Windows 11’s October update doesn’t install, gets stuck and restarts

Microsoft is having a bad month. Not long after the Windows 11 24H2 update began rolling out, the issues have just been piling on. At first it was drivers crashing PCs and mouse cursors disappearing. Then it was tons of undeletable data left behind after updating. Some users are even running into dead internet connections and network issues.

Then came Patch Tuesday on October 8, where we got two updates that primarily address security vulnerabilities: update KB5044284 for users on Windows 11 24H2 and update KB5044285 for users on older versions Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 11 22H2.

Unfortunately, this important cumulative security update is yet another headache for Windows 11 users as both updates are apparently failing to install with various possible error codes:

0x800736b3

0x80070005

0x800f0838

0x8007371b

Some users are also reporting that Windows Update gets stuck in the update process at 40 percent, while others say that their updates get stuck somewhere between 90 and 95 percent. After waiting several minutes without progress, Windows undoes the update and try again.

What to do if you’re having this issue

Fortunately, there’s a simple workaround. To resolve installation problems, you can use the Microsoft Update Catalog instead:

Visit the Microsoft Update Catalog.

At the top right, use the search box to search for KB5044284 (if you’re on 24H2) or KB5044285 (if you’re on 23H2 or 22H2).

Find the Windows version you’re using (either x64 or arm64), then click the Download button to the right.

In the resulting pop-up window, you’ll see two.MSU file links. Click both links to download both files to your computer.

Double-click on one of the.MSU files to start the installation wizard and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you correctly follow the steps, you’ll be prompted to restart your computer twice, and then the update will be installed.

Alternatively, you can also use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to install the October patch without losing any personal files. We previously explained how to do that in this article.

Other problems that come with Windows 11 update KB5044284

In addition to the aforementioned update installation failures, other users are reporting a strange error that causes the OpenSSH service to stop working. It simply stops launching after updating, with no error messages or logs giving any indication of the error.

You should be able to work around the OpenSSH error by deleting or renaming the C:ProgramDatasshlogs directory. Afterwards, the SSH service should resume normally again.

Uninstalling the KB5044284 update

If you’re experiencing too many issues with the update and you just want to return to a pre-update state, you can uninstall it with these steps:

Open the Settings app.

Navigate to Windows Update in the left sidebar.

Select Update history.

Scroll down and select Uninstall updates.

Locate update KB5044284 and click Uninstall.

Restart your computer.

Further reading: What I like most in Windows 11’s 24H2 update