Microsoft is addressing a known issue causing errors (0x80070643) during the installation of the KB5034441 security update, aimed at patching the CVE-2024-20666 BitLocker vulnerability. The security flaw was resolved in the recent Patch Tuesday, but deploying KB5034441 on systems with a Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) partition that is too small results in installation failures and displays generic ‘ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE’ messages instead of the accurate CBS_E_INSUFFICIENT_DISK_SPACE error. As a temporary solution, Microsoft provides users with detailed instructions on resizing their WinRE partitions on the support website until a permanent fix is available. The company also released a PowerShell script to automate the WinRE partition update, addressing the BitLocker flaw and mitigating the risk of encrypted data exposure.
The identified issue stems from the attempt to install KB5034441 on systems with a Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) partition that lacks sufficient space, leading to misleading ‘ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE’ messages. While Microsoft is actively working on resolving the problem, affected users are provided with detailed instructions for resizing WinRE partitions manually. Additionally, Microsoft released a PowerShell script to automate the update of the WinRE partition, addressing the CVE-2024-20666 BitLocker vulnerability. The script involves mounting the WinRE image, applying a Safe OS Dynamic Update, and reconfiguring WinRE for BitLocker service if the BitLocker TPM protector is present.
Microsoft acknowledges that devices attempting to install the January 2024 Windows Recovery Environment update (KB5034441) may encounter an error related to the size of the Recovery Environment’s partition. The company is committed to providing a resolution and will issue an update in a forthcoming release. Users are advised to increase the size of the WinRE partition to prevent this issue and complete the installation, with a minimum requirement of 250 megabytes of free space in the recovery partition. It’s crucial for users to take precautions, such as backing up data, when manually resizing the WinRE partition, as there’s a potential risk of partition damage during the process.
