'We couldn’t update system reserved partition' error installing Windows 11

Question

Hi!

I've XPS 17 9700 and can't update Win10 to Win11 because of error “We couldn’t update system reserved partition”.

I have already followed the steps from this article (some say it helps for Windows 11 as well):

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/-we-couldn-t-update-system-reserved-partition-error-installing-windows-10-46865f3f-37bb-4c51-c69f-07271b6672ac

Unfortunately, removing fonts is not enough. Does anyone else have this problem? Maybe something else can be removed from this partition?
Unfortunately, all attempts to resize the partition have failed (also using external tools).

Saltgrass · Accepted Answer

If it doesn't work and you actually deleted the Fonts then that alone did not free up enough room. You will need to use a Third Party partition management software to increase the size of the EFI System partition.

There will be tutorials on many of those sites to help and if there is not one specific to this situation, we can help.

AdrianG001 · Answer

The System Reserved Partition (SRP) may be full. The System Reserve Partition (SRP) is a small partition on your hard drive that stores boot information for Windows. Some third-party anti-virus and security apps write to the SRP, and can fill it up.

Resolution

Caution: these steps are complicated, and carry some risk. This is best done by advanced users with experience using the command line. If you make an error in entering these commands, you could put your device in a no-boot situation, and possibly lose data you have stored on the device.

To upgrade your device, you'll need to free up 15MB of space on the SRP using the appropriate method below, and then try the upgrade again. If you're updating Windows 10, you need to free up 13MB.

First, determine whether the SRP is GPT or MBR partition style:

Press the Windows key + R. In the Run window that comes up, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter.
Press-and-hold or right-click on the Disk (such as Disk 0) that contains the SRP, and select Properties.
Choose the Volumes tab.
The Partition Style: line will say either GUID Partition Table (GPT) or Master Boot Record (MBR).

Second, choose which method you need:

Windows 10 with GPT partition

Search for cmd. Press-and-hold or right-click on Command Prompt in the results, and select Run as administrator.
At the command prompt, type mountvol y: /s and then hit Enter. This will add the Y: drive letter to access the System Partition.
Switch to the Y drive by typing Y:and press Enter. Then, navigate to the Fonts folder by typing cd EFI\Microsoft\Boot\Fonts. Once there, type del *.* to delete font files. The system may ask you if you are sure to continue, press Y and then Enter to continue.

TedPL · Answer

As I wrote earlier (!) I have already followed the steps from this article (some say it helps for Windows 11 as well): https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/-we-couldn-t-update-system-reserved-partition-error-instal... Unfortunately, removing fonts is not enough.

Tesla1856 · Answer

Completely erasing the boot-drive c-drive with a DiskPart-clean will take care of that. It's just an easy way to remove any OEM partitions or utilities that are interfering with normal SRP operations.

Then, you just clean-install Windows. It's always been this way since before Windows-10 (yes ten) was released.

sanrus71 · Answer

Need a solution from Dell or Microsoft, this error is happening with Windows 11 Preview version also. Please help. Even reinstallation of the Windows is not helping.

rhiggins21 · Answer

I am having the same issue. I am on an XPS running windows 11. I have not been able to download any of the windows preview updates since may.

pjgraber03 · Answer

Has there been any updates on this?  I'm still fighting with it to try and get access.

eye776 · Answer

I ran into a similar issue on a Dell Latitude 5420.

Turns out the laptop keeps a copy of the EFI partition in Y:\EFI\dell\SOS

And the fonts are duplicated in Y:\EFI\dell\SOS\Fonts

So I made a backup copy of the fonts just for safe keeping and deleted the fonts from this backup as well.

Since Microsoft itself deems those fonts non-essential for boot in most configurations.

XPS

“We couldn’t update system reserved partition” error installing Windows 11

Resolution

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