Microsoft Admits It Cant Fix Windows Update Error 0x80070643 After Repeated Attempts

In April, Microsoft released updates for Windows 10, one of which (KB5057589 for WinRE) consistently triggered the error code 0x80070643. This occurred even though user computers met the required condition of having 250 MB of free disk space for the recovery partition. Although Microsoft addressed the issue in April, promising a more reliable update, it has now acknowledged that completely resolving the bug is unlikely.

In the spring, the tech giant announced that Windows would «no longer offer this update» if it had already been installed. However, with the monthly dynamic updates accompanying July’s Windows 10 patches, Microsoft reintroduced an update for WinRE, this time identified as KB5063523.

In the release notes, the company states: “This update automatically applies the Safe OS Dynamic Update (KB5062691) to the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) on a running computer. The update implements improvements to Windows recovery features.” Microsoft further notes that while this update has addressed the earlier issue, the error code “0x80070643” may still appear: “This update does not eliminate the incorrect error message that may continue to show up in the Windows update history.”

Dynamic update packages are designed to be applied to existing Windows images prior to deployment. They encompass fixes for the Setup.exe executable, SafeOS updates for the Windows Recovery Environment, and more. Additionally, dynamic updates assist in preserving the content of Language Packs (LP) and Features on Demand (FOD) during the update process. For instance, VBScript is currently categorized as FOD in Windows 11 24H2.

Earlier this month, Microsoft launched a new preview build of Windows 11 (27891) from the Canary Channel. This build featured several enhancements and fixes, along with a new feature for the Microsoft Store. Additionally, PowerShell 2.0 has been removed from this build.