Windows 10 updates stop working after a restart – Error 0x800703fa. Version 22H2. Help required, LTT is the last option.
Windows 10 updates stop working after a restart – Error 0x800703fa. Version 22H2. Help required, LTT is the last option.
I've been struggling with updating Windows for the last three days and am unsure what's going wrong. After downloading and installing all updates, I still face the error "We couldn't complete the updates Undoing changes." After restarting, I see a message about the 2025-08 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 10 version 22H2. This issue appears with other updates too. I've tried several steps: using the Windows Update Troubleshooter, restoring with a fresh media installation from Microsoft, reinstalling Windows 10 (1909 build) and updating to 22H2, running sfc /scannow and DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth, checking system info (noting my PC lacks TPM 2.0), and using a fresh install of Windows. Still, the latest update KB5063842 doesn't install properly. When I try to launch FACEIT Anti-Cheat (CS2 is my main game), it shows an error saying updates are missing, preventing the game from launching.
This seems unusual. If you installed Windows correctly, you shouldn't run into update problems unless you're very unlucky and hit the same error again. It could be a general issue, so you might want to wait until September 9th for the latest updates to apply properly. Microsoft releases big updates every Tuesday, so timing helps. There are some unlocked Windows ISO versions if you're curious about installing Windows 11 without the TPM requirement. You might be able to do it using Rufus by turning off the TPM check, but don't rely on that. I haven't tried installing Windows 11 without TPM recently. You can read the guide here: https://www.makeuseof.com/rufus-bypass-t...indows-11/ It might help you get past the problem.
I'll wait for the next update on September 9th, as you mentioned, since that's the only one I can install at the moment. The latest preview is for Windows 10 version 22H2 on x64 systems (KB5063842). Earlier, I updated my PC to Windows 11 successfully, but we still require TPM 2.0 for the FACEIT anti-cheat to work properly on any Windows 11 device, which means I can't use it right now until my hardware gets upgraded.
These upcoming mandatory updates are being rolled out in a phased manner, with testing happening regularly. The September 9th release will incorporate the changes from the latest preview update you’re aiming to install. This update is expected to be more thoroughly tested and refined compared to previous versions. It’s unusual that an anti-cheat update is required when it should be optional, possibly indicating a missing component or configuration on your system. Have you attempted to reinstall the anti-cheat software? Did you reach out to their support team and describe the error message, mentioning that all mandatory Windows updates are already applied? They may be able to provide a log file for further troubleshooting.
The update doesn't seem to affect the installation process for your PC. If you're using it for gaming, consider upgrading your hardware, as compatibility issues with anti-cheat systems may arise later. The main issue appears to be the NVMe driver installation failure, identified as code 0x800703fa. This typically occurs because your system was built with the iRST driver (Intel) or AMD's equivalent. If the pre-installation setup (F5 driver) isn't present, the install won't proceed.
You have two options:
1. Disable CSM in the BIOS settings.
2. Reformat the hard drive using GPT mode and enable Secureboot during installation.
Alternatively, you can bypass the RST process by turning it off in BIOS and ensuring the OS boots directly from a floppy disk. This avoids issues with RAID configurations or missing native NVMe support.
For best results, avoid using the system as a RAID device or relying on older BIOS settings. Updating to a newer OS version or preparing the BIOS accordingly can resolve these problems.
2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation Intel CPUs lack native NVMe support. An expansion card is needed for a boot firmware, or at least the 4th/5th need the RAID driver loaded. A 2.5" SSD SATA still displays the same error, and the BIOS settings don’t align with what the maker planned for Windows 7. It’s likely the driver was added in later Windows 10 updates, but that doesn’t help with pre-install or recovery setups. When CSM is activated, the OS is installed through the old SATA route. This explains why you can install the OS but not perform a rescue. You must first load the F5 driver during installation for rescue access outside of CSM mode.