Category Archives: Windows Update

Insider stuff, Recent Activity, Troubleshooting, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

Overcoming KB5050009 Update Errors

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I’ve seen it before. And I’m grimly resigned to seeing it again. Every now and then, a Windows PC has issues with some Windows Update (WU) item. Mostly, though, I’ve seen this with Cumulative Updates (CUs) rather than security, MSRT, or servicing stack items. Indeed, this very situation popped up on a brand-new review unit from Lenovo following Patch Tuesday this week which brought KB5050009 to Windows 11 24H2. On all four of my other production level 24H2 PCs, no problem. On the ThinkCentre M90a (see yesterday’s intake review) however, I spent some time overcoming KB5050009 update errors. Let me explain…

Escalating Steps When Overcoming KB5050009 Update Errors

I’ve been through this kind of thing often enough that I’ve got a series of steps I follow when a WU update fails and throws an error. Here it is:

1. Write down the error string ( 0X800F081F in this case)
2. Run the WU update again (helpfully, it offers a “Retry” button)
3. If it fails, note the error message. Record only if different from 1.
4. Download and run the batch file from Eleven Forums Reset Windows Update tutorial (Batch file named Reset_Reregister_ Windows_Update_Components_for_Windows11 .zip).
5. Try again. It it fails. note the error message if different from 1.
6. Download the self-installing update file (.msu) from the Microsoft Update Catalog, then install.
7. If it fails, note the error message. Record only if different from 1.
8. Visit UUPdump.net. Create an ISO file for the target Build (26100.2894, as per KB5050009 support note).
9. Perform an in-place upgrade repair install on the affected PC. This applies the already-integrated CU as part of that process.
10. If that fails, perform a clean Windows install using the UUPdump ISO.

I’ve only had to beyond step 5 in a small number of instances in the 30-plus years I’ve been using Windows. This was one of those cases. To my surprise the catalog download failed the the same error message as before. Next, it took an hour and half to download and build the 26100.2894 ISO, and another 50 minutes or so to install that image on the ThinkCentre. Ouch!

One Step Short of Clean Install Works

But when the PC rebooted, it came up with no errors. Interestingly, the Update History does not show KB5050009, even though it must be present for the build number to reach 26100.2894. You can see this in the lead-in graphic, which shows that very build number, but not the CU entry for KB5050009. That’s because it was part of the install image when the upgrade repair install occurred, not added separately via WU.

But it does go to show that here in Windows-World, when WU won’t work, there may sometimes be a way to work around its failings. This is such a tale…

PostScript: About the 0X800F081F Message

Here’s what Copilot says about this error message, thanks to info from answers.microsoft.com:

The error code 0x800F081F typically occurs when the Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) tool is unable to find the necessary source files to repair the Windows image. This can happen during Windows updates or when running the DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth command.

To me that indicates there was some WU issue with the files included in the update package that got downloaded from the WU servers. Curiously it also seems to have affected the Catalog item. I’ve never had that happen to me before. Go figure!

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Device drivers, Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

ThinkBook Hybrid Fails 24H2 Upgrade

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I can’t say I’m surprised, but I can confess to mild bepuzzlement. Over the weekend, WU decided that a new test laptop — a Lenovo ThinkBook Plus G5  — was ready for 24H2. Alas, for a variety of good reasons that ThinkBook hybrid fails 24H2 upgrade and goes down in flames. Indeed, I had to use the WinRE “Uninstall upgrade” option for the first time ever to bring that machine back to life.

Why ThinkBook Hybrid Fails 24H2 Upgrade

Of course, when I checked the machine this morning, I hadn’t interfered with WU, so it was already attempting this doomed upgrade again. You can see it’s at 25% complete in the lead-in graphic. I foiled that by restarting the PC, then pausing updates for 7 days in the WU controls, as you can see here:

While I’m troubleshooting, I suspended updates.

