Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 Pro customers are encountering difficulties when attempting to upgrade to a valid Windows 11 Enterprise subscription. The valid subscription license is typically assigned from the Microsoft 365 admin center. The upgrade process is failing for users, displaying an “Access denied” error along with error code “0x80070005.”
Root Cause and Investigation
After thorough investigation, Microsoft has identified the root cause of the issue. The problem originated with the April 2024 Patch Tuesday update under KB5036893, which coincided with a major Windows 11 23H2 feature update known as Moment 5. This update also triggered several other significant bugs and issues, including system slowdown errors such as 0x8007000d and 0x800705b9.
While Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, detailed information is not yet available on the Windows health dashboard website. The company has only updated its Patch Tuesday support articles to address the known issues. In the known issues section, Microsoft has outlined the symptoms of the upgrade problem and provided a temporary workaround. However, the workaround is merely a confirmation that Microsoft is actively working on resolving the issue.
Symptoms and Workaround
Symptom: After installing this update or subsequent updates, users may experience difficulties upgrading from Windows Pro to a valid Windows Enterprise subscription. This may result in failed OS upgrade operations, indicated by an ‘Access denied error (error code 0x80070005)’ in the LicenseAcquisition scheduled task in Task Scheduler.
Workaround: Microsoft is currently developing a resolution that will be included in a future Windows update.
Additional Challenges
In addition to the upgrade issue, Windows users are also facing other challenges. These include:
- A high CPU usage bug related to Phone Link
- A OneDrive problem where shared folders appear as internet shortcuts
- A malfunction in the Photos app due to non-admin-based Windows group or CSP policy settings
As Microsoft works to resolve these issues, users are advised to stay updated through official channels and apply any forthcoming patches promptly to mitigate these disruptions.
