12 Fixes For 0xC1900101 Driver Errors in Windows 10

0xC1900101 could seem terrifying and we understand why. It usually comes up while attempting to update or install updates for your Windows OS. This error is usually accompanied by the Blue Screen of Death and the following message:

Couldn’t update to Windows 10

Sorry, we couldn’t complete the update to Windows 10. We’ve restored your previous version of Windows to this PC.”

This error could come up in any of the following variations:

  • 0xC1900101 – 0x2000c
  • 0xC1900101 – 0x20017
  • 0xC1900101 – 0x30018
  • 0xC1900101 – 0x3000D
  • 0xC1900101 – 0x4000D
  • 0xC1900101 – 0x40017

There are many possible causes behind this error but it is usually due to a driver problem. Keep reading to find them out and know the different ways to fix the 0xC1900101 driver error!

Reasons Behind 0xc1900101 Windows 10 Error

There could be several reasons why you might be getting this error. From corrupt drivers to outdated drivers or system files, there are many possibilities. Given below are some of the most common reasons why you get the 0xC1900101 error:

  1. Corrupted system files in your Windows system
  2. False Windows system files due to an incomplete installation or uninstallation, or faulty deletion of some apps or hardware.
  3. Outdated drivers 
  4. Operating System is not compatible with the drivers
  5. Virus attack 
  6. External hardware is not compatible

How to Fix The Windows Update Error 0xC1900101: 12 Methods

1. Update or Uninstall Corrupt Drivers

The 0xc1900101 error can also occur if you try to update your operating system but the drivers are not updated. The upgraded operating system won’t be compatible with your outdated drivers. This error can also occur if you have corrupted or faulty drivers.

Given below are the steps you need to follow to update your driver or uninstall the device:

Step 1. Open the File Explorer and right-click on “This PC” to continue with the procedure.

Step 2. Click on Manage. Then, select the Device Manager option located under the System Tools.

device manager window

Step 3. Right-click on the disk device located under Disk Drives. Then, select Update driver or Uninstall device.

right-clicking disk driver and updating or uninstalling device

Step 4. Do the same with all the drivers and then, restart your computer to check if this error is gone or not.

2. Remove Third-party Antivirus Software

You may be getting the error 0xC1900101 because of your antivirus software or maybe some third-party antivirus software tool. So, you need to uninstall or disable your antivirus and install the update again to see if the error is gone or not. This can also occur if you use a non-Microsoft antivirus.

3. Unplug all Peripheral Devices

If you have too many peripheral devices plugged into your laptop or PC, then the Windows 10 OS may be trying to fetch the drivers for these devices. Multiple external drivers like printers, flash drives, digital cameras, DVDs, keyboards, etc. are notorious for causing errors. 

Moreover, some drivers of these external devices might not be compatible with your operating system. So, to solve this problem, you need to get rid of all those external devices that you are not using or are unnecessary. After that, restart your computer and check if this error reoccurs.

4. Run Windows Update Troubleshooter

If your computer has some hardware issues, then also the error 0xc1900101 can pop up. Run the Windows Update Troubleshooter to see if your hardware has some problems or not.

Step 1. Select Settings from the Start menu.

Step 2. Click on Update & Security located on the Settings page.

click on update and security

Step 3. Select Troubleshoot and click Hardware and Devices from the right-side panel.

Step 4. Click on Run the troubleshooter.

Now, your computer will start detecting problems. If any problems are found, they will be shown after the scanning procedure is finished. 

5. Perform “Check Disk” From The Command Prompt

Having a corrupted file system or certain bad sectors on your hard disk can lead to many errors like 0xc1900101. The Check Disk tool is a Windows 10 Snap in-tool that can scan the Windows file systems and fix the logically corrupted file systems (if any). Given below are the steps to do so:

Step 1. Type “cmd” in the Windows search bar and right-click on the Command Prompt option. Choose Run as administrator to continue with the process.

open command prompt

Step 2. In the command prompt window, type “chkdsk C:/f/r” and then, hit the Enter key. 

executing chkdsk command

Note: The “chkdsk” command might not run due to some other process running. You can schedule it for the next time your system starts by pressing the Y key.

Once done, restart your system and if the error 0xc1900101 hasn’t gone yet, that means it’s not due to any corrupted file system or faulty sectors of the disk.

6. Remove Additional RAM or Your Network Card

Sometimes the 0XC190010 errors can be caused by extra RAM. You should remove one RAM module and try installing the Windows update again. Some users have also reported that removing the network card has resolved the error.

7. Run An SFC Scan

The 0xC1900101 driver errors can occur due to corrupt system files. However, these can be fixed easily once you run the SFC scan.

Step 1. Go to the Windows search box and type in “cmd”

type cmd in the searchbox

Step 2. Click on “Run as administrator” under the Command Prompt menu.

right click on command prompt and choose run as administrator
allow command prompt to make changes

Step 3. Now, in the command prompt type “sfc/scannow” and press the Enter key. The scanning process will start now.

performing sfc scan

Wait for the SFC scan to finish and then, try performing the upgrade again.

8. Check Your Available Upgrade Space

Upgrading Windows 10 requires at least 32 GB of storage space. So, if you don’t have that much space available on your system, you might get the 0xC1900101 error code. You can resolve it by freeing some of the space on your hard drive and successfully installing this update. There are several ways to get this done. Given below are some of the same:

  1. Extending the system partition
  2. Deleting all temporary files and also the Windows old folder.
  3. Turning off the Hibernation mode
  4. Uninstalling all the useless applications on your computer.
  5. Changing the Virtual Memory size (if you have it)
  6. Migrating the entire OS to a larger hard drive or SSD.

9. Remove The Third-Party Applications

At times the third-party applications could interfere with the Windows upgrade and lead to 0xC1900101 error code appearing. Certain applications like Trusteer Rapport, Acronis True Image, etc. have been reported to cause this error. Remove the problematic app to resolve the problem.

10. Disable The LAN of Your BIOS

The error code 0xC1900101 might occur due to problems with your router or wireless adapter. However, at times this could also be due to your Ethernet adapter. So, you could try disabling the onboard LAN from BIOS. For this, just access your computer’s BIOS, then look for the Onboard LAN option to disable it. 

If you don’t know how to access BIOS, you can refer to your system’s motherboard manual. Once it is disabled, perform the Windows 10 update again.

11. Upgrading BIOS

If your BIOS is outdated, then you won’t be able to upgrade your Windows successfully. To get rid of the Windows update error 0xC1900101, you should try updating your computer’s BIOS. Think of this as one of the last resort because this is a difficult procedure and has a chance of damaging the computer. 

12. Resetting Your Computer

If none of the aforementioned methods solved the 0xc1900101 problem, then you probably need to reset your computer. Given below are the steps you need to follow to reset your system:

Step 1. Click on Update & Security from the Settings window.

Step 2. Select Recovery and then, click on Get Started from the right panel

Step 3. Choose one of the options: Keep my files or Remove Everything to reset your computer.

Step 4. Click on Reset.

Final Words

The 0xC1900101 error can be problematic as it won’t allow you to install important Windows updates. However, the above-mentioned solutions should help you fix this error.

Needless to say, there could be several reasons behind this problem but they are generally driver-related issues. Hopefully, one of the methods mentioned in this article will help you resolve it.