What the Panther Logs Have to Say

There are two primary logs worth checking into if an upgrade fails to complete successfully — namely:


C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\panther\setupact.log
C:\$Windows.~BT\Sources\panther\miglog.xml

These are liberally bestrewn with errors of all kinds including device drivers and storage items. The ThinkBook’s “hybrid drive” bridges between native Windows storage on the deck and native Android storage on the tablet. It takes the form of something called a Hybrid Tab in File Explorer (see next screencap). I believe it’s very likely involved in my snafu.

Because it uses a special driver and customized software, I’m betting that the Hybrid Tab is the source of storage and driver issues.

Copilot tells me that if I upgrade from bootable media, the ThinkBook may survive the upgrade process intact. Right now, I think it’s losing the Hybrid Tab scaffolding amidst the post-GUI reboots during the serious parts of OS install. That sounds like it’s worth a try. But first, I’ll make a fresh image backup and be ready to restore same should things go south again.

Stay tuned! This could get interesting…

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

MSA Switch Brings Standard 24H2 Aboard

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Here’s the happy, happy conclusion of my recent saga involving the ThinkPad X1 Extreme laptop. When I ran the clean install of 24H2, I also provided a different MSA than the one I’d used previously. Because that combination of MSA and machine name is not enrolled in the Insider Preview program, the Windows installer went with the standard General Availability (GA) channel. Hence, I aver that an MSA switch brings standard 24H2 to that PC.

Why Say: MSA Switch Brings Standard 24H2?

The results speak for themselves, as you can see in the Winver output in the lead-in graphic. You can also see that the machine is not enrolled in any Insider Channel. Instead it says “Join the Windows Insider Program.” That means it’s not enrolled.

Because I use this machine on the road, especially for legal cases, that’s a good thing. I’m actually pleased to have this laptop back on the primary GA track. That means it should be as stable as Windows 11 gets. So, all’s well that ends well, but it took some doing.

A Long and Winding Road to 24H2 26100.2314

After I completed the clean install and started into the OOBE, I supplied a different MSA for this machine setup. It was therefore happy to stick with the GA thread of 24H2 releases. I did have to apply two sets of updates (2 CUs and one preceding update, plus an MSRT and a Confugration Update). I show most of that history in the next screencap:

2 CUs, another update, MST and configuration stuff (plus 8 drivers and 2 Defender updates) make the install current.

The Rest of the Schlemozzel

Now, of course, I need to restore the applications I like to use on my production PCs. PatchMyPC Home Updater can handle many of them, but I’ll need to install Office 2024, Nitro Pro, WizTree, and a few other odds’n’ends to bring the machine back to its former glory. But hey! I’m caught up to 24H2, back in the GA channel, and ready to rock and roll. It’s what passes for a happy ending, here in Windows-World!

Bottom line: as soon as the installer recognized it could only handle a clean install, things got on the right track. I’m not sure how I got off that track when I manually installed a CU the other day, but I’m glad to have a clue as to what’s what on that laptop finally restored.

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

X1 Extreme 24H2 Beta Pickle

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For me, a key aspect involved in learning Windows’ many ins and outs is occasionally painting myself into a corner. That’s what I seem to have done with the Beta Channel Windows 11 install image on my Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme. ( Equipped with 8th-Gen i7-8850H, 32GB RAM, 2xNVMe SSD, and NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti/Intel UHD 630.) As I explained in yesterday’s post I got it to build 22635.4460 under the 23H2 version umbrella. Upon discovering it was an Insider Preview anyway, I decided to run the 24H2 Installation Assistant, and let the chips fall as they would. Fall they did, and now I’m in an X1 Extreme 24H2 Beta pickle. Let me explain…

Easier Into than Out of X1 Extreme 24H2 Beta Pickle

Take a look at the lead-in graphic. It shows Settings > Windows Update > Windows Insider Program with the X1 Extreme in the Beta Channel. Alas, it also shows the Build number as 26100.1742. According to Copilot it was released on September 10. 2024 as part of the original Windows 11 24H2 update. It’s not a Beta Channel release. Rather, it’s a production release build (and what obviously provided the image info for the corresponding ISO or contents that the Installation Assistant uses).

