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⌨️ DISM Package Removal

Remove a Windows Update Package Offline with DISM When WinRE Uninstall Fails

When the friendly buttons refuse - usually because an update is stuck half-applied - the Command Prompt still works. DISM can list every package inside an offline Windows and remove the one that broke the boot.

✍️ Technical Anshu🪟 Windows 10⏱️ 8 minute read
🎥 Watch the full fix in the video - every recovery step shown live on screen

This is the technician's route, and it exists for a specific situation: WinRE's Uninstall Updates reports a problem, System Restore has no usable point, but the Windows installation itself is intact. DISM services a Windows image whether it is running or not, so from the WinRE Command Prompt you can name the exact update package and remove it. Type the commands exactly as written - DISM is literal, and one wrong slash changes the meaning.

Administrator Command Prompt - WinRE
dism /image:C:\ /get-packages /format:table Package Identity : Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35 ~amd64~~19041.7417.1.10 State : Installed Release Type : Security Update Install Time : 10/06/2026 03:14 dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_RollupFix~31bf3856ad364e35~amd64~~19041.7417.1.10

👆 Example output trimmed for the page. Your package identity will differ - always copy the exact line DISM prints on your PC (panel recreated)

1

First Find the Real Windows Drive Letter

Inside WinRE, drive letters shift - the recovery system takes X: and your Windows drive is frequently D: instead of C:. Guessing wrong makes every command fail, so look:

  1. From Advanced options open Command Prompt.
  2. Run diskpart, then list volume, then exit. Note the letter of the large volume labelled Windows or showing your disk's size.
  3. Confirm with dir D:\Windows - if the Windows folder lists, that letter is correct. Use it in every command below in place of C:.
2

List the Packages and Identify the Culprit

  1. Run dism /image:C:\ /get-packages /format:table
  2. Look for the most recently installed package - the cumulative update shows as a RollupFix package with a build number matching your update. KB5094127, for reference, took Windows 10 22H2 to build 19045.7417.
  3. Copy the full Package Identity string exactly - it is long, case-sensitive, and ends with a version number. Write it down or photograph the screen; one mistyped character and DISM simply reports the package was not found.
3

Remove the Package

  1. Run dism /image:C:\ /remove-package /packagename:PASTE_THE_IDENTITY with your copied identity in place of the placeholder.
  2. If DISM complains there is not enough space in the scratch directory, create one with mkdir C:\Scratch and add /scratchdir:C:\Scratch to the command.
  3. Let it reach 100 percent. Then close the Command Prompt and choose Continue to test the boot before doing anything else.
4

Stuck on Pending Actions - Clear Them First

The most common blocker: the failed update left actions queued, and Windows refuses to service anything until they are resolved. DISM has a dedicated command for exactly this state:

  1. Run dism /image:C:\ /cleanup-image /revertpendingactions
  2. This rolls back the half-applied changes the pending queue was holding. It can take a while - let it finish.
  3. Restart into WinRE once more and either retry the plain Uninstall latest quality update button - it often works now - or repeat the package removal above.
5

Know What You Just Removed

Removing the cumulative package removes that month's security fixes along with the fault - the PC is bootable but one patch-cycle behind. That is the right trade for a machine that would not start at all, and it is temporary: once a later cumulative update is available, install it and you are current again. Do not make a habit of running unpatched; this is a rescue, not a servicing strategy.

🔴 Copy, never retype from memory: package identities are long strings of exact characters. The single most common reason this method appears not to work is a quietly mistyped identity - the fix is reading the get-packages output again, not a different command.

🎥 Watch the Complete Fix in the Video

See every recovery screen and step live in the Technical Anshu video on this exact problem.

▶️ Watch Full Video
❓ Frequently Asked Questions

DISM says the package is not found but I can see it in the list

The identity in your command differs somewhere from the printed one - check the middle section, the architecture (amd64), and the full version suffix after the final double tilde. DISM matches the whole string exactly.

Can I remove a feature update package this way too

In practice the cumulative quality package is the right target. Feature upgrades change far more of the system and their rollback uses the dedicated Uninstall latest feature update option, which works only within about ten days of the upgrade.

Will DISM package removal work on a BitLocker encrypted drive

Only after the drive is unlocked - WinRE usually prompts for the recovery key when you open the tools, which unlocks it for the session. If commands report the image is not accessible, that prompt was skipped or the key was wrong.

This guide is based on the Technical Anshu video on fixing boot issues after a Windows 10 update • Stuck on a step? Ask in the video comments - you will get a reply 🙏