Microsoft has quietly shipped small but important updates to the Windows 11 Release Preview channel — Build 26100.6718 for Windows 11 version 24H2 and Build 26200.6718 for 25H2 — rolling several stability fixes and clarifications into the pre-release stream while delaying one headline feature originally announced last week. (blogs.windows.com)
Microsoft publishes multiple preview channels for Windows 11 — Canary, Dev, Beta and Release Preview — with the Release Preview channel used to stage fixes and preview feature updates that are close to broad availability. The recent updates are delivered as a small cumulative package (KB5065789) to Release Preview Insiders and are explicitly targeted at both the 24H2 servicing baseline and the upcoming 25H2 enablement package. That means many machines already on 24H2 will receive a small enablement-style flip to 25H2 without a full reinstall; Microsoft has also staged ISO images for test and clean-install scenarios. (blogs.windows.com) (notebookcheck.net)
This cadence — servicing-channel patches plus an enablement package pathway — is how Microsoft intends to keep enterprise and consumer devices in sync across minor feature refreshes and quality improvements. Release Preview updates are therefore especially relevant to IT pilots and power users: they indicate what will likely ship broadly in the near term and which fixes Microsoft is prioritizing before general availability.
Multiple independent outlets and testing communities reported the same changelog summary and rollout behavior, confirming the packages are circulating in the Release Preview channel and that Microsoft has made ISOs available to signed-in Insiders for clean-install testing. (notebookcheck.net)
Why this fix matters:
Operational notes:
Why this delay is notable:
For Release Preview Insiders and IT pilots, the guidance is straightforward: apply the update in a controlled pilot, test the regression areas called out in the release notes (DRM playback, Windows Update, storage pages, battery UI), and use the published ISOs for clean installs and imaging validation where appropriate. For organizations planning adoption of 25H2, treat the enablement package as a pilotable change rather than a trivial toggle — confirm automation and legacy tooling compatibility (PowerShell 2.0 / WMIC deprecation in shipping images is specifically called out for validation). (blogs.windows.com)
If problems persist after applying KB5065789, continue to use the established Windows Update troubleshooting steps (reset components, DISM/SFC, ISO in-place upgrade) and engage Feedback Hub or Microsoft Q&A with logs — the Release Preview channel exists to surface exactly these kinds of real‑world incompatibilities before broad deployment. (makeuseof.com)
Source: Neowin Microsoft fixes Windows Update error 0x80070002 and other issues in new Windows 11 builds
Background / Overview
Microsoft publishes multiple preview channels for Windows 11 — Canary, Dev, Beta and Release Preview — with the Release Preview channel used to stage fixes and preview feature updates that are close to broad availability. The recent updates are delivered as a small cumulative package (KB5065789) to Release Preview Insiders and are explicitly targeted at both the 24H2 servicing baseline and the upcoming 25H2 enablement package. That means many machines already on 24H2 will receive a small enablement-style flip to 25H2 without a full reinstall; Microsoft has also staged ISO images for test and clean-install scenarios. (blogs.windows.com) (notebookcheck.net)This cadence — servicing-channel patches plus an enablement package pathway — is how Microsoft intends to keep enterprise and consumer devices in sync across minor feature refreshes and quality improvements. Release Preview updates are therefore especially relevant to IT pilots and power users: they indicate what will likely ship broadly in the near term and which fixes Microsoft is prioritizing before general availability.
What shipped in Builds 26100.6718 / 26200.6718 (KB5065789)
The official Windows Insider announcement for these builds lists a mix of gradual-rollout features and immediate fixes. The most operationally important items added on September 17 are the stability and servicing fixes; notable items include:- Fixed an issue that could break playback of DRM‑protected content in some Blu‑ray, DVD and digital TV applications — a regression that could appear after installing KB5064081. (blogs.windows.com)
- Added support for Certificate Revocation List (CRL) partitioning in Windows Certificate Authorities to improve certificate infrastructure performance and scalability. (blogs.windows.com)
- Fixed a taskbar battery icon bug where the icon might not show a charging state despite the device actually charging. (blogs.windows.com)
- Resolved a Settings app crash when inspecting drive information under Settings > System > Storage (and the related File Explorer drive properties launch path). (blogs.windows.com)
- Fixed a Windows Update installation failure where some Insiders saw error 0x80070002 while attempting to install the build. (blogs.windows.com)
Multiple independent outlets and testing communities reported the same changelog summary and rollout behavior, confirming the packages are circulating in the Release Preview channel and that Microsoft has made ISOs available to signed-in Insiders for clean-install testing. (notebookcheck.net)
Why the fixes matter (deep dive)
0x80070002: Windows Update installation errors — what happened and why the patch matters
The 0x80070002 Windows Update error is a historic and broad family of update failures; in practice it is a catch-all code Microsoft has historically returned when update components find missing files, corrupted metadata, or mismatch between update catalog metadata and local store. In recent Insider flights, some devices reported the error while attempting to download or apply cumulative updates — in certain cases downloads would stall or fail during the catalog/manifest phase and the update subsystem would abort. (blogs.windows.com)Why this fix matters:
- It directly impacts the ability of preview devices to stay up to date with subsequent builds; for Insiders that can mean being unable to progress to newer builds or losing access to staged features. (blogs.windows.com)
- For IT pilots, an unresolved update failure in the Release Preview channel can stall compatibility testing and delay adoption plans.
