Windows 10 22h2 security update [KB5034441] fails to install with code: 0x80070643

When I browsed through the files in the: C:\Windows\Logs\WinREAgent folder,

I saw one line in the message:

2024-01-09 22:54:42, Info

WinRE partition total space [532,672,512],

              **free space [85,733,376],**  

             **winre size [426,714,587],**  

      **target WinRE size [470,714,948]** 

Note that I inserted all the "comma" characters in the above message.

Hint: delete all the files in the above folder, and then retry to install the update.

The files in this folder will be recreated, and will NOT contain any messages from any previous attempt at this update. So, there's much less text to browse.

My non-GPT disk-drive's current layout:

DISKPART> list vol 

  Volume ###  Ltr  Label        Fs     Type        Size     Status     Info 

  ----------  ---  -----------  -----  ----------  -------  ---------  -------- 

  Volume 0     D                       DVD-ROM         0 B  No Media 

  Volume 1         System Rese  NTFS   Partition     50 MB  Healthy    System 

  Volume 2     C                NTFS   Partition    929 GB  Healthy    Boot 

  Volume 3         Windows RE   NTFS   Partition   2520 MB  Healthy

I am fortunate that "C:" partition precedes the WNRE partition.

I used the "Disk Management" GUI to select "C:" and then to "shrink" that partition slightly: from 931.63 GB down to exactly 929.0 GB.

The Disk Management GUI did not allow me to select & delete "Volume 3".

So, I used an "run as administrator" command-line to run DISKPART to select and then DELETE (with the OVERRIDE option, to perform the delete.

Then. still within DISKPART, since my disk-drive uses MBR,

I entered the command: create partition primary id=27

and then,k to format the partition, format quick fs=ntfs label=”Windows RE tools”

and then exit.

Yes, expanding the WINRE partition to 2.520 GB is "overkill", but I doubt that losing 2.63 GB from "C:" will ever be noticed.

Here's a different approach:

* purchase a brand-new SSD, since your current disk-drive probably as "aged-out" from its warranty. It is easiest if the capacity of the SSD is at least the same as the current disk-drive.

* download an older (and free) version of MACRIUM REFLECT from www.MajorGeeks.com

* disconnect the "data" & "power" cables from your CD/DVD,, and connect the SSD

* use Macrium Reflect to copy all the partitions from "old" to "new", taking care to "shrink" the "C:" partition by 2 GB, and to "expand" the WINRE partition.

* as the partitions are being copied, the "resizing" will take place.

* after the copy completes, power-off the computer, disconnect the old disk-drive, disconnect the SSD, reconnect the CD/DVD, and reconnect the SSD. You may need to enter BIOS SETUP to tell the BIOS to boot from the SSD (not the now-removed disk-drive).

The result is a newer, faster, in-warranty, disk-drive, with a larger WINRE partition..

Rerun the Windows Update.

Note that this approach will work wherever the original WINRE partition exists, e.g., as the first partition.

Just adjust the size of each partition, as part of the setup of Macrium Reflect.

This approach will also work if your new SSD has a lesser capacity than the current disk-drive, as long as the current "C:" partition is far from full, and you can "live" with the smaller "C:" partition on the SSD.

Finally, I am fortunate that I don't need to do the above manipulations on "500 computers".

I doubt that Microsoft can release a Windows Update that can automate the above.

It's too bad that Microsoft did not categorize this as an "Optional Update".

This does not work, I have had three IT specialists confirm it does not work:

I cannot get anything Microsoft lists on this, including here:

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

The problem is not with my computer, or any corruption or viruses or malware:

the simple fact is, the fixes you indicate to resize, does not work.

Can someone please fix this issue?

After restarting background intelligent transfer and windows update, tried to check for update but shows 0x80070643.

I checked I have more than 500 MB Recovery Partition Automatically created during Windows 10 Pro Setup. Shouldn't it resize or be enough for this update?

I have given up on getting anything with this to work:

even the IT expert I rely on for such matters, states that the effort to increase the space of memory does

not work, as Microsoft states; this is beyond ridiculous.