Can't repair install with dism. The repair content could not be found anywhere

Having trouble installing latest update to Windows 11, and having "repair install" fail (in SAFE_OS with BOOT)
I tried using "DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth" to fix the install, but it fails too :-(

Fails with the error "0x800f0915" and "The repair content could not be found anywhere".

I also tried using an "install.esd" (made a brand new install USB) as /source but got the same error.

I checked the versions in the log and found these values:

"Target image" version jumped up to 10.0.26200,9168 (from 26100.8973 before I install security update)
"Image session" version still is at 10.0.26100.8972 (did not update at all even when updating).

Read in another thread that the image version must be higher than the target version.
But how do I update this. The last security update only bumped the "target" version.

As said ealier repair install won't work, fail at "SAFE_OS and BOOT". So I'm really stuck :-(
(why does this happend on nearly all big updates, it's really annoying)

To fix the "source files could not be found" DISM error (Error 0x800f081f), you need to provide the command with a working repair source, such as a mounted Windows installation ISO file.

Download the official Windows ISO file matching your exact operating system version.

Right-click the downloaded ISO file in File Explorer and select Mount.

Note the new drive letter assigned to the mounted drive.


Open Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.

Run this command to see the available image indexes, replacing X with your mounted drive letter:


Note the index number (#) that matches your specific edition of Windows (such as Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Home).

Run the repair command with your custom source and limit access to Windows Update, replacing X with the drive letter and # with your index number:


After DISM completes successfully, type the following command and press Enter:


Restart your computer once the scan finished.

You are running 11 on an incompatible cpu. I think you are going about it the wrong way..I could be wrong as I don't do the "incompatible hardware" thing
so someone correct me if I am. I would think you would need to download the iso, use Rufus to create installation media that bypasses hardware checks. Then do a repair install from the media you created. Before you do anything I strongly suggest you backup your data.

Preparing the Rufus Bootable USB

1. • Download the official Windows 11 ISO from the Microsoft Download Center.
   • Download and open the latest version of Rufus.
   • Insert a USB flash drive (8 GB or larger).
   • Select your USB drive and click SELECT to load the Windows 11 ISO file.
   • Click START. A Windows User Experience pop-up window will appear.
   • Check ALL the boxes for ALL the hardware checks.
   • Click OK to create the drive. [

Performing the Repair Install

1. • Start your computer normally into your current operating system (Windows 10 or an older build of Windows 11).
   • Plug in the Rufus USB flash drive you just created.
   • Open File Explorer, click on the USB drive, and double-click setup.exe.
   • Choose to Not right now or skip downloading updates for the setup process if prompted, then click Next.
   • Read and accept the license terms. Setup will perform a check and display a warning that your PC does not meet hardware requirements.
   • Acknowledge and accept the warning to proceed.
   • On the Ready to install screen, ensure it says Keep personal files and apps (this confirms it is doing a repair install/in-place upgrade rather than a clean install).
   • Click Install and let the computer finish the upgrade process. Your PC will restart several times

The system was deliverd with Windows 11 Pro. Never had this kind of trouble before.
Tried repair using Windows Update. Completed with no errors.
But still I cannot install KB5120998. And dism still fails (both with or without a /source).
And when I try a "repair install" from an USB image it fails in SAFE_OS BOOT.
Do I have to make a install USB with the excact same build as on my system.
And then try to use that as a repair source? Or can it be a newer version?

LarsErikOsterud said:

The system was deliverd with Windows 11 Pro.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about the computer with the Intel Core i5-6600? That’s a 10-year-old CPU, which isn’t supported by Windows 11. I sort of agree with @glasskuter, though; that will likely bring more of this kind of pain.

This is an AsusExpertBook B1 B1500 i5/8/256 and it is from 2022. And was delivered with Windows 11. System info says 11th Gen i5-1135G7-
And have never had any trouble with running "dism" on it.
I have had to repair with dism to fix "safe_os" during "boot" a few times before.
But never had any trouble like this. Last official security updates installed fine.
Don't know why it has started with this now...

LarsErikOsterud said:

This is an AsusExpertBook B1 B1500 i5/8/256 and it is from 2022. And was delivered with Windows 11. System info says 11th Gen i5-1135G7-
And have never had any trouble with running "dism" on it.
I have had to repair with dism to fix "safe_os" during "boot" a few times before.
But never had any trouble like this. Last official security updates installed fine.
Don't know why it has started with this now...

Click to expand...

Update your computer specs here so folks have some idea of what we are working with. Back to your issue. What was the original upgrade failure mode that you needed to do a repair install?

I have 4 different computers. Sorry. The reason I need to do a repair install is that the new preview update will not install (rolls back).
Earlier experience tell me this can be fixed either with a repair install or with dism (restorehealth). Now both these fail.
System works for now. But with NO ways to fix anything (no repair install, no dism restore health) I'm not sleeping well.

Use Windows Update Troubleshooter.

• Right-click on Start button and pick Settings
• Go to System > Troubleshoot
• Click on Other Troubleshooters > Windows Update and click Run button.

Download Windows updates manually.

• Go to the official Microsoft update catalog;
• Enter a specific update code, for example, KB4481031
• Select the correct version and click Download
• Click on the link and Windows will update your computer

Resetting the Windows Update components can usually solve these types of issues.

Ok from further reading I believe we are all wrong in the advice we have given. I had copilot analyze
your thread and for once its answer makes sense. Here's what it said.
----------------------------------
What’s happening here isn’t a normal DISM failure — your system is stuck in a split‑build servicing state, where different parts of Windows are on different OS builds. This is why every repair method fails.

