Error 0x80070643 shows up when Windows Update can't finish installing KB5044273 or KB5044284. These updates target the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), and they need space that often isn't there.

The error message looks like this:

There were some problems installing updates, but we'll try again later. If you keep seeing this and want to search the web or contact support for information, this may help: (0x80070643)

Why this error occurs

The root cause is a too-small Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) partition. Recent security patches for the BitLocker Security Feature Bypass (CVE-2024-20666) need to update the winre.wim file.

Windows needs about 250MB of extra free space in the recovery partition to finish the update. If the partition is too small or full, the update fails. This affects:

  • Windows 10 (21H2, 22H2)
  • Windows 11 (21H2, 22H2, 23H2)

How to fix error 0x80070643

You can fix this by resizing partitions manually or running a Microsoft script. Both require administrator privileges. If you're not comfortable with PowerShell, back up your system before starting.

Method 1: Manual Partition Resizing (Diskpart)

Shrink the main OS partition to free up space, then recreate the WinRE partition with more room.

  1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
  2. Check the WinRE status and disable it:
    reagentc /info
reagentc /disable
  3. Open Diskpart:
    diskpart
  4. Find your disk and partitions:
    list disk
sel disk <your-disk-number>
list part
  5. Select the primary OS partition (the largest one) and shrink it:
    sel part <your-os-partition-number>
shrink desired=250 minimum=250
  6. Select and delete the old WinRE partition:
    sel part <your-winre-partition-number>
delete partition override
  7. Create a new recovery partition. For GPT disks:
    create partition primary id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows RE tools"
exit
  8. Re-enable WinRE:
    reagentc /enable
reagentc /info

Method 2: Automated Microsoft Script

If the manual approach feels too risky, use Microsoft's "ExtendWinRE" script. It's a good option when managing multiple machines or if you'd rather skip Diskpart entirely.

  1. Download the script from the Microsoft Download Center.
  2. Run it with administrative privileges.
  3. Go to Settings > Windows Update and click Check for updates to confirm it worked.

Check your work

After resizing, KB5044273 or KB5044284 should install automatically. If you still see errors, check for system file corruption. Update failures can also come from driver conflicts, similar to printer error 0x0000011b.

Once the WinRE partition has enough space, the update replaces the recovery image and the 0x80070643 error clears from your history.

Need help with Windows Update errors? Contact Rain City Techworks.