Jack Bicer, director of vulnerability research at patch automation provider Action1, said IT leaders who encountered this error before Microsoft issued the November 17 fix should check that they have the latest servicing stack update (SSU) installed. If not, install that and try to install the patch again. Running Windows Update Troubleshooter may also help detect and reset components if needed.
To repair system files, he said, admins should:
- Temporarily disable non-Microsoft services/startup apps (Clean Boot) to eliminate third-party interference.
- If the update still fails, download the .msu package for KB5068781 from the Microsoft Update Catalog and install manually (run wusa.exe
.msu /quiet /norestart). Ensure you match architecture and version. - If you installed the update but still face issues: verify the build number via winver to ensure it reached 19045.6575 (22H2) or 19044.6575 (21H2).
