Unable to Rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution? Fix It in 4 Ways!

Unable to Rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution

When you have trouble updating your Windows 10/11, it’s a good option to delete or rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution. The former stores the signature data for Windows updates and the latter serves as a temporary repository of the update files. By resetting them, it will remove the corrupted data and then rebuild them. However, some of you might fail to rename the two folders. When you are unable to rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution, the following factors might be blamed:

• Related services are not stopped.
• The 2 folders are hidden or open in another program currently.
• You have no permission to rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution.

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Solution 1: Stop Windows Update-Related Services via CMD

Before renaming these files, please disable related services to ensure they are not utilizing files in them. Otherwise, you will fail to rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution. Here’s how to stop these services via Command Prompt:

Step 1. Press Win + R to open the Run box.

Step 2. Type cmd and hit Ctrl + Shift + Enter to launch Command Prompt with administrative rights.

Step 3. Type net stop wuauserv and hit Enter to stop Windows Update Service.

Input net stop cryptsvc and hit Enter to stop Cryptographic Service.

Type net stop bits and hit Enter to stop Background Intelligence Transfer Service.

Type net stop msiserver to stop Windows Installer Service.

Solution 2: Stop Windows Update-Related Services via Services

If you are not familiar with Command Prompt or afraid of running wrong commands, you can try stopping these services manually. To do so:

Step 1. Right-click on the Start menu and select Run.

Step 2. Type services.msc and hit Enter.

Step 3. In the service list, right-click on the following services and then select Stop from the drop-down menu.

• Windows Update
• Windows Installer
• Cryptographic Services
• Background Intelligence Transfer Service

Solution 3: Make the 2 Folders Visible

Some files in the System32 folder are protected by the operating system to prevent accidental deletion or modification, so you can’t rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution. To show these hidden files, you can modify your folder settings. Follow these steps:

Step 1. Press Win + E to open File Explorer.

Step 2. Go to the View section and check Hidden items.

Step 3. Locate Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution to rename them again.

Solution 4: Grant the Permission

There is a possibility that you don’t have the permission to rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution. As a result, you can grant full access to the two folders. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1. Locate the catroot2 folder in File Explorer and right-click on it to choose Properties.

Step 2. In the Security tab, click on Advanced.

Step 3. On the right side of Owner, hit Change.

Step 4. Type the object name, hit Check Names, and then tap on OK to save the change.

Step 5. Repeat these steps to the SoftwareDistribution folder.

Final Words

That’s an end for unable to rename Catroot2 and SoftwareDistribution. Hopefully, after applying one of these solutions above, you can fix Windows update errors and optimize your system performance. Appreciate your time!