How to fix “This operation is not supported when reserved storage is in use” error in Windows?

Windows shows this message when you try to disable reserved storage with DISM, or run Sysprep, while an update or servicing operation still holds that space. It is not damage: the command is refused until servicing finishes. Install every pending update, restart, and run the same command again from an elevated prompt.

Facts checked on 15 October 2026. Steps written for Windows 11 25H2 and 26H2, and Windows 10 22H2.

What “This operation is not supported when reserved storage is in use” means

Reserved storage is a part of drive C: that Windows keeps free for updates, temporary files and caches. Microsoft says it makes it more likely that updates can be downloaded and installed without you having to free disk space first. Since Windows 10 version 2004, administrators can turn it on and off with DISM.

The command that turns it off is the one that fails. Microsoft's DISM documentation states that if reserved storage is in use, it may not be disabled, and DISM then returns exactly this text:

What DISM prints in Command Prompt (Admin)

Error: 0x800f0975

This operation is not supported when reserved storage is in use. Please wait for any servicing operations to complete and then try again later.

Why reserved storage is in use and the command is refused

There is one cause behind every case: servicing is not finished. What differs is why it is not finished. The table ranks the reasons we found in Microsoft's and VMware's documentation and ties each to a fix.

Sysprep: audit mode cannot be turned on if reserved storage is in use

When you generalize an image with Sysprep, it checks that no servicing is active before it starts. If reserved storage is in use, Sysprep stops with Sysprep was not able to validate your Windows installation, and the reason is written to its log, not to the screen.

The line to look for in %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log

Error SYSPRP Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk: Audit mode cannot be turned on if reserved storage is in use. An update or servicing operation may be using reserved storage.; hr = 0x800F0975

• Open the log in Notepad and search for Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk. Broadcom documents three variants of that line for VMware guest customization.
• Audit mode cannot be turned on if reserved storage is in use points to this guide: start with Fix 1, then use Fix 4.
• Audit mode can't be turned on if there is an active scenario has the same code, 0x800F0975, and the same cure: finish or pause updates (Fix 1, Fix 3) and reset ActiveScenario (Fix 4).
• Failed to query pending CBS operations with hr = 0x800706b5 means Sysprep could not read the servicing state at all. Start with Fix 1, then Fix 6.
• VMware users see no error in vCenter. Broadcom says the customization simply does not take effect, and the guest's %WINDIR%\temp\toolsDeployPkg.log ends after the network interfaces connect.

Microsoft also notes that a change of reserved storage state is carried into a Sysprep generalized image. If you disable reserved storage on the reference PC to get Sysprep through, every PC deployed from that image starts with it disabled. Turn it back on before you capture the image if you want the default (see the section on undoing the change).

How to fix “This operation is not supported when reserved storage is in use”

Fix 1 and Fix 2 solve most cases and change nothing you need to undo. Fix 3 holds off new updates for a week. Fix 4 edits the registry and is meant for PCs where nothing is pending but the error stays, mostly before Sysprep. Fix 5 and Fix 6 repair Windows Update when the updates themselves fail.

Fix 1. Install every pending update and restart until nothing is left

10 to 30 minutesNo riskEveryone, and first of all PCs where Windows Update shows a pending restart or install.

The message itself asks you to wait for servicing to complete. An update that is installed but waiting for a restart keeps its files in reserved storage, so only a restart lets Windows release the space. Broadcom's first resolution for the Sysprep version is the same: bring Windows fully up to date.

1. Save your work and close open apps.
2. Press Win + I and select Windows Update. On Windows 10, open Update & Security > Windows Update.
3. If you see Restart now, select it. If you see Download & install all or Install all, select it and wait.
4. When the installs finish, restart even if Windows does not ask.
5. Open Windows Update again and select Check for updates. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until it says You're up to date with nothing pending.
6. Wait 5 minutes after signing in so background servicing can finish, then run the DISM command again as in Fix 2.

Fix 2. Check the reserved storage state and disable it from an elevated prompt

5 minutesLow riskWindows Update shows nothing pending and you have restarted at least once.

Microsoft's DISM commands only work on the running Windows and need administrator rights. Checking the state first tells you whether there is anything to change, and running the command soon after a restart catches the moment before Windows Update starts new work.

1. Restart the PC and sign in.
2. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or search for cmd and select Run as administrator. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
3. Check the current state:

   DISM.exe /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState

4. If it says Reserved storage is disabled, there is nothing to change and you can stop here.
5. Disable it:

   DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled

6. In PowerShell, the same change is:

   Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled

7. Run the check again to confirm:

   DISM.exe /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState

Fix 3. Pause Windows updates for a week, restart and try again

10 minutesLow riskThe command fails again shortly after every restart, or you need Sysprep to pass today.