That’s the corner I’m in right now. The Insider Program thinks I’m in the Beta Channel, but my current build and image fall outside that channel. On a whim I tried repairing the image with an ISO for 26100.2314 — the most current production build. To my combined relief and chagrin, this failed with a “The install failed” error. That’s what I’d expect from a version mismatch.

Onto the Next Repair: Beta Channel ISO

I’m now going to try again, with the latest Beta Channel item from the Windows 11 Inside Preview ISO Downloads page. My best guess, and my fervent hope, is that this will make for a successful in-place upgrade repair. At this point, I’m past the half-way point in the download. I’ll be able to access and use the ISO shortly…

The ISO mounted as the G: drive. I’m running setup.exe from the root directory right now. It’s checking for updates, then the installer had to restart itself. I’m now accepting the EULA and then comes the moment of truth: the only option available is for a clean install, as you can see here (note the two “keep” options are greyed out, and unavailable):

The Windows Installer finally gets wise and requires a clean install.

That’s an acceptable offer, and I’m going to take it. But first I want to experiment with WinGet Export to save all my stuff and attempt to import it back later on. I also need to make an image backup in case something goes wrong in my next planned steps.

Tomorrow, I’ll close this out, report on how the clean install went, and reflect on the whole experience. Stay tuned…

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

X1 Extreme Still Gets No 24H2 Offer

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I’m getting down to the bitter end, and it’s troubling me. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme still gets no 24H2 offer from Windows Update. Indeed, it’s my only remaining 23H2 holdout. Looking at the 24H2 Known Issues List, I can’t figure out why. One outstanding possibility is the Synaptics WBDI fingerprint reader. But shoot, it’s dated 12/4/2022. I’m puzzled… OTOH, Copilot says that Intel Display Audio drivers include Intel SST audio support, and that’s a listed issue as well. It could be the blocker, and a good thing to know.

Waiting Impatiently, as X1 Extreme Still Gets No 24H2 Offer

Here’s what I’ve done to try to address potential update hold issues:

  1. Applied all Optional updates, including drivers
  2. Use Snappy Driver Installer Origin (SDIO) to update NVIDIA and Intel Display Audio drivers (restart required)
  3. Run comprehensive cleanup and integrity checks (PC Manager, DISM, sfc, etc.)

Still no joy, and no real clue on how to get over this hump. All in all, I’m both miffed and bemused that a 2018 vintage (8th-Gen) i7 PC is still lagging behind the update pack. I’m biting my tongue, holding back on forcing matters. I guess I have a perverse desire to see how long it’s going to take for WU to come through with 24H2.

Only time will tell, I guess! And that’s they way things go sometimes, here in Windows -World.

Additional Oddments Present on X1 Extreme

OK, so today is Patch Tuesday. I couldn’t get WU to present KB5046633, so I downloaded the self-installing update file (.msu). It took nearly an hour to get it up and going again, but the PC is now running 22635.4460. I suddenly understand that this PC is running the Beta Insider version (a surprise to me, or perhaps a “senior moment”). THAT explains why the update took so long: it had LOTS of work to do to fit it into the beta release…

Given that it’s running an Insider version anyway, I’ve decided to force matters using the 24H2 Installation Assistant. Here goes… Chunking through the GUI portion without issues, but took awhile (~ 45 minutes). First reboot to completion: same again. But I had no idea the Windows Installer could play such hopscotch with Insider Preview updates. I just flat thought it wouldn’t work. It’s actually kind of amazing. And, with many things in my Windows experience, the biggest surprises — like this one — are mostly self-inflicted.

