Microsoft Issues Out‑of‑Band Windows 11 Update to Remedy March Installation Errors
What Happened — A March 2026 non‑security preview update (KB5079391) for Windows 11 25H2/24H2 failed to install on many PCs, returning error 0x80073712. Microsoft withdrew the faulty build and, on March 31 2026, released an out‑of‑band cumulative update (KB5086672) that supersedes the preview and resolves the installation problem.
Why It Matters for TPRM —
- Unpatched endpoints can experience service disruption, affecting business continuity for downstream vendors.
- Failure to apply the OOB patch may leave Windows 11 devices out of compliance with security baselines required by many contracts.
- The incident highlights the need for robust patch‑management processes that include out‑of‑band releases.
Who Is Affected — Enterprises running Windows 11 on desktops/laptops, Managed Service Providers (MSPs) handling Windows environments, and any third‑party that relies on Microsoft OS stability for its services.
Recommended Actions —
- Verify that all Windows 11 assets have received KB5086672 via your patch‑management system.
- Adjust policies to automatically ingest out‑of‑band updates from Microsoft.
- Test the OOB update in a controlled environment before full deployment to avoid unforeseen regressions.
Technical Notes — The March preview update (KB5079391) introduced new features but suffered a missing‑file error (0x80073712) due to a packaging misconfiguration. The replacement cumulative update (KB5086672) includes all prior fixes plus the installation fix, and is delivered through Windows Update as an optional but recommended package. Source: ZDNet Security