- Reset Windows Update components (stop wuauserv and BITS, rename SoftwareDistribution and catroot2).
- Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth followed by sfc /scannow, using an ISO as a source if online restore fails.
- Attempt an in-place upgrade using a Release Preview ISO where permitted.
DRM-protected playback regression (post-KB5064081)
Media playback of DRM‑protected content is a sensitive area because it touches licensing, app trust, and third‑party playback stacks. The September 17 update explicitly calls out a regression where certain Blu‑ray, DVD and TV apps could fail to play protected media after installing KB5064081 — the earlier servicing package — and the new small update addresses that problem. This is important for users who rely on dedicated playback applications or set‑top capture software. (blogs.windows.com)Operational notes:
- The root cause appears tied to an interaction between the cumulative servicing payload and DRM modules used by third-party playback applications; Microsoft elected to ship a targeted servicing fix rather than a broad rollback. The fix’s presence in the Release Preview channel indicates Microsoft is reasonably confident but still staging the patch prior to general rollout. (blogs.windows.com)
- If you operate kiosks, media centers, or production environments that play DRM content, verify playback after installing KB5065789 and keep a rollback plan or offline ISO handy for remediation. Community reports show playback regressions can be app-specific, so test each playback path (Blu‑ray player, DVD app, tuner app) rather than just one. (blogs.windows.com)
Settings crash and battery icon: everyday polish with real user impact
Two of the seemingly small fixes — the Settings app crash when viewing drive info and the battery icon not showing charging state — are “quality of life” fixes with high day‑to‑day visibility.- A Settings crash while viewing storage or launching those panels from File Explorer can block routine maintenance and drive diagnostics. Insiders and device administrators use those pages frequently; a crash breaks workflows and increases support costs. The release notes confirm the crash has been fixed. (blogs.windows.com)
- Battery indicator problems (icon not reflecting charging state) are a classic user trust issue: when the UI disagrees with hardware behavior, users begin to doubt the system and may escalate support calls unnecessarily. Fixing the icon behavior reduces confusion and the volume of misleading support tickets. (blogs.windows.com)
CRL partitioning in Windows Certificate Authorities
Adding CRL partitioning support in Windows Certificate Authorities is a backend improvement that matters most to enterprise PKI operators. CRL partitioning helps large-scale CA deployments manage revocation lists more efficiently by dividing CRL entries across partitions, which reduces the size of any single published CRL and improves revocation look-up performance.- For organizations operating internal PKI at scale, this is a tangible manageability improvement. It may not affect end users directly but can reduce latency and bandwidth burden for devices checking certificate revocation status. Confirm your CA tooling and replication topology before enabling new CRL behaviors. (blogs.windows.com)
Click to Do table detection delayed — what changed and why it matters
Microsoft previewed an expansion to Click to Do that would let the system detect simple on‑screen tables and offer a “Convert to table with Excel” action, including a shortcut workflow invoking Excel to paste the captured table. The promised feature was hardware and subscription gated — initially available on Snapdragon-based Copilot+ devices and requiring the latest Excel and a Microsoft 365 subscription. The September 17 update retracts the rollout and states the feature will arrive in a future update instead. (blogs.windows.com)Why this delay is notable:
- The feature demonstrates deeper Microsoft 365 integration in Windows, blurring lines between OS-level capture tools and cloud-enabled productivity. The delay is a signal Microsoft prefers a gradual, controlled rollout — likely to limit early regressions and compatibility issues across device classes. (blogs.windows.com)
- The hardware and subscription gating (Copilot+ devices + Microsoft 365) affects who will see the feature first. Organizations must not assume universal availability at GA and should plan training and documentation accordingly. (blogs.windows.com)
Deployment and IT implications
25H2 via enablement package — what IT needs to test now
Windows 11 25H2 is being staged as an enablement package for existing 24H2 devices in the Release Preview channel. An enablement package flips code already staged on 24H2 devices rather than shipping a whole new OS image. That’s convenient, but it places emphasis on:- Compatibility testing for management tooling and scripts (notably, Microsoft has called out deprecation/removal of PowerShell 2.0 and WMIC in shipping images — validate any legacy automation).
