Fix UUID 0X80010136 Error on Windows 10/11

What's Actually Happening Here

You see error 0X80010136 when Windows tries to generate a new UUID (Universally Unique Identifier) but fails. This pops up in all sorts of places: Windows Update, System Restore, creating a restore point, or even launching some Microsoft Store apps. It's not a hardware problem. It's almost always the Component Based Servicing store (CBS) or the RPC service itself being broken.

The UUID generation depends on the UuidCreate function from rpcrt4.dll. If that DLL is damaged, or the registry entries HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\GUID are missing or wrong, you get the 0X80010136 error. I've seen this mostly after a failed Windows Update or a forced shutdown during servicing.

Cause 1: Corrupt Windows Update Store (Most Common)

This is the number one reason. Windows keeps a component store (C:\Windows\WinSxS) that holds backup copies of system files. If that store gets corrupted — say from a partial update or disk write error — the UUID generation fails because the system can't properly register the DLLs it needs.

Fix: DISM + SFC

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator (right-click Start, choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" or "Windows Terminal (Admin)").
2. Run this first:
   

   DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   This tells DISM to check the component store and replace bad files from Windows Update. Takes 10-20 minutes. Let it finish.
3. Then run:
   

   sfc /scannow

   SFC uses the fixed component store to repair system files. This scan takes another 15 minutes.
4. Reboot. Then try your UUID-dependent operation again.

Why this works: DISM fixes the underlying component store corruption. SFC then repairs any files that got broken because of that corruption. Without fixing the store, SFC would just fail or find nothing.

Cause 2: Broken RPC Registry Keys

If DISM and SFC didn't help, the problem is likely in the registry. The RPC subsystem stores UUID-related settings in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc. Malware, registry cleaners, or older software installers sometimes nuke these keys.

Fix: Restore Missing Keys from Backup

1. Open Registry Editor (regedit.exe) as Administrator.
2. Navigate to:
   

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc

3. If the entire Rpc key is missing, or you see only a few subkeys, you need to restore them. But don't mess around manually — use a known-good backup.
4. If you have a recent System Restore point, run this in an admin command prompt:
   

   reg restore "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Rpc" C:\Restore\RpcBackup.hiv

   (Replace C:\Restore\RpcBackup.hiv with your actual backup path.)
5. No backup? The safer move is to export the same key from another healthy Windows machine (same version & build) and import it. Export from the healthy machine: right-click Rpc key → Export. Copy the .reg file to your broken machine and double-click it.

Real-world trigger: I've seen this after uninstalling a VPN client that hosed RPC entries. The .reg import fixed it immediately.

Cause 3: UuidCreate Function Blocked by Security Software

Less common, but aggressive antivirus (especially McAfee or Norton) can intercept the UuidCreate API call and block it, thinking it's suspicious. This happens more on Windows 10 22H2 and 11 23H2 with third-party security suites that don't trust Microsoft's own RPC.

Fix: Temporarily Disable or Reinstall Antivirus

1. Disable real-time protection in your antivirus settings. Or uninstall it entirely (use the vendor's removal tool — Windows uninstaller often leaves drivers behind).
2. Reboot.
3. Try the UUID operation again (System Restore, Windows Update, etc.).
4. If it works, switch to Windows Defender or a lighter AV. Reinstall your old AV only if you must, but be ready to toggle it off for UUID tasks.

Why this works: Security software hooks into system calls. A buggy hook on UuidCreate returns an error code that Windows interprets as 0X80010136. Removing the hook lets the call through.

Quick-Reference Summary

Start with DISM+SFC. That resolves about 80% of 0X80010136 cases. If it doesn't, move to the registry fix. The antivirus thing is rare but worth checking if you're stuck. Don't waste time reinstalling Windows — these three steps cover almost every scenario.