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KB5028997 is Microsoft’s guide to resizing the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) partition; it is not the update that failed. The January 2024 Windows 10 update KB5034441 and Windows 11 update KB5034440 could fail with 0x80070643 when the recovery partition lacked space. If a WinRE update is still failing on your PC, first confirm that WinRE is the cause. Microsoft’s manual remedy shrinks the Windows partition by 250 MB and recreates the WinRE partition—but that involves deleting a partition, so do not run the commands unless your disk layout matches the documented procedure.
If the error is only an old entry in Update history, do not resize partitions just to clear it. Later updates may have resolved the underlying issue while leaving the old failure entry visible.
What the three KB numbers mean
| Update or article | What it is |
|---|---|
| KB5034441 | A Windows 10 WinRE update from the January 2024 rollout. |
| KB5034440 | The corresponding Windows 11 WinRE update from that rollout. |
| KB5028997 | Microsoft’s instructions for manually resizing the WinRE recovery partition so a WinRE update can install. |
WinRE is the recovery environment Windows uses for troubleshooting and recovery tools. Its files are stored in a separate, usually hidden partition. In the affected cases, the installer could not service the WinRE image because that partition did not have enough free space. The error code 0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE is generic, however; by itself, it does not prove that WinRE space is the problem.
Check whether this is a WinRE partition failure
Open Command Prompt as administrator and run:
reagentc /infoCheck the output for Windows RE status and Windows RE location. A registered, enabled recovery environment commonly shows a status of Enabled and a location resembling \?GLOBALROOTdeviceharddisk0partition…. The disk and partition numbers vary by computer.
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For additional evidence, open Event Viewer > Windows Logs > System and look for a WinRE servicing event with event ID 4502. Microsoft identifies an event reporting “Windows Recovery Environment servicing failed” with ErrorPhase 2 as evidence that insufficient recovery-partition space may be the cause. This event supports the diagnosis; it is not required on every affected machine.
Before changing partitions, confirm that the failing item is actually a WinRE update—not another update that happens to return the same generic code. Check Settings > Windows Update > Update history and determine whether Windows Update is currently reporting a failure or whether you are looking at a past entry.
Before using DiskPart
Microsoft’s KB5028997 procedure assumes the WinRE partition is after the Windows (OS) partition on the same disk. If that is not your layout, stop rather than adapting the commands by guesswork.
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- Confirm the correct disk, Windows partition, and WinRE partition. Do not identify partitions by size or filesystem alone.
- If BitLocker is enabled, make sure you can access the recovery key. Suspend protection where appropriate for your environment before changing partitions.
- Do not use
delete partition overrideuntil you have positively identified the old WinRE partition. - Never copy example disk or partition numbers into commands without checking your own output.
The procedure deletes the existing recovery partition. A wrong selection can destroy data or disrupt Windows recovery and an OEM recovery setup. If you cannot confidently map the partitions, ask an experienced administrator or technician to inspect the layout.
Microsoft’s 250 MB WinRE partition procedure
Use this only when the WinRE partition is present, follows the OS partition on the same disk, and the layout otherwise matches Microsoft’s instructions. Open an elevated Command Prompt and first record the result of reagentc /info. Then disable WinRE:
reagentc /disableStart DiskPart and inspect the disk and partitions. Replace each placeholder only after identifying the correct item in the output:
diskpart
list disk
sel disk <OS disk index>
list part
sel part <OS partition index>
shrink desired=250 minimum=250
sel part <WinRE partition index>
delete partition overrideStop before continuing if the shrink fails, the partition order differs, or you are uncertain which partition is WinRE. After deleting the old WinRE partition, use list disk to determine whether the selected disk is GPT or MBR. Create a replacement recovery partition using the matching commands below.
For GPT:
create partition primary id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes =0x8000000000000001For MBR:
create partition primary id=27Format the new partition, then set the MBR identifier if applicable:
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools"For MBR only, run:
set id=27Check the resulting volumes, leave DiskPart, and re-enable WinRE:
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list vol
exit
reagentc /enable
reagentc /infoThe final reagentc /info output should report Windows RE status: Enabled and show a WinRE location. The GPT identifier, GPT attributes, MBR ID, filesystem, and 250 MB shrink above are from Microsoft’s KB5028997 procedure.
If your layout or WinRE status is different
- WinRE partition is before the OS partition, on another disk, or there are multiple recovery partitions: Do not use the standard sequence. It assumes the recovery partition follows the OS partition. Have an administrator assess the layout and recovery configuration.
- There is no WinRE location, or WinRE is disabled: Do not delete a partition on the assumption that it is the right one. If Windows can locate the recovery image, try
reagentc /enableand check the result withreagentc /info. If the image is missing or damaged, use Microsoft’s WinRE servicing or deployment guidance rather than creating a replacement path by guesswork. - The OS partition cannot shrink by 250 MB, DiskPart reports an error, or the disk is dynamic or unusually encrypted: Stop. Do not improvise partition changes or keep retrying destructive commands.
- The device uses vendor recovery tools, custom deployment tooling, or a nonstandard partition layout: Consult the device vendor or the team responsible for its deployment and recovery configuration. A generic WinRE partition change can interfere with those arrangements.
For administrators servicing a deployed WinRE image, Microsoft’s KB5034957 guidance describes a PowerShell-based process involving the WinRE image and a CAB package. It is a deployment and image-servicing route, not a substitute for guessing at missing partition details; use a package appropriate to the device and Windows build.
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Start with reagentc /info and confirm that WinRE is enabled and has a location. Then check Windows Update again to see whether a currently applicable update installs. For deeper servicing verification, Microsoft documents checking a WinREAgent event 4501 or inspecting the image with DISM.
A DISM image-information command uses the actual device path to winre.wim, for example:
dism /Get-ImageInfo /ImageFile:\?GLOBALROOTdeviceharddisk0partition<number>RecoveryWindowsREwinre.wim /index:1The partition number and path in that example are placeholders: determine the actual WinRE location on your machine. Do not copy a sample partition number as if it were universal.
Does the original error still need fixing in 2026?
Usually, there is no reason to hunt down the original January 2024 KB5034441 or KB5034440 package as a standalone repair. Later applicable updates may supersede those packages. For Windows 10 versions 21H2 and 22H2, Microsoft says the 0x80070643 issue documented for a later WinRE update was resolved by KB5063523 or a later update.
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Microsoft also notes that an incorrect failure message can remain in Update history after the underlying issue is resolved. An old entry under Settings > Windows Update > Update history therefore does not, on its own, mean the computer is still blocked or unpatched. Check for a current failure and verify WinRE before taking action.
Windows 10 reached end of support on October 14, 2025. In 2026, whether the device receives further updates depends on its support arrangement, such as eligibility for Extended Security Updates (ESU) or an organization’s servicing policy. If Windows 10 is no longer covered, planning a supported migration may matter more than repairing a historical update-history entry. Do not assume the Windows 10 KB5063523 resolution describes every Windows 11 build or servicing channel; check the applicable update information for the installed version.
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