Microsoft resolves Windows Server 2016 security update installation failures

At a glance:

• Microsoft fixed June 2026 security update (KB5094122) failures on Windows Server 2016 caused by missing prerequisite update.
• The issue triggered 0x80070002 (FILE_NOT_FOUND) errors when installing without KB5087537.
• This follows recent fixes for similar Windows update problems affecting Windows 11 and Server 2025.

The Problem and Solution

Microsoft has resolved a known issue preventing the installation of its June 2026 security updates on Windows Server 2016 systems that were not up to date. The problem was first acknowledged in an admin portal service alert confirming reports from IT administrators experiencing 0x80070002 or FILE_NOT_FOUND errors during update attempts.

The bug specifically affected customers attempting to install the KB5094122 update without first installing the previous month's KB5087537 security update. Microsoft confirmed that the June 2026 security update could fail to install on some devices running Windows Server 2016, with affected devices receiving error code 0x80070002 (ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND) during installation.

The company announced that the security update installation issue has now been resolved, and affected devices should no longer experience installation failures when deploying the June 2026 KB5094122 security update.

Recent Windows Update Challenges

This fix follows a series of similar update issues that Microsoft has addressed in recent weeks. Last month, the company resolved installation failures and 0x800f0922 errors when deploying the May 2026 Windows 11 security update (KB5089549). Those failures were caused by insufficient free space on the EFI System Partition (ESP), leading to automatic rollbacks on affected devices.

In early June, Microsoft also warned customers about potential issues installing the latest monthly updates, noting that some Windows devices upgraded to Windows 11 24H2 or 25H2 might encounter 0x80073712 or 0x800f0993 errors.

Additionally, Microsoft fixed a problem that caused Windows Server 2025 devices to boot into BitLocker recovery after installing the April 2026 security update, along with a bug triggering installation failures for Windows updates released since May 2025 when using the Windows Update Standalone Installer (WUSA).

Ongoing Investigation

Separately, Microsoft confirmed on Wednesday that it is investigating an issue blocking third-party applications from launching Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and other Office applications on Windows systems after installing the June 2026 updates. This new problem affects users who installed the recent security patches and may prevent document access or application functionality.

IT administrators and users are advised to monitor Microsoft's official channels for updates regarding both the resolved Windows Server 2016 issue and the ongoing investigation into Office application problems. Those experiencing persistent issues with the June 2026 updates should ensure they have installed the prerequisite KB5087537 update before attempting to deploy KB5094122.