On HP laptops, Windows Update does double duty: it delivers Windows patches and driver updates. The driver half is where things go wrong — an HP printer driver, Realtek audio driver, or Intel graphics driver downloads, attempts to install, and fails, sometimes on every single update cycle. The error codes (0x80070103, 0x800f020b, 0x80240061) are unhelpful, and retrying changes nothing.

The root cause is usually a mismatch between what Windows Update offers and what your HP actually needs. HP customizes drivers for its hardware; Windows Update may push a generic or older revision that the installer rejects, or an HP utility may lock the device while the update tries to replace its driver.

The fix strategy is simple: stop fighting Windows Update for drivers it cannot install, and get the right packages from HP directly. Below is the full sequence, from hiding the bad offer to clean-installing the HP-validated driver.

Why this happens

  • Generic vs. HP-customized driver mismatch: Windows Update offers a reference driver while the HP hardware expects HP’s customized package, so the installer aborts.
  • Already-newer driver installed: Error 0x80070103 means the offered driver is older than what is installed — Windows Update keeps offering it anyway.
  • HP utility locking the device: HP Support Assistant, HP Audio Switch, or similar tools can hold a device handle that blocks driver replacement.
  • Corrupt driver update cache: A half-downloaded driver package in the SoftwareDistribution cache fails hash verification on every retry.
  • Third-party driver updaters conflicting: Tools that install their own driver versions create version conflicts Windows Update cannot resolve.
  • Wrong driver for the hardware revision: HP ships multiple revisions of a model with different audio or network chips; the offered driver targets the other revision.
  • Pending reboot blocking installs: A previous update awaiting reboot can block all driver installs until the machine restarts.

How to fix it

Work through these in order — diagnose first, then act.

Fix 1: Reboot and retry once to clear transient blocks

A surprising number of driver update failures are just a pending reboot or a locked file. Rule that out in two minutes.

  1. Reboot the laptop cleanly — not sleep, a full restart.
  2. Run Windows Update once more and note exactly which driver fails and its error code.
  3. If the same driver fails again, continue — the problem is systemic, not transient.

Fix 2: Hide the failing driver update

If Windows Update keeps offering a driver your HP does not want, hide the offer so the error stops and the rest of updates flow.

  1. Download Microsoft’s ‘Show or hide updates’ troubleshooter package (wushowhide.diagcab).
  2. Run it, choose Hide updates, and select the failing driver.
  3. Run Windows Update again to confirm the error is gone.
  4. This is a workaround, not a fix — you still need the working driver from HP, covered next.

Fix 3: Install the driver from HP Support Assistant

HP’s own tool knows your exact model and revision, and its packages are validated against HP customizations.

  1. Open HP Support Assistant (preinstalled on most HP laptops) or download it from HP support .
  2. Run a check for updates and install the driver packages it offers — especially BIOS, chipset, graphics, and network.
  3. Reboot after installation and verify the device works in Device Manager.
  4. HP Support Assistant bypasses the Windows Update driver path entirely, which is why it succeeds where Windows Update failed.

Fix 4: Manually install the driver from HP’s support site

When Support Assistant is unavailable, the support site gives you the same validated packages directly.

  1. Go to HP’s support site , enter your exact model or serial number.
  2. Download the driver for the failing device — match the hardware revision if the site lists several.
  3. In Device Manager, right-click the device → Update driver → Browse my computer, and point at the downloaded package; or run the HP installer.
  4. Confirm the version in Device Manager → Properties → Driver tab.

Fix 5: Clean-reinstall a stubborn driver

A driver that is half-installed or corrupted needs removal before the good package will take.

  1. In Device Manager, right-click the failing device → Uninstall device, and tick ‘Attempt to remove the driver for this device’ if offered.
  2. Reboot — Windows will load a basic inbox driver.
  3. Install the HP package from Fix 3 or 4 on the clean slate.
  4. This resolves 0x800f020b-style failures where the old driver package was damaged.

Fix 6: Reset the update cache if downloads keep corrupting

When the driver package itself downloads damaged every time, clear the cache so Windows Update fetches a fresh copy.

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt; run net stop wuauserv and net stop bits.
  2. Rename C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution to SoftwareDistribution.old.
  3. Run net start wuauserv and net start bits, reboot, and retry.
  4. If driver updates fail across the board rather than for one device, the general step-by-step driver update guide covers the system-wide repair sequence.

Fix 7: Check the general Windows Update health

Sometimes the driver failure is a symptom of broken update components rather than a driver problem at all.

  1. Run the Windows Update troubleshooter: Settings → System → Troubleshoot → Other troubleshooters → Windows Update.
  2. If system-level update errors appear too, work through the update troubleshooter guide before returning to drivers.
  3. A healthy update client plus HP-sourced drivers is the combination that stays fixed.

Fix 8: Block Windows Update from re-offering the bad driver

Hiding a driver update is temporary — feature updates can unhide it, and the failure returns. Blocking driver offers at the policy level ends the cycle permanently while leaving Windows patches flowing normally.

  1. Press Win + R, type gpedit.msc (Pro/Enterprise) and go to Computer Configuration → Administrative Templates → Windows Components → Windows Update → Manage updates offered from Windows Update.
  2. Enable ‘Do not include drivers with Windows Updates’.
  3. On Home edition, set the registry instead: create DWORD ExcludeWUDriversInQualityUpdate = 1 under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate.
  4. Reboot and confirm no driver offers appear in Windows Update.
  5. Manage drivers exclusively through HP Support Assistant from now on — it will never offer you a mismatched package.

Closing

Driver updates failing on an HP laptop almost always comes down to Windows Update offering the wrong package for HP-customized hardware. Hide the bad offer, install HP-validated drivers from Support Assistant or HP’s support site, and clean-reinstall any driver that is stuck half-installed. Once the right packages are in place, the failures stop for good.

Frequently asked questions

Why do driver updates fail on HP laptops specifically?
HP laptops often carry HP-customized driver packages, and Windows Update sometimes offers a generic version that conflicts with the HP customization — or an HP utility holds the device busy. The result is a driver update that downloads but fails at install with codes like 0x80070103 or 0x800f020b.
Should I get drivers from Windows Update or HP?
For HP laptops, prefer HP’s support site for core drivers (BIOS, chipset, graphics, network). Windows Update is fine for peripherals and minor devices. When the two disagree, the HP package usually wins because it matches your exact model’s customizations. When in doubt, install the HP package and hide the Windows Update offer.
What does error 0x80070103 mean for a driver update?
It means Windows Update tried to install a driver that is older than, or identical to, the one already installed — or one that does not match the hardware. It is harmless but noisy; hiding that update or installing the HP version stops it.
Can HP Support Assistant fix failed driver updates?
Often yes. HP Support Assistant detects your exact model and installs HP-validated driver packages, bypassing the Windows Update driver path entirely. It is the fastest route when Windows Update’s driver offers keep failing. It resolves the model-matching problem that causes most of these failures in the first place.