Windows 10 KB5034441 Update Error 0x80070643? Microsoft shared a PowerShell Script to fix it
Microsoft recently rolled out new security updates for its Windows operating system. However, some users encountered difficulties during the installation of the KB5034122 update, receiving the error code 0x80070643 — ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE. This issue seems to persist even upon retrying the installation.
Even after the system restarts, Users encounter an error message stating, "There were some problems installing updates, but we’ll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0x80070643)."
This error code indicates a problem, and Microsoft has acknowledged it in a support article.
According to Microsoft, the update aims to address a security vulnerability that could potentially allow attackers to bypass Bitlocker encryption using the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE).
The root cause of the error is usually because of the insufficient size of the recovery partition to complete the update. Some users may also encounter the error message “Windows Recovery Environment servicing failed. (CBS_E_INSUFFICIENT_DISK_SPACE)” during the installation attempt.
Windows 10 creates a recovery partition, usually around 500 MB, which is not large enough to support the new Windows RE image (winre.wim) file, causing the 0x80070643 error when attempting to install the update.
Microsoft’s suggested workaround involves manually resizing the recovery partition.
Press the Windows key + S, type Disk Management, and select “Create and format hard disk partitions.” Locate the main Windows drive and check for the Recovery Partition.
Microsoft had previously shared a support bulletin describing how to shrink the C: partition by 250 MB and create a new Recovery Partition using the reagentc.exe and dispart.exe command line utilities to accommodate WinRE security updates.
Manually resize your partition by 250 MB
Open a Command Prompt window (cmd) as admin.
To check the WinRE status, run reagentc /info. If the WinRE is installed, there should be a “Windows RE location” with a path to the WinRE directory. An example is, “Windows RE location: [file://%3f/GLOBALROOT/device/harddisk0/partition4/Recovery/WindowsRE]\\?\GLOBALROOT\device\harddisk0\partition4\Recovery\WindowsRE.” Here, the number after “harddisk” and “partition” is the index of the disk and partition WinRE is on.
To disable the WinRE, run reagentc /disable
Shrink the OS partition and prepare the disk for a new recovery partition.
To shrink the OS, run diskpart
Run list disk
To select the OS disk, run sel disk<OS disk index> This should be the same disk index as WinRE.
To check the partition under the OS disk and find the OS partition, run list part
To select the OS partition, run sel part<OS partition index>
Run shrink desired=250 minimum=250
To select the WinRE partition, run sel part<WinRE partition index>
To delete the WinRE partition, run delete partition override
Create a new recovery partition.
First, check if the disk partition style is a GUID Partition Table (GPT) or a Master Boot Record (MBR). To do that, run list disk. Check if there is an asterisk character (*) in the “Gpt” column. If there is an asterisk character (*), then the drive is GPT. Otherwise, the drive is MBR.
If your disk is GPT, run create partition primary id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6acfollowed by the commandgpt attributes =0x8000000000000001
If your disk is MBR, run create partition primary id=27
To format the partition, run format quick fs=ntfs label=”Windows RE tools”
To confirm that the WinRE partition is created, run list vol
To exit from diskpart, run exit
To re-enable WinRE, run reagentc /enable
To confirm where WinRE is installed, run reagentc /info
Note If creation failed or you do not want to extend the WinRE partition, run reagentc /enable to re-enable WinRE.Update (12/01/23): Today Microsoft provided a dedicated PowerShell script to help you automate updating the WinRE partition (without having to resize it first) and patching the CVE-2024–20666 BitLocker vulnerability.
However, it’s crucial to create a system backup before making any changes, as the process involves deleting and resizing partitions.
