Can my ISP's DNS block Windows Update?

Unlikely, but try switching to public DNS (Google 8.8.8.8 or Cloudflare 1.1.1.1) to test.

What if my hosts file was modified by malware?

Run a full antivirus scan, then edit the hosts file to remove any entries blocking Microsoft domains.

Windows Update Error 0x8024402C — WU_E_PT_WINHTTP_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

Errorupdate

Overview

Windows Update error 0x8024402C means the update service cannot resolve the Windows Update server hostname, indicating DNS or network connectivity issues.

Key Details

Error 0x8024402C maps to WU_E_PT_WINHTTP_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED — DNS lookup failed
Windows Update cannot resolve Microsoft's update server hostnames
Common after changing DNS servers, VPN connections, or network configuration changes
Hosts file may contain entries blocking Microsoft update servers
Corporate proxy or firewall may be blocking DNS resolution

Common Causes

DNS server not resolving Microsoft hostnames (update.microsoft.com)
Hosts file containing entries that block update servers
VPN or proxy interfering with DNS resolution
Corrupted DNS client cache or resolver configuration
Firewall blocking outbound DNS queries (port 53)

Steps

1Flush DNS cache: ipconfig /flushdns from elevated Command Prompt
2Test DNS resolution: nslookup update.microsoft.com — should return an IP address
3Check hosts file: notepad C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts — remove any Microsoft-blocking entries
4Switch DNS servers: try Google (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) in network adapter settings
5Disconnect VPN and retry Windows Update