What is WU-0x80244018?
WU-0x80244018 is a medium-severity Windows operating system problem. Connection to the Microsoft update servers is blocked, usually caused by custom proxy servers, custom firewall rules, or stale DNS resolver cache settings. The steps below are ordered to resolve this efficiently.
Common Causes
- Incorrect proxy configurations blocking the Windows Update client from accessing external hosts.
- Third-party firewall settings blocking outgoing connections on HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443.
- Stale DNS cache directing the update client to outdated Microsoft Update server IP addresses.
Step-by-Step Fix Guide
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1
Disable proxy server options under Windows Internet Settings and use direct connections.
If earlier steps didn't help, "Disable proxy server options under Windows Internet Settings and use direct connections." directly addresses incorrect proxy configurations blocking the Windows Update client from accessing external hosts.
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2
Reset the TCP/IP stack and flush the local DNS resolver cache to clear route blocks.
If earlier steps didn't help, "Reset the TCP/IP stack and flush the local DNS resolver cache to clear route blocks." directly addresses stale DNS cache directing the update client to outdated Microsoft Update server IP addresses.
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3
Temporarily disable custom third-party firewalls and use the default Windows Defender Firewall.
"Temporarily disable custom third-party firewalls and use the default Windows Defender Firewall." is worth trying when incorrect proxy configurations blocking the Windows Update client from accessing external hosts turns out to be the culprit.
Commands & Diagnostics
ipconfig /flushdns
netsh winhttp reset proxy
netsh int ip reset
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, incorrect proxy configurations blocking the Windows Update client from accessing external hosts is behind WU-0x80244018. Third-party firewall settings blocking outgoing connections on HTTP port 80 and HTTPS port 443 and stale DNS cache directing the update client to outdated Microsoft Update server IP addresses can trigger it too.
Try "Disable proxy server options under Windows Internet Settings and use direct connections" first — it resolves most WU-0x80244018 cases on its own. Only work through the rest of the guide above if it comes back.
WU-0x80244018 is a medium-severity issue. It can affect system stability, but the fix steps above typically resolve it without lasting damage.
Usually. WU-0x80244018 is fixable with the steps above; a full Windows reinstall is rarely necessary unless everything else has failed.
Sometimes. Microsoft regularly releases patches that fix known BSOD triggers including WU-0x80244018. Make sure Windows is fully up to date via Settings → Windows Update before attempting more advanced fixes.
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