Devices running Windows 11 versions 24H2 (OS build 26200.7840) and 25H2 (OS build 26100.7840) are experiencing severe boot failures due to Microsoft's February 10, 2026, Patch Tuesday update KB5077181 This article explores boot failures microsoft. . After installation, users report that their computers keep restarting themselves, making it impossible to access the desktop.

More than 15 reboot cycles are described in community forums, such as Reddit threads, which effectively brick computers and prevent users from accessing sessions. Shortly after the update is finished, the problem appears. Some users temporarily regain access to affected systems after they fail to boot completely, only to be met with System Event Notification Service (SENS) errors such as "a specified procedure could not be found." Despite the appearance of network links, DHCP failures also interfere with internet connectivity.

Hardware, driver, or servicing stack incompatibilities are indicated by installation errors like 0x800f0983 and 0x800f0991.

The update's security fixes, which address 58 vulnerabilities, including six zero-days that are included in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, are overshadowed by this stability regression. KB5077181 adds Secure Boot certificates to counter 2011 certificate expirations due in June 2026, fixes WPA3 Wi-Fi and gaming eligibility issues, and builds on enhancements from previous releases such as KB5074109. The boot loop still affects both consumers and businesses in spite of these improvements.

CVE ID CVSS Score Description CVE-2026-21510 7.5 Elevation of privilege to the YSTEM level in Desktop Window Manager. CVE-2026-21519 7.8 Elevation of privilege to SYSTEM level in Desktop Window Manager. Actively exploited zero-day vulnerability CVE-2026-21533 8.8 Windows Remote Desktop Services elevation of privilege. CVE-2026-20841 7.1 Notepad uses specially created Markdown files to remotely execute code.

Error codes: 0x800f0983, 0x800f0991; KB Number: KB5077181 Builds Affected: 26200.7840, 26100.7840 As of February 15, 2026, despite mounting reports, Microsoft does not have a "known issues" entry in its release notes or health dashboard. Uninstall via Control Panel > Programs and Features > View installed updates, then pause Windows Update for systems that are accessible. Enter the Windows Recovery Environment, interrupt boot three times, or open the Command Prompt using the installation media and run the following commands if the computer won't boot up: wusa /uninstall /kb:5077181 /quiet /norestart.

To fix files, use sfc /scannow. Make ZeroOwl your Google Preferred Source.