What is Modern Setup Host and how to fix problems with it?

One of the pet peeves of tech-dependent individuals is a super-slow computer. Do you check the Task Manager when your PC is performing more poorly than usual? After all, this tool allows you to see the items that are slowing down your computer. Perhaps, you’ve seen the Modern Setup Host causing high CPU usage.

It is only natural to want to learn about this program that’s eating up your disk space. If this is the case for you, then you’ll be glad you found this post. Here, we are going to discuss everything you need to know about Modern Setup Host. What’s more, we will teach you how to fix the common issues associated with it.

What is Modern Setup Host in Windows 10?

When you look inside the C:$Windows.BTSources folder, you will see the Modern Setup Host executable file. It is a self-extracting archive and installer. In certain circumstances, it will show up on your computer if it runs the Windows beta system version (Windows Technical Preview). Modern Setup Host runs in the background when your system detects or installs updates. It also plays an important role in running the setup file for upgrading a PC to Windows 10.

Like other Windows components, Modern Setup Host also has its fair share of issues. Here are the most common problems users reported:

• Modern Setup Host causing high CPU usage
• Modern Setup Host has stopped working

In most cases, Modern Setup Host errors have something to do with Windows Update issues. In this post, we share the most effective ways to deal with this problem. Moreover, we are going to discuss how you can optimize the speed of your PC when you see the Modern Setup Host at 100% disk usage.

Solution 1: Running the Windows Update Troubleshooter

One of the best ways to resolve Modern Setup Host errors is running the Windows Update troubleshooter. If you’re using Windows 10, the tool is built-in. However, if your computer runs Windows 7 or Windows 8, you need to go to Microsoft’s website and download the troubleshooter. Here are the steps for running the troubleshooter on Windows 10:

1. Press Windows Key+S on your keyboard.
2. Now, type troubleshoot.
3. Select Troubleshoot from the results.
4. Go to the right pane, then select Windows Update.
5. Click the Run the Troubleshooter button.
6. Wait for the troubleshooter to identify and address the issues.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to resolve the problems.

For Windows 7 and Windows 8, follow the instructions below:

1. Go to Microsoft’s website and download the troubleshooter.
2. Once you’ve downloaded the troubleshooter, double-click the executable file to run it.
3. Choose Windows Update, then click Next.
4. Now, the Windows Update troubleshooter will detect and fix all the issues.

Solution 2: Performing a DISM Scan

Modern Setup Host errors might have something to do with a corrupted Windows update. Thankfully, you can use Windows 10’s Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool. This command-line program can help you resolve the issue. Here are the steps for running the DISM tool on your PC:

1. Go to your taskbar and click the Search icon.
2. Type cmd.
3. Right-click Command Prompt from the results, then select Run as Administrator from the options.
4. If prompted to give permission, click Yes.
5. Once Command Prompt is up, run the following commands:

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Scanhealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Checkhealth

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth

Keep in mind that the scan and repair process will take several minutes to complete. It is important that you let it run without disrupting it. Once the process is done, check if the Modern Setup Host issue persists. If it is still there, you can move on to the next solution.

Solution 3: Performing a Clean Boot

You’re likely seeing the Modern Setup Host error message because certain background programs are interfering with Windows Update. To resolve this problem, you need to perform a clean boot. Doing so allows you to launch your system with only the essential drivers and startup programs. You can perform a clean boot by following these steps:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+R. This will open the Run dialog box.
2. Type msconfig, then click OK.
3. Once the System Configuration window is up, go to the General tab.
4. Deselect Load Startup Items.
5. Click the Services tab, then tick the ‘Hide all Microsoft services’ option at the bottom of the window.
6. Click the Disable All button.
7. Go to the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
8. Once Task Manager is open, click the Startup tab.
9. Identify all the startup items with the Enabled status. Right-click each of them, then select Disable from the options.
10. Close Task Manager and go back to the System Configuration window.
11. On the System Configuration window, click OK.
12. Restart your PC.

Once your computer restarts, try installing the updates again. Check if the Modern Setup Host issue is gone.

Solution 4: Using the Ideal Default System Language

Windows Update issues can also occur when a computer’s system language does not match the default system UI language. You can resolve this problem through our solutions below:

Checking your Default System UI Language:

1. Press Windows Key+S on your keyboard.
2. Now, you need to type cmd.
3. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as Administrator.
4. If prompted by User Account Control to give access to the program, click Yes.
5. Inside Command Prompt, type dism /online /get-intl, then press Enter. You will now be able to see your default system UI language.

Checking your System Language (Windows 10):

1. Open the Settings app by pressing Windows Key+I on your keyboard.
2. Select Time & Language.
3. On the left-pane menu, click Region & Language.
4. Look at the right pane and check if the language is the same as your default system UI language.
5. If the language is set to a different option, amend it accordingly. After doing that, try installing the updates again and check if the Modern Setup Host issue is gone. On the other hand, if the language already matches your default system UI language, you can move on to Solution 5.

Checking your System Language (Windows 7):

1. Open the Run dialog box by pressing Windows Key+R on your keyboard.
2. Type control, then click OK.
3. Make sure that the View By option is set to Large Icons.
4. Select Region and Language.
5. Check if the language matches your default system UI language. If not, modify it accordingly. However, if it is already set to the correct language option, you can try the next solution.

Solution 5: Removing the Items from the Software Distribution Folder

On Windows 10, there’s the Software Distribution folder which stores all the essential temporary files for Windows Update. However, unnecessary files in this folder can cause the updates to fail. To fix this issue, you can follow the steps below:

1. On your keyboard, press Windows Key+R to open the Run dialog box.
2. Paste this path:

C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution\Download

3. Click OK to proceed.
4. Select all the items in the folder by pressing Ctrl+A on your keyboard. Right-click the selected items, then choose Delete from the options.
5. You might see the Folder Access Denied message. In the pop-up window, select the ‘Do this for all current items’ option, then click Continue.
6. Restart your PC.

Once your computer reboots, try installing the updates again to see if the Modern Setup Host error is gone.

Solution 6: Disabling Windows Update

One of the ways to eliminate the Modern Setup Host problem is to disable Windows Update. You can do this if you do not want to install any updates for your system or you never plan on upgrading to Windows 10. Here are the steps for disabling Windows Update on your PC:

1. Open the Run dialog box. You can do this by pressing Windows Key+R on your keyboard.
2. Now, type services.msc, then press Enter.
3. Once the Services window is up, look for Windows Update, then right-click it.
4. Select Properties from the options.
5. Go to the General tab, then ensure that the Startup type option is set to Disabled.
6. Click the Stop button.
7. Click the Recovery tab, and set the First Failure option to Take No Action.
8. Save the changes by clicking Apply and OK.

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