August update leaves Windows reset and recovery dead in the water

Microsoft has broken the Windows reset and recovery functionality so badly, it must push an out-of-band update.

While Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server are not affected, the issue, which turned up in the August 2025 security update, has hit many other versions, including the outgoing Windows 10.

Thanks to Microsoft's legendary approach to quality control, installing Windows patches these days is getting to be less like Russian Roulette and more like accidentally stepping on a rake left in the grass.

The problem is especially unfortunate since Microsoft issued a 60-day warning for the end of servicing for Windows 10 22H2 a few days earlier. The company's approach to hardware compatibility means that millions of Windows 10 machines cannot be updated to Windows 11. The problem with the August 2025 security update also means that handing down an old machine could be problematic, since the "Reset my PC ...