How to fix catastrophic failure 0x8000ffff?

Whether you choose to upgrade to Windows 8 or Windows 10, you will be able to take advantage of superior features and advantages. You might still make mistakes both during and after the process, though. A message like “An unspecified error occurred during system restore” (0x8000fff)” can appear, for example.

Particularly when the words “catastrophic failure” appear in an error notice, it’s easy for us to become alarmed. Fortunately, there are various ways to solve this problem. We’ll show you how to resolve Error 0x8000ffff: Catastrophic Failure on your PC in 2018.

What Causes the Error Code 0X8000FFFF?

The error code 0x8000ffff appears on Windows for a number of reasons. Following are a few of the typical causes:

  • Registry data that has been tampered with by malware and viruses
  • system drivers that are out-of-date or broken
  • Inadvertently submitted computer settings
  • faulty software or program
  • Windows Update errors

How to Troubleshoot the Catastrophic Failure Error0x8000ffff

In 2018, there are numerous ways to resolve the error code 0x8000ffff. Some of the steps you can take are listed below:

1) Reviewing your operating system’s settings

The 0x8000ffff error typically manifests itself as a result of small issues with the system settings. They might have gone unnoticed when you upgraded your Windows 8 operating system. Therefore, it is crucial that you double-check the settings and ensure that the date and time numbers you supplied are accurate. Additionally, you need to run your computer’s anti-virus or anti-malware program. Allow it to check the entire system for mistakes and damaged files. Return to what you were doing before the error after completing these instructions. You can use this to assess whether the problem has been solved.

2) Making use of administrative rights

When you conduct a system restore without using the administrative access on your computer, the 0x8000ffff error also appears. It’s possible that certain system files won’t get overwritten when you use other accounts. You would then need to switch to the administrator account or use your computer’s administrative rights. The procedure is as follows:

  • Click Start, then click the user icon to switch to the administrator account.
  • From the pop-up menu, choose Sign Out.
  • Use the administrator account now.
  • Re-log in.

Click Start to start using administrative rights.

  • Enter “system restore” in the Search Programs and Files box (without quotes).
  • Click “Run as Administrator” from the context menu of System Restore.
  • obey the directions displayed on the screen.
  • To see if the problem has been fixed, return to what you were doing prior to the error.

3. Update the drivers.

When your computer has outdated, incompatible, or improperly configured drivers, a number of problems may appear. The error number 0x8000ffff is one of the Windows issues you could run into. As a result, you must examine each of the installed components. In accordance with the most recent manufacturer-recommended versions, examine and update outdated drivers. The procedure is as follows:

  • On your keyboard, press Windows + X.
  • Select Device Manager from the jump list.
  • Expand the device entries to find any that might have contributed to the issue.
  • Examine every injured driver. By right-clicking the device, you can find updated driver software.
  • The alternative would be to remove the driver and let your system reinstall it on its own.

4) Changing Windows Store settings

The Windows Store client may be the cause of the error code 0x8000ffff if you are running Windows 10. The procedure is as follows:

  • Press the search button.
  • Fill out the box with “PowerShell” (no quotes).
  • Run as Administrator can be chosen by right-clicking Windows PowerShell.
  • Paste the following text into the command prompt:
    unrestricted powershell-execution policy environment: SystemRootWinStoreAppxManifest.xml Add-AppxPackage-DisableDevelopmentMode
  • Restart your computer, then pick up where you left off before the mistake. Verify that the issue has been fixed.

5) Fixing Damaged Registry Files

You could experience the 0x8000ffff issue if your computer has corrupted or damaged registry files. By doing the actions listed below, you can clear out the Windows Registry:

  • Activate Windows by pressing R.
  • Enter “regedit” (without the quotation marks).
  • When you’re in the Registry Editor, follow these paths, if any are available:

LOCAL MACHINE COMPONENTS HKEY

AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving

LOCAL MACHINE COMPONENTS HKEY

NextQueueEntryIndex

LOCAL MACHINE COMPONENTS HKEY

PendingXmlIdentifier

  • Right-click AdvancedInstallersNeedResolving, NextQueueEntryIndex, and PendingXmlIdentifier one at a time in the details pane.
  • Select Delete to remove each one of them.
  • Restart your computer, then pick up where you left off before the mistake. Verify that the problem has been fixed.

Important Information: If you wrongly alter the Windows Registry files, serious issues might arise. Remember that this database belongs to a sensitive system. It is therefore essential to make a backup of your registry files before making any modifications. Utilizing one-click solutions like Auslogics Registry Cleaner is the safest approach. It’s not necessary to manually repair corrupt registry files. Such a tool makes it simple to fix the 0x8000ffff issue.

Setting Up a New Account
The error code 0x8000ffff can also be fixed by making a new user account. the following steps:

  • Enter the search field.
  • Input the command prompt (no quotes).
  • Run as Administrator can be chosen by right-clicking the Command Prompt.
  • Type “net user/add (your username) (your password)” and “net localgroup administrators (your username)/add” into the Command Prompt (no quotes).
  • Restart your computer to see whether the problem has been fixed.
  • Type “shutdown/l/f” into the Command Prompt when it opens (no quotes).


You will be logged out of your computer before it resumes. Resuming your previous activity after logging into the new account will fix error Catastrophic failure 0x8000ffff. Verify if the steps you took fixed the issue.