Forum Discussion
Windows Update fails with “Something went wrong – Undoing changes” unless installed via ISO
Hi everyone,
I'm facing a strange issue with Windows Update on my laptop and I wanted to know if anyone else experienced something similar.
Problem:
When I install updates through Windows Update, the update downloads normally and during restart it goes up to 100%, but then I get the message:
Something went wrong. Undoing changes.
After that, Windows rolls back the update.
Observation:
Interestingly, updates that start directly from the “You're there” stage sometimes install correctly.
Policy change I made:
Previously Windows would automatically download and install updates and frequently ask for restarts. Because of that behavior, I changed the policy to manual download and install so updates would not start installing automatically.
Thermal precaution I tried:
Since my laptop has a faulty CPU fan, I also limited the maximum CPU state to 99% in Power Options to prevent aggressive turbo boosting and reduce potential thermal throttling during the update process.
Another important observation:
If I install the same update using a Windows ISO (in-place upgrade / repair install), the update installs successfully and does not fail at 100%.
Possible hardware issue:
My laptop currently has:
A broken battery
A faulty CPU fan
So I'm wondering if the update process might be failing due to power or thermal issues during the installation phase.
System info:
OS: Windows 11 Pro Insider Preview
Channel: Release Preview
Current build: 26200.7840
Update that fails: KB5077241 (Build 26200.7922)
Questions:
Can hardware issues like a damaged battery or faulty CPU fan cause Windows Update installation failures?
Why would updates succeed when installing from an ISO but fail through Windows Update?
Which logs should I check to identify the exact cause? (CBS.log, WindowsUpdate.log, etc.)
Any suggestions, troubleshooting steps, or similar experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks!
4 Replies
A broken CPU fan can cause overheating, which may trigger thermal throttling or shutdowns to protect hardware. During updates, especially when the system is under load, thermal issues can cause instability.
The issue you're experiencing with Windows Update failing with “Something went wrong – Undoing changes” unless installed via ISO can be caused by several factors, including corrupted update files, system file issues, or interference from third-party software. Your observation that updates starting directly from the “You're there” stage sometimes install correctly suggests that the problem may be related to the update process or specific update files.
Your faulty CPU fan and thermal management changes could potentially interfere with the update process, especially if hardware isn't responding as expected.
During normal update operation, hardware stress or power issues may cause failures, but when performing a clean install or repair (via ISO), these are less impactful.
