KB5034441 error 0x80070643

A note about Windows 11... you won't see this update for Windows 11 22H2 or 23H2. Both of those versions receive updates to WinRE as part of the monthly LCU (latest cumulative update).  This current debacle only applies to versions older than that, so Win11 21H2 and supported versions of Windows 10.

 

Before this update existed, there were instructions for manually patching your Windows RE with the latest Safe OS Dynamic Update. If anyone uses BitLocker and is concerned about the vulnerability, you can find links to do the WinRE patching manually at the CVE article (https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2024-20666).

 

But a lot of people have pointed out that they don't use BitLocker at home, so the update does not apply. Also, if you use BitLocker and use it in TPM+PIN mode, you're not vulnerable either.  And the attacker needs physical access to your machine, so if you're a home user, you only have to worry about Aunt Betty coming over and cracking your BitLocker.

Wow!

That's VERY interesting @pseymour.

I entirely missed the fact that 11 22H2 and 11 23H2 are not having this problem.

That important tidbit is missing from everything I've seen about this.

I think I'll still wait a few more days nonetheless.
But your info may spare a few patches of alopecia.

Thanks for that important clarification.

P.S. Perhaps this explains why this thread doesnt have 4000 replies? https://www.elevenforum.com/t/jan-2024-patch-tuesday-update-causing-insufficient-disk-space-errors.21494/

Edited by MoxieMomma, 13 January 2024 - 01:35 PM.

Right, it would only affect if you if you're running Win11 21H2; that update is KB5034440, btw; note the zero at the end rather than one.  But if you're still on 21H2, you have other problems.

Edited by pseymour, 13 January 2024 - 01:59 PM.

New update

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-working-on-a-fix-for-windows-10-0x80070643-errors/

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-working-on-a-fix-for-windows-10-0x80070643-errors/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-21H2#3231msgdesc

Edited by redwolfe_98, 15 January 2024 - 10:47 PM.

FYI: I followed Microsoft's instructions to delete the partition, shrink my primary partition slightly (I think 250 MB), and then recreate the partition and re-enable the Recovery Environemt. This failed to work properly due to it being at the front of the drive, so I deleted the partition again, and then created a bootable GParted USB flash drive and used it to move my other partitions to the front of the drive so that when I re-created the recovery partition it would be the correct size and Windows would re-enable the Recovery Environment properly.

After that I was able to install the update.

Note: It's not a good idea to do this if your drive's partition layout is MBR, as it can lead to an unbootable OS. Mine was GPT so I didn't run into any issues, but I also had created an image of the drive before attempting to install Windows Updates so I wasn't worried about running into issues. I don't recommend messing with partitions like this unless you have a backup.

It is not at all a good idea to do anything about this.  Since it is a Local System issue protect your system from people that use it.

 

MS needs to come up with a better way to do this.  Removing files that are no longer needed or better compression method to be used.

 

Since MS originally sets the size let them again set the size with a proper patch and not turn this into a User problem.

The biggest problem is the insane amount of incorrect and out of date advice appearing on YouTube.

Ya it would seem this is being forced on us.  You would think they would issue a Patch to Automate this rather than having to go through all the hoops.

 

Official MS Instructions : https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5028997-instructions-to-manually-resize-your-partition-to-install-the-winre-update-400faa27-9343-461c-ada9-24c8229763bf

Almost every computer forum is discussing this update failure.
Solutions are proposed, but all require major surgery. OK for Geeks, but a disaster for ordinary users trying to exploit them.

This Microsoft abomination does not stop other updates from installing, it simply fails each time.
So my solution is to ignore its repeated efforts to install on my PC until Microsoft issues a fix on the second Tuesday in February.
I am quite sure that the absence of this piece of garbage will not spell the death toll to my computer activities.

MS apparently pulled this patch a few weeks ago.
It is best to wait for a fix from them, if you are not comfortable performing the complex DIY partition surgery.

I don't have a Win10 box to test, but I don't think Windows Update should still be trying to install this patch. If that is still happening, you can try hiding it or resetting Windows Updates:

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/8280-hide-show-windows-updates-windows-10-a.html

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/24742-reset-windows-update-windows-10-a.html


Related:
https://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/210321-kb5034441-security-update-windows-10-21h2-22h2-jan-9-a.html

The patch is back but it still won't install. Well that's not quite true but as it's not in the catalog but the PC keeps looking for it. Best bet for now is to hide the update using the MS Show or hide tool.

 

New update

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-working-on-a-fix-for-windows-10-0x80070643-errors/

Edited by aldfort, 05 February 2024 - 11:31 AM.

They could have fixed Windows Setup not to create such tiny recovery partitions (post 21), but this is no time for rational solutions.
 
I know it won't help existing devices, but if Windows Setup had followed their own recommendations, this thread and the others like it wouldn't exist.

Edited by pseymour, 05 February 2024 - 03:09 PM.

They could have fixed Windows Setup not to create such tiny recovery partitions (post 21), but this is no time for rational solutions.
 
I know it won't help existing devices, but if Windows Setup had followed their own recommendations, this thread and the others like it wouldn't exist.

Not sure it's that simple. I've read of some folks increasing the Recovery partition to way bigger than MS recommend but still no install, just failure after failure. Now that might be because MS have actually pulled the update but the PC does not know that.

I have to confess I'm baffled by a company that can't properly update it's own software.

Not sure it's that simple. I've read of some folks increasing the Recovery partition to way bigger than MS recommend but still no install, just failure after failure. Now that might be because MS have actually pulled the update but the PC does not know that.
I have to confess I'm baffled by a company that can't properly update it's own software.

I was able to both move the recovery partition to the end of my drive and increase its size, and then was able to install the update. Note that Microsoft's instructions do say to disable the recovery environment via the command "reagentc /disable" before trying to resize the partition, and then re-enabling it via the command "reagentc /enable" afterwards. The instructions also note that this is only possible if the recovery partition is the last one on the drive, which was not the case for me and thus I had to reorder my partitions from a bootable GParted USB flash drive.

Note that I did all of that within 24 hours of the update being released, so I got it done before Microsoft pulled the update. This may be why it succeeded for me.