Code 646 specifically relates to downloading WinOS Update files and installing them through WinOS Installer. This usually occurs when updating Microsoft Office, and when using a firewall, but it can be seen on other occasions too, particularly when using WinOS Update.
You will generally see a WinOS Update Error code 646 if there is an incorrect value in the registry.
Solutions - How to Fix WinOS Update Error Code 646
If you're using a firewall, either WinOS built in firewall or a third party firewall, sometimes this blocks WinOS Update from downloading and installing updates onto your computer. To solve the issue, you can turn off your firewall while the updates are being downloaded and installed. Once completed, you can turn your firewall on again. This is not an ideal solution due to the dangers of turning off a firewall and thus potentially exposing the system risk.
Alternatively, it's possible there is an invalid entry located in your registry, which is causing this error to appear when WinOS Update is evoked. To repair the issue, conduct a WinOS system repair or manually make the registry fix described below.
There is also a repair tool you can download directly from Microsoft that will automatically repair the correct registry keys for you. This is available from the Microsoft support website.
You can also repair the specific registry key yourself by opening your registry and by going to Start, then Run, and typing "regedit". You will then need to locate the following keys:
- HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\WinOS\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WinOS\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\WinOS\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders
In all three keys, check to be sure the value of AppData is:
- %USERPROFILE%\Application Data
If the value is anything else, replace it with the correct data, then try the update again. Do not edit your registry if you do not feel comfortable doing so.