Some Windows 11 users can't install February update because 'something didn't go as planned'

Windows 11 users are encountering a bug that prevents the installation of the February cumulative update (KB5034765), and Microsoft has acknowledged this problem.

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Windows 11 seems to be suffering from a similar problem to the one that struck Windows 10 last month (Image Credit: Microsoft)

Bleeping Computer noticed that Windows 11 23H2 systems (and 22H2) were in some cases reporting installation failures with the download stopping just short of 100%, and throwing up an '0x800F0922' error code.

That's a typically meaningless stop error of the kind we're often treated to when Windows goes off the rails, but this time, Windows 11 does provide a more informative error message afterwards: "Something didn't go as planned. No need to worry - undoing changes."

Did we say informative? Sorry, we meant almost equally as useless, but at least more comprehensible than being slapped round the face with some hexadecimal.

Anyway, the point is that KB5034765 is causing trouble, and Microsoft addressed the issue on the release health dashboard for Windows 11.

The software giant explained: "Windows 11 devices attempting to install the February 2024 security update, released February 13, 2024 (KB5034765) might face installation failures and the system might stop responding at 96%."

Microsoft said it's working on a fix and will update us soon.

For now, though, there is a workaround, namely to delete a hidden folder (C:$WinREAgent), after which you may need to reboot. Then you should be able to install the February update.

Given the fix relates to WinRE or Windows Recovery Environment, this draws comparisons between this issue and a Windows 10 bug with the January 2024 update that was a bit more convoluted with its fudged solution. It seems there are still WinRE-related gremlins in the works somewhere, then.