- Validation of ISVs and drivers, especially for systems that touched preview flights earlier in the cycle. Even small UI or API changes can break older management agents. (blogs.windows.com)
- Stage the enablement package on a small pilot group with representative hardware.
- Validate imaging, deployment tooling, and any custom post-install scripts.
- Test critical line‑of‑business apps and device drivers.
- Confirm any scheduled automation that depends on PowerShell 2.0/WMIC has been updated. (blogs.windows.com)
Practical guidance: If you're an Insider or IT admin
- If you run the Release Preview channel and you saw the update show up, install the small package (KB5065789) and confirm the previously failing update path now completes; verify playback of DRM content if you rely on such apps; check battery reporting and storage pages in Settings. These are the high‑value regression areas fixed in this flight. (blogs.windows.com)
- For devices that previously exhibited 0x80070002 during install attempts, follow standard remediation in this order:
- Reboot and retry the update.
- Reset Windows Update components (stop services and rename SoftwareDistribution and catroot2).
- Run DISM /RestoreHealth then sfc /scannow (supply an ISO as source if required).
- If the problem persists, consider an in-place upgrade using a signed Release Preview ISO. Community and Microsoft Q&A threads document many such cases and the steps that helped users return to a healthy update state. (technewstoday.com)
- For enterprise pilots: include DRM playback test cases in your app compatibility matrix if your organization uses archived or protected media workflows. File a scoped test plan for storage/drive property pages and have support scripts ready for resetting Windows Update components if you publish the enablement package broadly. (blogs.windows.com)
Strengths in Microsoft’s approach — and areas to watch
Strengths
- Targeted, quick fixes: Microsoft’s 9/17 update delivered narrowly scoped remediation for high‑impact regressions (Windows Update, DRM playback, Settings crash) without bundling unrelated changes, which reduces risk during Release Preview pilots. (blogs.windows.com)
- Transparency on gating and timing: The Release Preview notes clearly state which features are gated by hardware, subscription, or region (e.g., Click to Do table detection initially on Snapdragon Copilot+ devices), which helps IT plan adoption and training. (blogs.windows.com)
- Enablement package model: Delivering 25H2 as a flip-type enablement package simplifies broad rollouts and reduces user disruption compared to full feature refreshes. ISOs for clean installs remain available for lab validation. (notebookcheck.net)
Risks and caveats
- Timing uncertainty for delayed features: The Click to Do table-detection delay is a reminder that preview timelines can slip; organizations that expected to rely on newer productivity integrations should not schedule rollouts around preview-only functionality. Microsoft hasn’t provided a revised release date for the feature. (blogs.windows.com)
- Hidden ripple effects: Fixes to certificate, update, or media subsystems can interact unpredictably with third‑party drivers and security agents. IT pilots must include a broad set of functional tests (security posture, update-management workflows, imaging, and restore scenarios) before accepting the enablement package widely. (blogs.windows.com)
- Dependence on Microsoft 365 and Copilot+ hardware: New productivity add-ons are increasingly gated by cloud subscriptions and new silicon features. That can create an uneven feature experience across an organization and requires clear internal communication and license planning. (blogs.windows.com)
Conclusion — what to take away
The 9/17 Release Preview update (Builds 26100.6718 and 26200.6718, packaged as KB5065789) is a classic quality-and-stability flight: it addresses practical, high-frequency user problems (Windows Update failures such as 0x80070002, media playback regressions tied to an earlier servicing package, Settings crashes, and a misleading battery icon) while pausing a headline productivity feature (Click to Do table detection) to ensure a cleaner rollout later. The inclusion of enterprise‑oriented improvements such as CRL partitioning further signals Microsoft’s emphasis on manageability and scale. (blogs.windows.com)For Release Preview Insiders and IT pilots, the guidance is straightforward: apply the update in a controlled pilot, test the regression areas called out in the release notes (DRM playback, Windows Update, storage pages, battery UI), and use the published ISOs for clean installs and imaging validation where appropriate. For organizations planning adoption of 25H2, treat the enablement package as a pilotable change rather than a trivial toggle — confirm automation and legacy tooling compatibility (PowerShell 2.0 / WMIC deprecation in shipping images is specifically called out for validation). (blogs.windows.com)
If problems persist after applying KB5065789, continue to use the established Windows Update troubleshooting steps (reset components, DISM/SFC, ISO in-place upgrade) and engage Feedback Hub or Microsoft Q&A with logs — the Release Preview channel exists to surface exactly these kinds of real‑world incompatibilities before broad deployment. (makeuseof.com)
Source: Neowin Microsoft fixes Windows Update error 0x80070002 and other issues in new Windows 11 builds