For the past few months, I’ve been running the latest Insider preview releases of Windows 11 on my primary PC. To prepare for update feature version 22H2, which was released in October, I switched to the Release Preview channel. Since those versions have been tested by larger teams in the Dev and Beta channels, it’s a fairly low-risk strategy. But it’s not without the occasional hiccups.
Recently, I ran into one of those nasty low-level bugs that’s inevitable when you live at the top. Windows Update tells me a cumulative update is available for my PC. But every time I try to install it, the update fails with cryptic error code: 0x800f0990.
I have tried every troubleshooting trick that I know of but cannot install that update.
Do I care? Not really.
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Because I know I can get back to the ultimate Windows troubleshooting trick, a time-tested technique that clears those pesky error codes like a big digital saucer.
If you find yourself in a similar situation, feel free to break the same big gun I did: Repair Windows install, effectively an in-place upgrade using the same version already installed . It works for Windows 10 and Windows 11.
This solution is significantly less powerful than a Windows reset, which wipes out your current settings and forces you to reinstall apps and restore settings. Repair install “upgrades” your Windows PC with the same major version that was installed. In the process, it will restore the settings to their normal state, undoing any small changes that are causing your current problem.
Ultimate Windows Troubleshooting Trick
An ISO file is a single compressed file that contains the digital equivalent of the Windows installation DVD. You will find the downloadable ISO files corresponding to the version of Windows you are currently running in the following locations:
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Double-click the ISO file to mount it in Windows as a virtual drive. In File Explorer, it is indistinguishable from the DVD drive, with its own drive letter.
Double-click Setup and wait while the Windows installer stops working and gets the latest updates. Well, not exactly the latest. As part of an insecure protocol, the installer downloads the next cumulative update. That precaution keeps you from tripping up if the most recent cumulative update is the cause of your current problem.
Select the option to keep all your personal files, apps, and settings, then click Next.
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Once the installation is complete, reboot and then check Windows Update for the most recent cumulative update.
After I completed these steps (took about 20 minutes) the update that was offered to me installed properly without any issues. As a bonus, another issue that has been bugging me for a few weeks has also been resolved. Previously, every time I restarted my PC, the infrared camera that handled Windows Hello facial recognition was unavailable, which meant I had to enter a PIN to log in for the first time. After completing the in-place reset, that facial recognition was back up and running.
While it may seem like a drastic step, performing an in-place repair install is a surprisingly basic solution that has a way of dealing with even particularly annoying problems. If you’re confused, give it a try.