There is a problem though: the Build Number currently self-reports at 26100.1742. This corresponds to the early October build for plain-vanilla 24H2, NOT the beta version. I just ran WU and updated again, and it still reports the same build number. Very strange! I’m going to build an ISO for 22100.2314 and see if it will repair install. This is getting decidedly interesting…

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

24H2 Gets WU Boost

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Here’s something quite interesting. Yesterday, MS published a Windows IT Pro blog post entitled Windows 11, 24H2 improved update fundamentals. It’s worth reading, and makes claims for faster installs and restarts, lower CPU consumption, and smaller update packages in the latest OS version. Today, WindowsLatest  offered some data to back that up, showing that indeed 24H2 gets WU boost going forward. Its findings are interesting, too.

What 24H2 Gets WU Boost Apparently Means

As you can see in the lead-in graphic, WindowsLatest compared results for 2 PCs: one running Windows 23H2 was updated to 24H2 using the March update (it appears as “Well-maintained device”); the other was running 22H2 and had the same 24H2 update applied (it appears as “Outdated Device (18 months)”). In both cases, the numbers are noteworthy, and accord with my own recent experience in installing or updating Windows 23H2 PCs to 24H2 as well.

CPU utilization goes down by around 15% for newer Windows images, and by up to 25% when transitioning from 22H2 to 24H2. Restart times speed up by one-third or more, and installation by 40% or more. Download size also drops by 200 MB, thanks mostly to omitting MS Store app updates from that download package.

The Need for Speed…

This is good news in general for all Windows 11 users. But it’s especially good news for IT pros who typically handle fleet upgrades in time-constrained update windows. Often these fall on holiday weekends to make sure there’s enough time to get through the cycle (and fix any gotchas that pop up along the way, as they sometimes do). Anything MS can do to speed the time it takes to physically process updates also helps shorten the time window necessary to do them at scale. Thus, it’s a nice case of good news all the way around.

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Copilot+ PCs, Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows Update

WU Throws First 24H2 Offer

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OK: I admit it. I already had 4 PCs running 24H2. Two are Copilot+ laptops (Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 and Yoga Slim 7 15ILL9) and came that way. Two others were force-upgraded: the Ryzen 5800x desktop via in-place ISO-based upgrade, and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 via the Windows 11 Installation Assistant. Last Friday, I saw the Dell D7080 SFF PC had received (and downloaded) the latest release on its own. That’s right: here at Chez Tittel, WU throws first 24H2 offer. It’s done and dusted now, in fact…

Success When WU Throws First 24H2 Offer

As you can see in the lead-in graphic, I didn’t even catch the notification until the target was already through the GUI-based portion of the install. Indeed, the D7080 informed me it needed a reboot to continue that process. Once allowed to proceed, in fact, it finished up in under 15 minutes (it’s an 11th Gen i7 with 64GB RAM and a reasonably fast SSD so it moved along right smartly). It’s now upgraded and running Build 26100.2033, and WU says it’s up-to-date.

Just for grins I checked my other production level Windows 11 machines, but both of them are still standing pat with 23H2 — namely:

  • Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (8th Gen i7)
  • Lenovo P360Ultra SFF PC (13th Gen i9)

I’m guessing they’re either subject to the Intel Audio hold (X1) or the well-known Gen13/14 issues with 24H2. I’m going to keep watching and will report when and as those holds lift, and WU extends further offers. But gosh: it’s nice to see things working as they oughter, here in Windows-World. Cheers!

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, Updates, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

24H2 Compatibility Holds Block WU

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OK, then: thanks to Paul Thurrott, I think I know why my half-dozen Windows 11 23H2 PCs are getting no 24H2 offers. Among the half-dozen “Known Issues” that could bollix such an upgrade is an item named Fingerprint sensors might experience problems after a device is locked. And wouldn’t you know it: every one of my Lenovo laptops that could get the offer has one. And now I know: 24H2 Compatibility holds block WU from offering 24H2 to such PCs. You can see the issue label and first ‘graph of text as the lead-in graphic above.