1. Your component store versions don’t match​

From your logs:

• Target image: 10.0.26200.9168
• Image session: 10.0.26100.8972

This mismatch means the servicing stack can’t find repair content that matches the installed components. That’s why DISM returns:

• 0x800f0915 – “The repair content could not be found anywhere”
• Even when using a fresh install.esd as a source

DISM cannot repair a system where the component store is split across two builds.

2. This also explains the SAFE_OS / BOOT failure​

Your in‑place repair install fails during SAFE_OS → BOOT because boot‑critical components are on different versions. Windows Setup cannot reconcile the mismatch, so the upgrade rolls back.

3. The ISO you used cannot repair this​

You asked whether the USB must match the exact build:

“Do I have to make an install USB with the exact same build… or can it be newer?”

Click to expand...

For repair installs, the ISO must be:

• The exact same build, or
• A newer build in the same servicing branch

But your system is already partially updated to 26200.9168, and there is no publicly available ISO for that build. That means:

• Older ISOs (26100.x) cannot repair the component store
• Newer ISOs don’t exist yet
• DISM cannot find matching repair content
• In‑place upgrade cannot proceed

This is why every repair path fails.

What will actually fix it​

Right now, only two real solutions exist:

Option A — Use a 26200.9168 (or newer) ISO​

If Microsoft releases an ISO for:

• Windows 11 25H2 build 26200.9168, or
• A newer build in the same branch (e.g., 26200.9278)

Then a repair install will work again.

Option B — Full clean install​

If no matching ISO becomes available, the only guaranteed fix is a clean install.

✔ How You Ended Up With a Version Mismatch ​

The short version:Your system partially installed a newer Windows build (26200.9168), then rolled back — but the rollback didn’t fully revert the component store. This left Windows in a split‑build state, where different parts of the OS are on different versions. Once this happens, DISM and repair installs cannot fix it.

LarsErikOsterud said:

NO ways to fix anything (no repair install, no dism restore health) I'm not sleeping well.

Click to expand...

No drive image backups?

LarsErikOsterud said:

System works for now.

Click to expand...

LarsErikOsterud said:

But still I cannot install KB5120998.

Click to expand...

You don't need to do anything.

Preview updates (such as KB5120998) are optional, non-security updates that provide fixes and improvements ahead of their inclusion in a subsequent regular monthly update. For most users, there is no need to install a preview update unless they specifically need one of the fixes it contains.

"Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" is turned off by default. When this setting is off, non-security optional preview updates are not installed automatically and must be downloaded manually by selecting "Download & install."

Referring to @glasskuter 's post: you can get a Windows 11 26200.9168 ISO or newer from UUDump (switch to English or your computer's lanaguage): Select language for Windows 11, version 25H2 (26200.9168) amd64
This contribution to ElevenForum explains how it works (it takes some time to download and assemble the ISO): UUP Dump - Download Windows Insider ISO

LarsErikOsterud said:

Having trouble installing latest update to Windows 11, and having "repair install" fail (in SAFE_OS with BOOT)
I tried using "DISM /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth" to fix the install, but it fails too :-(

Fails with the error "0x800f0915" and "The repair content could not be found anywhere".

I also tried using an "install.esd" (made a brand new install USB) as /source but got the same error.

I checked the versions in the log and found these values:

"Target image" version jumped up to 10.0.26200,9168 (from 26100.8973 before I install security update)
"Image session" version still is at 10.0.26100.8972 (did not update at all even when updating).

Read in another thread that the image version must be higher than the target version.
But how do I update this. The last security update only bumped the "target" version.

As said ealier repair install won't work, fail at "SAFE_OS and BOOT". So I'm really stuck :-(
(why does this happend on nearly all big updates, it's really annoying)

Click to expand...

Actually, the error "0x800f0915" and "The repair content could not be found anywhere". is a known issue that Microsoft as admitted happens to a "small amount" of machines. You and I, as well as a few other folks here are in that "small amount" of machines in question. Mine started throwing this error three updates ago. I spend several hours doing all the "recommended" cures and nothing worked.

gunrunnerjohn said:

known issue that Microsoft as admitted happens to a "small amount" of machines

Click to expand...

Where?

pseymour said:

Where?

Click to expand...

I saw it in an on-line Forbes article on my phone.

gunrunnerjohn said:

Actually, the error "0x800f0915" and "The repair content could not be found anywhere". is a known issue that Microsoft as admitted happens to a "small amount" of machines. You and I, as well as a few other folks here are in that "small amount" of machines in question. Mine started throwing this error three updates ago. I spend several hours doing all the "recommended" cures and nothing worked.

Click to expand...

And I would say this "small amount" of machines is steadily expanding to various builds and an increasing number of users. I now have it on my RP 26H2 build on my ARM64 machine.

gunrunnerjohn said:

I saw it in an on-line Forbes article on my phone.

Click to expand...

That's Forbes, not Microsoft.

I'm reading the problem spiked following the May 2026 cumulative updates (such as Build 26200.8524) due to a minor bug that flags reverse-differential files (like smbwmiv2.dll) as missing. Because the DISM engine version mismatch blocks Windows Update from retrieving valid repair payloads, standard automated repair loops fail, leading thousands of users to seek manual fixes.

pseymour said:

That's Forbes, not Microsoft.

Click to expand...

Forbes. One level above or below ZDNet??