Microsoft has resolved a known issue that caused Windows updates to fail, leading to 0x800F081F errors on Windows 11 24H2 systems.
In a service alert seen by BleepingComputer, Microsoft says this known issue affects users who have installed the KB5050094 January 2025 preview cumulative update and later Windows updates.
“The cumulative update failure might be accompanied with error code 0x800F081F (CBS_E_SOURCE_MISSING),” Microsoft said.
“This issue has been identified to be caused by missing language packs and feature payloads required for cumulative updates, resulting from ACR (Automatic Component Repair) and MCR (Manual Component Repair) cleanup processes, leading to update failures.”
Microsoft acknowledged the issue on October 15, and it fixed it with the KB5067036 October 2025 preview update released this Tuesday.
Redmond also provided a temporary workaround for IT administrators who can’t immediately install yesterday’s optional updates on affected devices.
This requires them to perform an In-Place Upgrade using Windows installation media to reinstall the missing components, leaving personal files and programs untouched.
Another option is an In-Place Upgrade via Windows Settings by following these steps:
- Open Windows Settings by clicking Start and then Settings.
- Navigate to System – Recovery.
- Select “Fix problems using Windows Update,” then click “Reinstall now.”
- Confirm the action by clicking OK.
- Windows Update will download and reinstall the current version of Windows while keeping your files, apps, and settings intact.
- After installation, click Restart now to complete the repair install. Your device might restart multiple times..
Since the start of the year, Windows admins have experienced several other issues when trying to install updates.
For instance, in April, Microsoft resolved a bug issue preventing enterprises from installing the April 2025 security updates on Windows 11 22H2/23H2 systems via Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
In August, following widespread reports, it fixed an identical bug that caused the August 2025 Windows 11 24H2 cumulative update to fail with 0x80240069 errors when deployed via WSUS.
Just days later, it also addressed a known issue that was causing Windows updates to fail when installed from a network share using the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA).
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