Slipstreamed updates end up in "Install pending" state

Question

Every month I slipstream that month's cumulative update into the Win11 23H2 WIM we use for OSD.

Starting with the November 2025 update, whether I use Scheduled Updates in SCCM or manually issue dism commands at a prompt, the updates always end up in an "Install pending" state when I issue "dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-Packages". If we OSD a device with the WIM the updates do not show up in Installed Updates.

The same holds true for every cumulative update since.

Anyone know what's going on?

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Answer 1

Hi Benninghouse, John D - DOT,

What you’re running into is a change in how cumulative updates are packaged and applied starting late 2025. Recent Windows 11 cumulative updates are designed to finalize installation only during the servicing phase of an actual OS deployment, not at the offline image stage. That’s why DISM shows them as “Install pending” and why they don’t appear under Installed Updates after imaging. In other words, the behavior you’re seeing is expected with newer cumulative updates, it’s not a misstep in your process.

The recommended approach is to continue applying monthly cumulative updates during OSD or post‑deployment servicing, rather than slipstreaming them into the base WIM. For long‑term stability, I recommend refreshing your WIM with the latest feature update (e.g., 23H2 media) and then letting cumulative updates apply dynamically during deployment. This ensures the update stack completes properly and avoids the “pending” state.

I hope the response provided some helpful insight. If it clarified the issue for you, please consider marking it as Accept Answer so others with the same issue can find the solution.

Jason.

Answer 2

It seems that the issue you are encountering with slipstreamed updates ending up in an "Install pending" state may be related to how the updates are being applied to the Windows image. When you add updates to a Windows image using DISM, it is important to ensure that the updates are added in the correct order, especially if there are prerequisite updates involved.

If the cumulative updates are not showing as installed after deploying the WIM, consider the following steps:

1. Verify Update Order: Ensure that any prerequisite updates are installed before the cumulative update. You can add all updates at once using a single DISM command if they are compatible.
2. Check for Dependencies: If there are dependencies for the cumulative updates, they need to be addressed to avoid the "Install pending" state.
3. Re-run BCDBoot: After adding updates to an offline image, re-run BCDBoot to ensure that any updated boot files from the update are copied to the system partition.
4. Review Logs: Check the DISM logs for any errors or warnings that might indicate why the updates are not being applied correctly.
5. Update Verification: After adding updates, verify that they appear correctly using the command Dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-Packages to ensure they are listed as installed.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it may be beneficial to consult the Microsoft documentation for further troubleshooting or consider reaching out to Microsoft support for assistance specific to your environment.

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References:

• Add updates to a Windows image
• Checkpoint cumulative updates and Microsoft Update Catalog usage
• OEM Deployment of Windows 11 desktop editions
• Updating from the Microsoft Update Catalog
• Check for updates and install them