Problems with W10 extended support - Windows update
My PC should be up to date (its reporting 22H2, build 19045.6691). I enrolled into extended support, and the last update applied was KB5071546 on 11/12/25. Latest Defender definition update KB2267602 was applied today.
The other day my PC suffered a total freeze while in use and I had to power off and restart. After the restart I ran CHKDSK's on all drives just in case and all were ok.
It seems stable again, but I noticed that while the Admin (local) account still shows the PC is enrolled for updates, the day to day user account (MS account) no longer shows its enrolled.
Both accounts have a message in red on the Windows update page saying "Your device is missing important security and quality fixes", and a red exclamation mark in the update icon under the Windows Update title. A click of the [Check for Updates] button appears to run the check with the dotted lines going passed, and whilst it finds the latest Defender updates the warning message remains.
I've tried an SFC /scannow and it says there are no errors.
I've run the Windows Update trouble shooter and it finds no issues.
Any ideas please?
Windows for home | Windows 10 | Extended Security Update (ESU)
4 answers
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Noel Macadangdang 16,810 Reputation points Independent Advisor2025-12-21T20:55:29.6366667+00:00 Hi,
Okay, so it looks like your Windows 10 is getting Extended Security Updates (ESU), including Defender stuff and KB5071546. But Windows Update is still showing that annoying red banner and saying you're missing fixes, even after your system froze and you checked the disk.
Basically, this whole thing is due to some known issues and a misreporting of your ESU status.
How to Fix It
Microsoft fixed the UI bug with something called a Known Issue Rollback (KIR). You can either wait for it to install automatically, or you can install it yourself.
Another thing you can try is a registry tweak called WaaS-reset.reg. Some people on Microsoft Q&A forums said it worked for them. It just resets the Windows Update thing.
Here's what I suggest
Install the KIR hotfix from Microsoft. This should get rid of the missing fixes message right away.
If you don't want to wait, try that WaaS-reset.reg thing to clear the UI state. Then, run Windows Update again.
Make sure KB5071546 is installed – it’s the newest cumulative update for 22H2 (build 19045.6691).
Since both your accounts are showing the same issue, it means it’s a problem with the whole system's UI, not just your account.
I hope this helps.
Best Regards,
Noel
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PS1000 0 Reputation points
2025-12-21T22:29:21.2766667+00:00 Thanks for the reply.
As far as I can tell KB5071546 is installed. Its shown in Settings - Update - View Update History, and its shown in Control Panel - Programs and features - View installed updates.
The build you mention is what the system reports - 22H2, build 19045.6691.
Is this issue documented somewhere by Microsoft? I searched on the WWW but couldn't find anything.
Where do I get the KIR patch?
My main user account (MS account) shows the red warning message, and does not show the fact that the PC is enrolled. Before the crash it did.
The Admin (Local) account shows the red warning message but does say its enrolled correctly.
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Q&A Assist2025-12-21T20:21:09.39+00:00 AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn moreIt seems you are experiencing issues with Windows Update and Extended Security Updates (ESU) enrollment on your Windows 10 device. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:
- Verify ESU Enrollment: Ensure that both user accounts are properly enrolled in the ESU program. Sometimes, the enrollment might not reflect correctly in the user account settings. You can recheck the enrollment by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and looking for the Enroll Now link.
- Check for Update Settings: Make sure that there are no update settings paused for either account. You can check this in the Windows Update settings.
- Run Windows Update Troubleshooter: Although you mentioned running the troubleshooter, it may be worth running it again to ensure no issues were missed. Go to Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Additional troubleshooters and select Windows Update.
- Manual Update Check: After ensuring the settings are correct, try manually checking for updates again. Sometimes, updates may not automatically appear.
- Group Policy Settings: If you are in an enterprise environment, check if there are any Group Policy settings that might affect update visibility or enrollment.
- Reboot and Retry: Since you experienced a system freeze, a complete reboot of your system might help clear any temporary glitches affecting the update process.
If the issue persists, you may want to consider reaching out to Microsoft Support for further assistance, especially since it involves Extended Security Updates.
References: