Windows System Errors
Windows 0x80070490 Element Not Found
Element Not Found — Windows could not locate a required servicing component
What 0x80070490 Means
The 0x80070490 error on the Windows System Errors indicates element not found — windows could not locate a required servicing component. This typically occurs due to component store records for the update target are missing.
Error 0x80070490 means Windows looked for a specific servicing element and did not find it where expected. In update and repair scenarios, that often points to missing package metadata, broken component references, or a store state that no longer maps correctly to the requested operation.
Technical Background
The important signal in 0x80070490 is absence. Windows is not reporting a slow server or invalid HTTP response. It is reporting that a required element in the servicing path is missing or cannot be located by the current metadata map.
That makes it close to 0x80073712 and 0x8007000D but not identical. Corruption implies inconsistency, while invalid data implies unreadable content. 0x80070490 is more specifically about a servicing element that Windows expected to find and could not locate.
Common Causes
- Component store records for the update target are missing
- Servicing manifests or package references are broken
- Store metadata mismatched after an interrupted repair or update
Typical Scenarios
- A cumulative update fails after the component store loses package references from an earlier interruption
- A Microsoft Store or built-in app repair depends on a servicing element Windows cannot find
- An upgrade preparation step reads a component entry that is no longer present
What to Know
A repeating 0x80070490 usually points to servicing metadata or component-store state rather than a temporary network condition. When update scans succeed but installs or repairs fail on the same missing element pattern, the problem is often inside the store's package map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Windows 0x80070490 error
Often yes. It frequently appears when Windows cannot locate a servicing element that should exist inside the component or package store used by updates and repairs.
0x80070490 is more about a missing servicing element. 0x8007000D is more about data that exists but fails validation or parsing.