Windows 11 updates are failing to install with this weird error

Windows 11 users are reporting some installation failures when trying to update the OS, with an uninformative error not throwing much light on the cause of the apparent problem – although it’s an issue that Microsoft is ‘closely monitoring’.

Windows Latest reports that an error code 0xc1900101 is being produced for some folks when trying to update, and the operating system then rolls back to the previous build with no further details on the cause of the issue being provided.

This is apparently happening mostly with preview builds of Windows 11, and other error codes have been witnessed as well, Windows Latest notes, but the aforementioned one is the most commonly seen and reported on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub.

One user posted to the Hub: “All my physical machines updated ok, but on a virtual machine running either Hyper-V, VMWare, or VirtualBox, it almost gets to the end of the update, and then rolls back. Worse, on VMWare and VirtualBox, the virtual machine software crashes at the end of the update.”

Another observed: “Mine has the same problem. The first time I update the pc to the latest build it showed an error about my graphics driver so it rolled back. I was suspecting that the windows update corrupted my graphic driver as after rolling back my graphics card was not working, it just works after I reinstall driver. I reinstall the update later and it was a success.”

Microsoft has confirmed that it knows about the error which it describes as a ‘generic’ failure and an area that the company is watching closely.

Microsoft advised one affected user: “Thanks for taking the time to report this – error code 0xc1900101 is a generic error displayed when an update fails and rolls back for some reason. This is an area we monitor closely and can have different root causes depending on which build you were attempting to upgrade to and your setup.”

No firm advice was given, then, as to how someone might get around this gremlin in the works, but Microsoft does say that users should try updating to the very latest preview build (if they were attempting to upgrade to a previous version, of course).


Analysis: Some possible workarounds, but the waiting game might be best

There are various theories about the cause of this – and similar – update failure errors, including suggestions of app compatibility or driver issues (as we saw above), or even low disk space. But as Microsoft mentions, this is a ‘generic’ error and one which could have a number of different causes.

If you encounter this problem, aside from making sure you are attempting to install the very latest build, there are a few things you can try. It certainly won’t hurt to ensure that you aren’t running low on drive space, and maybe run a disk clean (it’s a good idea to do this periodically anyway). Also, we’ve seen another user report that disabling their antivirus resolved the installation failure of a recent preview build, and there are some further suggestions of potential action to take in this thread from the Microsoft Tech Community.

What’s also worth noting here is that this error has been a problem in the past, for example with Windows 11 preview build 22504 (back in November 2021). At the time, Microsoft’s advice was that users “may want to pause updates until we release a fix”, although in the past Microsoft has also said that those encountering this error code with Windows 10 should try to install the update again after a clean boot (find instructions here – and interestingly as observed above, another potential mitigation mentioned is to disable your antivirus temporarily).

In short, while you may get some joy from the potential solutions floated in the links above, your best bet might be to simply wait for the issue to resolve itself, providing you don’t have an urgent need to get the update in question up and running.

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Windows 11 updates are failing to install with this weird error

Windows 11 users are reporting some installation failures when trying to update the OS, with an uninformative error not throwing much light on the cause of the apparent problem – although it’s an issue that Microsoft is ‘closely monitoring’.

Windows Latest reports that an error code 0xc1900101 is being produced for some folks when trying to update, and the operating system then rolls back to the previous build with no further details on the cause of the issue being provided.

This is apparently happening mostly with preview builds of Windows 11, and other error codes have been witnessed as well, Windows Latest notes, but the aforementioned one is the most commonly seen and reported on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub.

One user posted to the Hub: “All my physical machines updated ok, but on a virtual machine running either Hyper-V, VMWare, or VirtualBox, it almost gets to the end of the update, and then rolls back. Worse, on VMWare and VirtualBox, the virtual machine software crashes at the end of the update.”

Another observed: “Mine has the same problem. The first time I update the pc to the latest build it showed an error about my graphics driver so it rolled back. I was suspecting that the windows update corrupted my graphic driver as after rolling back my graphics card was not working, it just works after I reinstall driver. I reinstall the update later and it was a success.”

Microsoft has confirmed that it knows about the error which it describes as a ‘generic’ failure and an area that the company is watching closely.

Microsoft advised one affected user: “Thanks for taking the time to report this – error code 0xc1900101 is a generic error displayed when an update fails and rolls back for some reason. This is an area we monitor closely and can have different root causes depending on which build you were attempting to upgrade to and your setup.”

No firm advice was given, then, as to how someone might get around this gremlin in the works, but Microsoft does say that users should try updating to the very latest preview build (if they were attempting to upgrade to a previous version, of course).


Analysis: Some possible workarounds, but the waiting game might be best

There are various theories about the cause of this – and similar – update failure errors, including suggestions of app compatibility or driver issues (as we saw above), or even low disk space. But as Microsoft mentions, this is a ‘generic’ error and one which could have a number of different causes.

If you encounter this problem, aside from making sure you are attempting to install the very latest build, there are a few things you can try. It certainly won’t hurt to ensure that you aren’t running low on drive space, and maybe run a disk clean (it’s a good idea to do this periodically anyway). Also, we’ve seen another user report that disabling their antivirus resolved the installation failure of a recent preview build, and there are some further suggestions of potential action to take in this thread from the Microsoft Tech Community.

What’s also worth noting here is that this error has been a problem in the past, for example with Windows 11 preview build 22504 (back in November 2021). At the time, Microsoft’s advice was that users “may want to pause updates until we release a fix”, although in the past Microsoft has also said that those encountering this error code with Windows 10 should try to install the update again after a clean boot (find instructions here – and interestingly as observed above, another potential mitigation mentioned is to disable your antivirus temporarily).