When 24H2 Compatibility Holds Block WU…

One can always decide to upgrade forcibly if WU declines to make an upgrade offer. That’s what I did on the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Mobile Workstation — which includes a fingerprint sensor and a Windows Hello IR camera. And indeed, it’s been running 24H2 since October 2 without issues or hiccups.

If you decide you want to upgrade ahead of WU offers, just be sure to make an image backup beforehand. That way, if anything goes sideways, you can reboot to WinRE and run a repair or rescue disk (Macrium Rescue Media, in my local cases) to restore that image. It takes 3-7 minutes to make such an image on my PCs, and up to 15 minutes to restore same. Well worth it IMO, to sidestep potential or actual trouble when needed.

In the meantime, I’m standing pat on my other Windows 11 23H2 PCs (both test and production units) waiting to see how long the compatibility holds will persist. If history is any guide, it’ll probably take another month or three before that happens. Stay tuned: I’ll keep you posted!

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11, Windows Update

Assistant Handles 24H2 Upgrade

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OK, then: I read this morning that MS dropped the “official” 24H2 release yesterday. “This time,” I thought to myself, “I’m taking a different approach.” From the Download Windows 11 page, I grabbed the Installation Assistant. Prosaically enough, it’s named Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe. File properties show today’s date for creation and modification, so I’m hopeful it will get me to 24H2. But I’m still wondering if the assistant handles 24H2 upgrade as expected, or not. Right now it’s going into its initial restart.

Deciding if Assistant Handles 24H2 Upgrade

If you look at the lead-in graphic it shows the Assistant in phase 3 of the upgrade process — namely 75% through installing the new stuff. After this got to 100%, I rebooted that PC (Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 Mobile workstation). It’s now 30% through the post-reboot install process (white  text, spinning arrow, black background).

…Aaaaaand then, it stayed at 30% long enough for me to finish a round of Backgammon waiting for it to complete. But complete it did, only to drop into the OOBE portion of the install next. A couple of minutes later, I had a Windows 11 desktop. But which version is it? Here’s what winver says:

Looks like the Installation Assistant is a workable way to get to 24H2 from 23H2, if you’re of a mind to do that. And it also looks like indeed the upgrade is officially out. I’ll go some exploring and report my findings in tomorrow’s blog post. In the meantime you could try it yourself to see what happens… Cheers!

 

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Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 10, Windows Update

Windows 10 Beta Access Proves Elusive

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On June 4, MS announced it was (re)opening the Beta Channel for Windows Insiders on Windows 10. So I stood up a Windows 10 VM on my trusty Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen1 Mobile Workstation to try this out. Bizarrely, after joining the Beta Channel the next update informed me it was loading a Windows 11 Beta version. Indeed, either I couldn’t figure out how to get the actual Windows 10 Beta to download and install, or that version was mislabeled. That’s why I aver that Windows 10 Beta access proves elusive.

If Windows 10 Beta Access Proves Elusive, Then What?

As you can see in the lead-in graphic, after I “got away” from an apparent Windows 11 beta install, I did manage to get into the Windows 10 Insider Preview Channel. Right now, it has the same release as does the Beta Channel anyway (see Aug 22 blog post).

From that vantage point, and that build number (19045.4942) I was then able to “upgrade” myself to the Beta Channel. This is apparently a case where if a single-step approach doesn’t work, a more tentative two-step (Insider Preview first, then Beta) channel changing strategy does. Go figure!

Little by Little, Step by Step

If you can’t get where you need to go in Windows in one fell swoop, incremental progress will have to do. As you can see in the closing screencap, the test VM is now in the Beta Channel and running the associated most current Windows 10 release (likewise 19045.4942, which is how I could make the switch both quickly and easily).

Enrolling in Insider Preview, then switching to Beta works like a charm.

Here in Windows-World, even if the obvious method doesn’t seem to work, a less direct approach can still get you where you want or need to go. I’d call this another case in point.

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