Microsoft has taken significant steps to address ongoing issues with Windows security updates that have been causing installation errors for users. The company has officially retired several updates released during the January 2024 Patch Tuesday, which were linked to the frustrating 0x80070643 error when attempting to install Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) updates.
Background on the Issue
The troubles began when Microsoft acknowledged the 0x80070643 errors shortly after their release, following a wave of user reports. The updates in question—KB5034441 for Windows 10 (21H2/22H2), KB5034440 for Windows 11 (21H2), and KB5034439 for Windows Server 2022—were intended to address a critical vulnerability (CVE-2024-20666) related to BitLocker encryption. This flaw posed a risk by potentially allowing unauthorized access to encrypted data.
However, instead of providing clear error messages, affected systems displayed a generic ‘0x80070643 – ERRORINSTALLFAILURE’ message. This miscommunication stemmed from the actual issue: a lack of sufficient space in the WinRE partition to accommodate the updates, which required an additional 250 MB of free space.
Manual Intervention Required
After months of investigation, Microsoft announced that an automated fix would not be forthcoming. Instead, users are advised to manually expand their WinRE partitions to resolve the installation errors. In a statement, Microsoft clarified, “Automatic resolution of this issue won’t be available in a future Windows update. Manual steps are necessary to complete the installation of this update on devices that are experiencing this error.” The company emphasized that devices lacking the required space would need to take action to increase the partition size.
Replacement Updates Introduced
In a recent development, Microsoft has replaced the problematic updates with new versions: KB5042320, KB5042321, and KB5042322. These updates will only be available to users whose WinRE recovery partitions have adequate free space, effectively preventing the previous 0x80070643 errors from occurring.
The new updates are designed to enhance Windows recovery features by applying the Safe OS Dynamic Update (KB5034232) to the WinRE on active PCs. To assist users in preparing their recovery partitions, Microsoft offers two options: following manual steps outlined in the KB5028997 support document or utilizing a dedicated script to automate the resizing process.
For those looking to ensure their devices receive the latest updates, Microsoft advises, “If you would like to make sure your device is offered this update, please follow the Instructions to manually resize your partition or use a sample script to increase the size of the WinRE recovery partition.” Once the necessary space is created, users can check for updates through the Windows settings to install the new updates seamlessly.