In short, while you may get some joy from the potential solutions floated in the links above, your best bet might be to simply wait for the issue to resolve itself, providing you don’t have an urgent need to get the update in question up and running.

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You shouldn’t install the latest Windows 11 update

Microsoft has made the KB5010414 update available to the Insider Program: it's a fairly significant patch for the Windows 11 operating system, though some users have already noted that issues are appearing on their systems after installing it.

These include overheating due to excessive CPU loads, and new printing issues that are unrelated to those that previously plagued both Windows 11 and Windows 10 users, neither of which were reported prior to this update being downloaded. 

Luckily, this update is only available to members of the Windows Insider Program (a beta-testing platform for early adopters), so there's no need to worry about it being automatically downloaded and installed onto your own laptop or PC. Still, if you're an Insider who has yet to download it, we would suggest you avoid doing so for the time being.

A notable expectation is if you're affected by a bug that currently displays inaccurate tooltips when you hover over taskbar items. By most reports, the KB5010414 update resolves this issue, but weighing up the risk is a decision that you can only make yourself.

MSPoweruser reports that Microsoft is already aware of the new problems, but noted that there was no mention it was working on a patch to fix the bugs just yet. It's likely it's being addressed though, given the purpose of the Insider Program is to locate and fix any issues before updates are available to the public, so we anticipate this will be remedied before the full update release.


Analysis: business as usual

Just because we've suggested that you avoid the buggy KB5010414 update for now, doesn't mean you should avoid doing so after the issues are resolved. When the issues are ironed out, this update is going to provide some pretty amazing upgrades to the current Windows 11 build.

Notably, Android apps will be made available, albeit only via the Amazon Appstore for now – this restriction shouldn't be in place long, as other providers like the Epic Games Store are also anticipated to roll out similar services at some point. Window sharing and mute/unmute options for Microsoft Teams calls are also expected to land on the taskbar, as well as a much-needed design update for the Notepad and Media Player apps.

It's very common for early updates to cause a few strange bugs in early access, but that's what the Insider Program is for. It allows keen enthusiasts who are aware of the risks to test upcoming updates for anything that can cause issues, to ensure that fewer problems are created when the full version of that update is released to the general public. If anything, the fact that concerning issues have been found and noted by Microsoft is good news, and proof the system works.

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This new Microsoft PowerToys update could be the least exciting ever, but you should still install it

Microsoft has released a new update for its PowerToys utility suite for Windows 10 and Windows 11, which may be one of the least exciting for a while.

Microsoft’s PowerToys v0.55.2 is available for download now, but doesn't come with any new features or upgrades. Instead, it packs an important security update that addresses a security flaw discovered in the previous release.

That means that even though it doesn't sound particularly interesting, PowerToys users should still install the update immediately to make sure their systems stay protected.

PowerToys security

“This is a patch release to fix issues in v0.55.1. due to an installer bug and .NET 5 doing an update for the runtime,” the official changelog for the release reads. “We deemed (it) important for stability based on incoming rates.”

PowerToys users can install the update now by going to the Settings menu, then General > Updates > Check for updates.

Although perhaps not a commonly-known app for most users, PowerToys allows Windows users the chance to optimize their software for maximum efficiency and productivity.

PowerToys is an open source suite of tools for advanced Windows users, designed to help bypass certain settings and perform actions that are unavailable by default. It also offers a wider range of customization options.

Since PowerToys was rebooted in 2019, Microsoft has serviced the suite regularly with new tools and features, a pattern extended with the latest release. 

This includes the recent inclusion of a mouse crosshair tool that lets users quickly identify the location of their cursor using a keyboard shortcut, and two new File Explorer add-ons that dramatically expand the number of file types supported by the preview pane, including support for 3D printers.

A further PowerToys update earlier in 2022 also included several useful additions, including an “Always on Top” utility that allows users to toggle a window in focus to be on top with a quick press of Win + Ctrl + T. Microsoft also changed the hotkey to mute your webcam and microphone from Win + N to Win + Shift + Q to avoid conflict with an existing Windows 11 keyboard shortcut.

The latest version of PowerToys is available via both the Microsoft Store and the GitHub page.

Via: MSPowerUser

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You’ll want to install this Windows 11 update to speed up your PC

If your Windows 11 PC is feeling slow, then you may want to make sure you download Microsoft’s latest update, known as Windows 11 KB5010386.

This patch was released as part of Microsoft’s big ‘Patch Tuesday’, a monthly event where the company releases a series of important updates for its software.

Included in the patches is KB5010386, which addresses a serious flaw in Windows 11 that caused the speeds of SSDs to drop – which in turn made affected PCs run slowly. While Microsoft has previously addressed this issue with the January 2022 cumulative update, as Windows Latest reports, some people have continued to suffer from this problem.

This new update aims to fix this issue once and for all, so it’s well worth downloading if your PC isn’t performing as fast as it should. The update is currently rolling out to Windows Insiders, who have signed up to test out early builds of Windows 11, but it’s also available to download directly as well.

Other patches

February’s Patch Tuesday also brought a cumulative update with security patches for 48 vulnerabilities. Again, this means making sure your version of Windows 10 or Windows 11 is updated to the very latest release.

There have been some more fixes to various errors in Windows 11 as well, to make it run more smoothly, including a fix for an error that prevented the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) Modify operation from working correctly, as Windows Central points out.

This may be a bit of a niche issue, but as it comes with the security patches, it’s well worth installing anyway.

To make sure your PC is up to date, open the Start menu, type in ‘Update’ and click ‘Check for updates’. If any are found, click them to download and install.

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