Software Center error 0x80080005 (shown as -2146959355 in some places), or Software Center hanging on “Loading…”, does not just mean a user interface problem in the Configuration Manager client. I check client registration, blocked client status, WMI and CcmExec, and Management Point communication separately.
Symptom
There is a problem showing the current status. Software Center cannot get the current status for some of the software. Error code 0x80080005.
What does 0x80080005 mean?
0x80080005 is the Windows code CO_E_SERVER_EXEC_FAILURE (“Server execution failed”): a COM server could not be started or did not respond in time. Software Center reaches the client components (CcmExec and WMI) through this layer, so the error usually comes from the client’s background components rather than from the user interface. In some screens and logs the same code appears in decimal form as -2146959355.
1. Check the CcmExec service
Get-Service CcmExecIf the SMS Agent Host service is not running, client functions are affected. Instead of just restarting the service and watching the result for a while, find out from the logs why it stopped.
2. Check whether the client is blocked
In the Configuration Manager console, check whether the device or client record is in the Blocked state. If it is, confirm why it was blocked, then unblock it through the proper management process.
A blocked client is one possible cause of this error; do not automatically attribute every 0x80080005 to it.
3. Client registration and identity logs
ClientIDManagerStartup.log: registration and client identityCcmMessaging.log: client messagingLocationServices.log: site and Management Point discoverySCClient.log: Software Center behaviour
4. Verify Management Point communication
If the client cannot discover its site or Management Point, fix the communication layer before you focus on the Software Center symptom. Check DNS, Boundaries and Management Point selection together.
5. If there is a client health problem
If Configuration Manager does not appear in Control Panel, CcmExec is unhealthy or registration does not complete, move on to SCCM client health troubleshooting. Use a client repair or reinstall only when the logs justify it, not as a first reflex.
6. Check WMI and the client classes
Software Center reads client information through WMI. First confirm that the Configuration Manager client’s WMI class is accessible:
Get-CimInstance -Namespace root\ccm -ClassName SMS_Client | Select-Object ClientVersionIf the command fails, check the consistency of the WMI repository:
winmgmt /verifyrepositoryIf the output shows that the repository is inconsistent, a repair can be planned. However, commands such as winmgmt /resetrepository rebuild the repository and can affect the WMI registrations of other applications on the machine; use them only after reviewing the logs and assessing the impact, not as a first step.
7. After unblocking the client
In the console, add the Blocked column to Assets and Compliance → Devices to see blocked devices. A device can be blocked after a reinstall, because of a duplicate record or for security reasons. After confirming the reason, right-click the device, choose Unblock, and follow the client’s re-registration in ClientIDManagerStartup.log.
8. Repair or reinstall?
If the logs show damaged client components, try a repair first:
C:\Windows\CCM\ccmrepair.exeIf the repair does not help, removing and reinstalling the client with ccmsetup.exe is the next step. After a reinstall it is normal for Software Center to look empty until registration, site assignment and policy retrieval complete; follow this in ccmsetup.log, ClientIDManagerStartup.log and LocationServices.log.
Validate after the fix
Trigger the machine policy cycle to confirm that the client can retrieve policy again:
Invoke-CimMethod -Namespace root\ccm -ClassName SMS_Client -MethodName TriggerSchedule -Arguments @{sScheduleID='{00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000021}'}Then open Software Center again and confirm that the application and update lists load, and that no new 0x80080005 entry appears in SCClient.log for the same time window. The client logs are in C:\Windows\CCM\Logs.
My troubleshooting order
- Check the CcmExec service.
- Verify the blocked client status in the console.
- Review ClientIDManagerStartup.log and CcmMessaging.log.
- Check site and MP discovery in LocationServices.log.
- Match the time in SCClient.log on the Software Center side.
- Verify WMI access and repository consistency.
- If client health is broken, repair first and reinstall if needed.
- Trigger the machine policy cycle and check Software Center again.
Conclusion
For Software Center error 0x80080005, do not assume a single “guaranteed fix”. Verify the client’s service, identity, blocked state and Management Point communication layers in order. This shows the difference between a temporary workaround and the root cause.
Frequently asked questions
Are -2146959355 and 0x80080005 the same error?
Yes. -2146959355 is the signed decimal form of 0x80080005; both forms appear in searches and logs.
Does restarting the computer fix it?
The error can disappear temporarily because the services restart. If the root cause (a blocked client, WMI, registration or Management Point communication) is not fixed, the error comes back.
Does it affect one user or all clients?
If it appears on a single client, focus on the client side (CcmExec, WMI, registration). If many clients show it at the same time, look at the Management Point, boundaries or the site server first.