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.
Beta updates
The issue highlights the fragile nature of the operating system. Optional updates, which are beta releases of the following month’s cumulative update, should not be installed by the majority of Windows users.
In fact, there are only a few exceptions to the rule:
- Major issues: When a major issue is fixed that affects users significantly.
- Testing: When new features need to be evaluated.
Other than that, it is usually better to wait for the release of the cumulative updates, as these are the releases that are considered more stable. However, here, I also advice to wait with the installation, as bugs and issues are common and may affect operations.
In any event, creating a system backup before installing any updates is highly recocmmended.