Fix PEERDIST_ERROR_INVALIDATED (0X00000FD9) Fast

What's This Error Actually Mean?

If you're seeing PEERDIST_ERROR_INVALIDATED (0X00000FD9) – usually in logs or when trying to use BranchCache or peer distribution features – it means Windows tried to use a cached object that's already been marked as invalid. Happens when the cache gets corrupted or the service hiccups during a sync.

I had a client last month running Windows 10 Pro who kept seeing this error in their DFS replication logs. Their BranchCache service had been running for 3 months straight without a restart. One power flicker later, half the cache was stale. This fix got them back up in under a minute.

Fix #1: The 30-Second Reset — Restart the PeerDist Service

This kills the cache in memory and forces Windows to rebuild it. Works 80% of the time.

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Start > Command Prompt (Admin) or Windows Terminal Admin).
2. Run these two commands:

net stop PeerDistSvc
net start PeerDistSvc

If the service won't stop or start, skip to the next fix. But if it works, test your app or feature. The error should be gone. No reboot needed.

Why this works: The PEERDIST service (BranchCache) tracks cached objects in memory. When the service restarts, it flushes the invalidated object list. The next request for that object re-caches it fresh.

Fix #2: The 5-Minute Fix — Clear the BranchCache Store

If the service restart didn't stick, the cache itself is corrupted. You need to nuke it.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Run these commands:

Clear-BCCache
Restart-Service PeerDistSvc

If Clear-BCCache isn't available (older Windows), use this instead:

net stop PeerDistSvc
del /q /s "%SystemRoot%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Local\PeerDist\*"
net start PeerDistSvc

That deletes the physical cache files. Windows re-creates them on next use. I've seen this fix errors that persisted through multiple reboots. One note: the cache will be empty for about 30 minutes while it rebuilds, so performance might dip slightly if you're using BranchCache heavily.

Fix #3: The 15+ Minute Fix — Reinstall BranchCache Feature

If neither fix above worked, the underlying service setup is broken. This is rare – I've only seen it twice in 8 years – but when it happens, you need to re-add the Windows feature.

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off.
2. Find BranchCache (or under Remote Differential Compression in older Windows 10 versions).
3. Uncheck it, click OK, and let Windows remove it. Reboot.
4. Go back to the same window, re-check BranchCache, and click OK. Reboot again.

Alternatively, run this as Administrator PowerShell:

Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName BranchCache
Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName BranchCache -All

Wait for the feature to reinstall (about 2 minutes). Then do the cache clear from Fix #2.

When to use this: If the error appears immediately after any cache operation, even on fresh files, or if you see PeerDistSvc in a stopped state despite manual start attempts.

Preventing This Going Forward

Don't do anything special. This error usually crops up from a power glitch or a failed Windows update that doesn't properly restart the BranchCache service. If you see it often, check your event logs for Event ID 1000 from PeerDistSvc – that points to a bad disk sector where the cache lives.

If you're using BranchCache behind a proxy or VPN, the cache can get invalidated when network routes change. Restarting the service after a route change will avoid this error entirely.

That's it. Three fixes, increasing in time. Start with number 1, and you'll probably be done in 30 seconds. If not, number 2 is a guaranteed win 95% of the time.