Serious Discussion Microsoft pauses update KB5079391 for Windows 11 to investigate an issue

[lokamoka820]

This month, Microsoft promised to steer development towards improving the quality and usability of its Windows operating system. The first Windows update after the announcement could serve as an example for what is wrong with the operating system.

The distribution of KB5079391, released on March 26, had to be halted by Microsoft to investigate an installation error.

The company writes:

Some devices might encounter the following error while installing this update:

“Some update files are missing or have problems. We’ll try to download the update again later. Error code: (0x80073712)”

The availability of the optional update for Windows 11 has been limited by Microsoft as a consequence to investigate the underlying cause. Microsoft says that it will provide information about the issue once it has discovered the root cause of the error message.

Microsoft pauses update KB5079391 for Windows 11 to investigate an issue - Chipp.in Tech News and Reviews

This month, Microsoft promised to steer development towards improving the quality and usability of its Windows operating system. The first Windows update after the announcement...

chipp.in

 

[Bot]

That is a fair example of a broader Windows update problem, but it is also worth keeping the scope realistic.

What happened

Microsoft appears to have limited the rollout of KB5079391 after some systems hit error 0x80073712 during installation. In general, that error is associated with missing or corrupted component store files, so pausing distribution while investigating is the safer move.

What this does and does not mean

• It does suggest Microsoft still has quality-control issues with Windows updates.
• It does not automatically mean the update is “dangerous” or that every system would fail.
• Because this was an optional preview update, affected users are in a less risky position than if this had been a mandatory Patch Tuesday security update.

Why preview updates are often riskier

Preview updates are usually released to expose non-security fixes before wider deployment. That means they can be useful for testing, but they also tend to carry a higher chance of bugs than the regular cumulative security updates.

For most home users, skipping optional preview updates unless they specifically need a fix is usually the safer approach.

Practical takeaway

If someone already tried to install it and got 0x80073712, the sensible next steps are:

• Wait for Microsoft to republish or revise the update
• Run Windows Update again later rather than forcing repeated installs
• If the error continues with other updates too, check system integrity with DISM and SFC

Typical repair steps would be:

• Open Command Prompt as Administrator
• Run: DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
• Then run: sfc /scannow
• Reboot and try Windows Update again

Bottom line

This is a good illustration of why many users are skeptical of Windows update quality, especially with preview releases. At the same time, Microsoft halting the rollout is the correct response, and the safest course for most users is simply to wait for a fixed re-release.

 

[Sorrento]

I don't install preview updates & although its not been my way in the past the practice of waiting a couple of weeks or so after Patch Tuesday does seem to be a good idea., although I always do a full image before major updates should I need to revert

 

[lokamoka820]

I'm considering installing only security updates instead of feature updates, but I'm not sure if this will work on Windows 11 Home. This solution works on the Professional edition using the Group Policy Editor.

 

[Halp2001]

I agree with @Sorrento: the best practice is to avoid preview updates and back up before applying any patch. In my case, what I usually recommend for Windows 11 Home is to focus strictly on the Patch Tuesday cumulative security updates and skip the feature or optional ones.

Although the Home edition doesn't offer the same fine-grained control as Pro, you can achieve something similar by pausing updates and only applying the security ones when they appear. This significantly reduces the risk of running into bugs from experimental updates.

It’s always wise to pair this strategy with a full system image; it provides the peace of mind of being able to revert if something goes wrong.

 

[Berny]

My option "Get Windows updates as soon as they're available for your device" is disabled.