Windows Update for KB5034441 may fail (and keep failing)

Tech Talk Windows
1

A recent Windows Update keeps failing to install on many of my [virtual] machines. This seems to be related to the Windows Recovery Partition being too small to handle the installation of the update.

From:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/kb5034441-windows-recovery-environment-update-for-windows-10-version-21h2-and-22h2-january-9-2024-62c04204-aaa5-4fee-a02a-2fdea17075a8

The following linked article has the steps you can follow to MANUALLY resize your recovery partition. Please NOTE that there is some significant danger to your disk/data if you don’t get this correct. I tried it on one of my non-virtual machines and it allowed the update to install, rather quickly.

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

I think it’s currently unknown if Microsoft will release a different version of the update that handles the resizing automatically. Other than leaving an annoying failure message, I don’t think this update is urgent, so you could probably wait for next month’s patch Tuesday to see if they do.

2

Susan Bradley over at AskWoody.com recommends holding off making any changes until it becomes clear whether Microsoft is going to be able to offer a solution:

https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/ms-defcon-1-partition-size-blocks-update/

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/hid-kb5034441-what-next/

https://www.askwoody.com/forums/topic/kb5034441-and-the-wushowhide-tool-questions/

3

I have this problem too. After getting Windows Update Tues.Feb.13/24 I tried getting the 5034441 update. It failed again.

I looked at my WinRE partition & I only have about 80mb free.

I don’ use Bitlocker so its not critical for me.
I am going to try & make my partition 250mb bigger. Good Idea to
image your drive first.

For now I found a useful .cab File from Microsoft that allows you to Show or Hide Windows Updates.
This is why Microsoft should be giving us the option to Download & Install especially for Win Pro Users. I have seen this in Win 11 but not on 10.

You can get the Direct Download Link Here.

Wushowhide

Not everyone may be comfortable using the CMD method.

I found a much Faster Simpler way of Resizing the WinRE Partition.

I now have a 1.0Gb WinRE Partition.

MiniTool Partition Wizard Portable

Scroll Down until you see Download(64Bit)

All you have to do is Select the WinRE Partition, then Right Click on it &
Select Move/Resize,you can then enter the size you want. Click Apply. Reboot Your Computer, Get the update.