As long as Windows Update keeps downloading new work, reserved storage keeps filling. Broadcom's second resolution for the Sysprep error starts with Pause for 1 week, which stops new downloads so the current servicing can end.

1. Press Win + I and select Windows Update.
2. Next to Pause updates, select Pause for 1 week. On Windows 10, select Pause updates for 7 days.
3. Restart the PC.
4. Run DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled in an elevated prompt, or run Sysprep again.
5. When you are done, open Windows Update and select Resume updates, so security updates are not delayed.

Fix 4. Reset ActiveScenario in the ReserveManager registry key, then disable reserved storage

10 minutesRead the warningUpdates are finished or paused, yet DISM or Sysprep still says reserved storage is in use.

Windows records active servicing in the value ActiveScenario under the ReserveManager key. Broadcom's fix for the Sysprep version sets it to 0 and then runs the DISM command, which clears a flag that was left behind after the update ended.

1. Make sure Windows Update shows nothing installing (Fix 1) or that updates are paused (Fix 3).
2. Press Win + R, type regedit and press Enter. Select Yes in the User Account Control prompt.
3. Paste this path into the address bar and press Enter:

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ReserveManager

4. Double-click ActiveScenario, set Value data to 0 and select OK.
5. Open an elevated prompt and disable reserved storage:

   DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Disabled

6. Restart the PC, then run Sysprep or your next step again.

Fix 5. Reset Windows Update when an update never finishes

15 minutes, plus a restartLow riskThe same update fails, rolls back or comes back after every restart.

A failing update counts as servicing in progress, so reserved storage stays in use for as long as it keeps retrying. Clearing the update cache lets Windows download it once more and finish, which ends the servicing.

This stops the update services, renames the download cache and the catalog folder, and starts the services again. Step by step: Reset Windows Update components

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator. Type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.
2. Stop the update services. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. If Windows says that other services depend on Cryptographic Services, it stops them too. A message that a service is not started is fine.

   net stop wuauserv
   net stop bits
   net stop cryptsvc

   

3. Delete the download queue files. This clears the list of downloads that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service keeps. If Windows says it cannot find the files, continue.

   del "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr*.dat"

4. Rename the update cache folders. Renaming keeps a copy in case you need it; Windows creates new, empty folders when the services start again. If you get Access is denied, a service is still running: repeat the previous step.

   ren %systemroot%\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old
   ren %systemroot%\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old

   

5. Start the services again. Type the commands below and press Enter after each one. The requested service has already been started is fine: Windows started it on its own.

   net start cryptsvc
   net start bits
   net start wuauserv

   

6. Restart and check for updates. Restart the PC. Then select Start > Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates. The first check can take longer than usual because everything is downloaded again.

These steps were written for Windows 11 and Windows 10 (the steps are the same). The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Reset Windows Update components

Afterwards, go back to Fix 1, install the update and restart. Then run the DISM command or Sysprep again.

Fix 6. Repair the component store with DISM and SFC

20 to 40 minutesLow riskSysprep logs Failed to query pending CBS operations, or updates fail even after Fix 5.

Servicing reads its state from the component store. When that store is damaged, Windows cannot tell whether servicing has finished, so it keeps reserved storage marked as in use. A repair gives servicing a clean state again.

Run DISM's RestoreHealth first and SFC after it, in an elevated prompt. Step by step: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

1. Open an elevated command window. Right-click Start and select Terminal (Admin), or type cmd in the search box, right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator. Select Yes when Windows asks for permission.

   

2. Run DISM first. Type the command below and press Enter. DISM downloads clean copies of damaged components from Windows Update, so it can take several minutes. Wait until it says The operation completed successfully.

   DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

   

3. Run System File Checker. In the same window, type the command below and press Enter. Do not close the window until the verification reaches 100%.

   sfc /scannow

   

4. Read the result and restart. Compare the last message with the table below this guide, then restart the PC so that repaired files are loaded.

   

These steps were written for Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. The full page with the other versions and what each result means: Run DISM and SFC to repair Windows system files

Restart when both are done, then repeat Fix 1 and Fix 2.

If reserved storage is still in use after every fix

When all six fixes fail, the logs show what servicing is still doing. Open them in Notepad from an elevated prompt, press Ctrl + End to go to the newest lines and search upward.

• A package or KB number named next to the error tells you which update is holding the space. Install or remove it, then try again: How to uninstall a Windows update.
• On a work or school PC, ask IT: WSUS or Configuration Manager may control reserved storage and undo your change.
• For Microsoft support, send the three logs, the output of DISM.exe /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState and your Windows version from Settings > System > About.

