guidox / PC
Run **reagentc /info**, disable WinRE with **reagentc /disable**, resize the partition with diskpart, then **reagentc /enable**. Keep the partition after C: and give it at least 1 GB.
**reagentc /info** shows whether WinRE is enabled and where it lives. A disabled environment on a system with a too-small partition is the usual picture before a failed update.
reagentc /info
Get-Partition | Select-Object DiskNumber,PartitionNumber,DriveLetter,Size,Type,GptType
Get-Disk | Select-Object Number,FriendlyName,PartitionStyle,SizeThe recovery partition must not be the active boot partition, and it must sit after C: with free space to grow into. An encrypted volume must be unlocked and its recovery key at hand before any partition work.
Get-Partition -DiskNumber 0 | Select-Object PartitionNumber,DriveLetter,Size,Type,IsBoot,IsActive,Offset
Get-Volume | Select-Object DriveLetter,FileSystemLabel,Size,SizeRemaining
manage-bde -status C:**reagentc /disable** moves the image into C:\Windows\System32\Recovery, which frees the partition. Editing a partition with an active WinRE corrupts the environment.
reagentc /disable
reagentc /info
Get-ChildItem "$env:systemroot\System32\Recovery\WindowsRE" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object Name,LengthIf free space follows the recovery partition, delete and recreate it larger. If C: comes after it, shrink C: first. diskpart works on the numbers, so read them twice.
diskpart
list disk
select disk 0
list partition
select partition 4
delete partition override
create partition primary size=1500
set id=de94bba4-06d1-4d40-a16a-bfd50179d6ac
gpt attributes=0x8000000000000001
format quick fs=ntfs label="Recovery"
assign letter=R
exit**reagentc /enable** copies the image back and registers it. The output names the new location, which should point at the partition you created a moment ago.
reagentc /enable
reagentc /info
Get-Partition -DriveLetter R -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object PartitionNumber,Size,Type
bcdedit /enum {default} | Select-String -Pattern 'recoverysequence|recoveryenabled'The only real test is booting into it. Windows offers the recovery menu at the next restart, and the environment should load without a repair prompt.
Reagentc /boottore
:: the machine restarts into the recovery environment
reagentc /info
:: after the reboot, confirm the state is enabledThe partition has no recovery type ID or the wrong attributes. Set the GPT type and attributes again, format NTFS, then retry.
Windows needs it after the system partition. Move the partition with a partition tool that supports offset changes, or recreate it at the end.
It is protected or in use. Use delete partition override, and make sure it is not the EFI or MSR partition.
Check the update's own log for the actual requirement. A 1 GB partition is enough for current images; older errors can name something else.
Windows works without it, but recovery and reset options need it. A USB recovery drive is a reasonable substitute.
C: is only shrunk if needed. Back up first anyway: partition operations fail in ways that are not always reversible.
1 GB is the practical minimum for a current image. Vendors often ship 500 MB, which is exactly why an update fails.
There is no simple undo for a partition change. If WinRE ends up broken, copy the image from C:\Windows\System32\Recovery\WindowsRE back and run reagentc /enable with the correct target path.
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