How to turn reserved storage back on, and when you should

Disabling reserved storage returns its space to drive C:, but updates then need free space of their own. Microsoft's reason for the feature is that updates install without you having to clean up the disk first, so turn it back on when the job is done.

Turn reserved storage back on (elevated prompt)

DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Enabled

• Re-enable it after Sysprep and imaging if you want deployed PCs to keep the default, because the state is carried into the generalized image.
• Leave it disabled only on a PC with a very small drive that you watch yourself, and free space before big updates: Free up disk space and delete temporary files.
• In Settings > System > Storage, reserved storage is counted under System & reserved.

How to avoid the reserved storage error next time

• Run reserved storage commands right after a restart, with Windows Update showing nothing pending.
• Before Sysprep, install all updates, restart twice and pause updates for a week on the reference PC.
• Do not build images on a PC that is in the middle of a feature update.
• In scripts, run DISM.exe /Online /Get-ReservedStorageState first and retry the change later instead of forcing it.
• On managed PCs, change reserved storage through your management tool so it does not fight your change.

Most people never need to touch reserved storage at all. If your goal is free space, the cleanup tools in Windows usually return more than reserved storage holds, and they do not make future updates harder.

Frequently asked questions

What does "this operation is not supported when reserved storage is in use" mean?

It means Windows refused to change the reserved storage state because that space is being used by servicing right now. Servicing is the installing of updates, features or language packs. Microsoft documents the message for the DISM command that disables reserved storage, and its own advice is in the second sentence: wait for any servicing operations to complete and try again later. Nothing is broken. Install pending updates, restart, and run the command again as administrator.

What is error 0x800f0975?

0x800f0975 is the code DISM prints together with this message, and Sysprep writes the same code to its setupact.log as hr = 0x800F0975. In both tools it stands for the same thing: servicing is active, so reserved storage or audit mode cannot be changed. We could not confirm Microsoft's internal name for the code. The fixes are the same in both cases: finish or pause updates, restart, and if needed reset ActiveScenario in the registry.

Is it safe to disable reserved storage?

Yes, it does not harm Windows or your files, but updates lose their guaranteed space. Microsoft built reserved storage so updates can install without you freeing disk space first. With it disabled, a big update on a nearly full drive can fail for lack of space. Disable it when you have a reason, such as a small drive or an image you are preparing, and turn it back on with DISM.exe /Online /Set-ReservedStorageState /State:Enabled when you are done.

How do I use Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled?

Open PowerShell as administrator and run Set-WindowsReservedStorageState -State Disabled. It is the PowerShell version of the DISM command and works only on the running Windows, not on an offline image. It needs the same conditions: no servicing in progress. If it returns the reserved storage in use message, follow Fix 1 to finish updates and restart, then run it again. Get-WindowsReservedStorageState shows the current state.

How do I fix the Sysprep error audit mode cannot be turned on if reserved storage is in use?

Install all updates and restart until nothing is pending, then pause updates for one week and restart again. If Sysprep still fails, set ActiveScenario to 0 under the ReserveManager registry key and run the DISM command to disable reserved storage, as Broadcom describes for VMware guest customization. Back up the registry first. Then run Sysprep again. Remember that the disabled state is carried into the generalized image.

Why do I get "this operation is not supported" or "the operation is not supported" for other things?

Those shorter messages are generic Windows texts that many tools show for many reasons, from file systems to network shares. This page covers only the reserved storage version, where the full text continues with "when reserved storage is in use". If your message stops after "not supported", look at the program and the command that showed it, and search for that program's error together with the exact action you tried.

Is "there is not enough usable space for this operation" the same error?

No. That is a different message about free space for a disk or partition operation, and it is not caused by reserved storage being in use. Disabling reserved storage returns some space to drive C:, but it does not create unallocated space on a disk, so it will not fix a partition tool's space error. We did not research that message for this page. Free space first if drive C: is full.

Can I just wait instead of doing anything?

Often, yes. If an update is downloading or installing, it finishes on its own and the next restart releases the space. The problem is an update that waits for a restart indefinitely, or one that fails and retries. Waiting does not help those. Check Windows Update: if it shows Restart now, restart; if it shows the same failed update every day, use Fix 5.

Does the old ShippedWithReserves registry trick still work?

We could not confirm it in Microsoft's current documentation. Setting ShippedWithReserves to 0 was the way to stop Windows 10 version 1903 from creating reserved storage, before DISM had commands for it. Since version 2004 Microsoft documents the DISM commands, and Broadcom's fix for the in-use error changes ActiveScenario, not ShippedWithReserves. Use DISM, and edit ActiveScenario only when servicing is really finished.