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Microsoft: We are working on KB5034441/KB5034440 "0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE" fix by Sayan Sen Microsoft released the first Windows 10 and 11 Patch Tuesday updates of 2024, last week, with the January updates KB5034122 and KB5034123 respectively. The updates are meant to address security issues within Windows. The one for 11 also fixes the recent Wi-Fi troubles that led to networks not connecting or the Wi-Fi icon not showing. In a separate article, the company has also detailed a fix for a WinRE (Windows Recovery Environment) security vulnerability that can lead to BitLocker encryption bypass. The issue is being tracked under ID "CVE-2024-20666". Microsoft said that the security flaw could allow attackers to bypass BitLocker encryption if they are able to get physical access to an unpatched PC. However, this is not one of those WinRE updates that is seamlessly installing on PCs. Users report that the update is failing to install with the error message "0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE" which indicates insufficient WinRE partition size. The solution is to resize the partition manually. You can do so by following this dedicated guide here. Neowin forum supervisor / mod and ESET's Distinguished Researcher Aryeh Goretsky (X account) also experienced the issue which they were able to fix by increasing the recovery partition. Goretsky writes: Hello, I can confirm that the KB5034441 hotfix failed on a Windows 10 VM with a Windows Recovery partition that was 511MB in size. I decided to increase it to 1024MB in size, just in case more space was needed in the future. The hotfix installed normally afterwards. Regards, Aryeh Goretsky Microsoft of course has been aware of this problem almost from the start which is why it has been recommending the manual resize workaround as soon as it published the WinRE updates. Yesterday, on its Windows health dashboard, the company has added the issue and notes that a fix is coming via a future update. Microsoft says: Devices attempting to install the January 2024 Windows Recovery Environment update ( KB5034441/KB5034440) might display an error related to the size of the Recovery Environment's partition. Resulting from this error, the following message might be displayed. "0x80070643 - ERROR_INSTALL_FAILURE" Workaround: It might be necessary to increase the size of the WinRE partition in order to avoid this issue and complete the installation. Note that 250 megabytes of free space is required in the recovery partition. Guidance to change the WinRE partition size can be found in KB5028997: Instructions to manually resize your partition to install the WinRE update. Next steps: We are working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release. Aside from this BitLocker encryption vulnerability, Microsoft has recently updated its Microsoft Printer Metadata Troubleshooter Tool to patch against a Remote Code Execution (RCE) security flaw.

New Windows 11 23H2 images are now available with fixes for known issues by Taras Buria Shortly after releasing Windows 11 version 23H2 on October 31, 2023, Microsoft notified users that clean-installing its latest operating system might become a trouble if they rely on assistive technologies: Windows' built-in Narrator would not start during the initial setup. Two months after the release, we finally have the promised new Windows images with the properly working Narrator. The new Windows 11 23H2 images are now available for download with the latest December patches and fixes for Narrator during the initial setup (also known as OOBE or Out of Box Experience). You can download a Windows 11 ISO from the official website or via the Media Creation Tool app. For those unfamiliar, the latter can download ISO files or write them directly to your USB drive for clean installations or in-place upgrades. Starting December 19, 2023, a new file is available to create an installation media to update to Windows 11, version 23H2. The new media does not encounter this issue and contains the December 2023 security update. It is available for download at the Software Download page for Windows 11 in the section “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices”. Guidance on installation can also be found at this site. Note that the Narrator bug was only affecting the initial setup experience—it would work as usual after setting up a computer or getting to Windows 11 version 23H2 using Windows Update. Fixed Narrator in Windows 11 ISO files joined a few other issues Microsoft recently resolved in its operating system. Those include broken Wi-Fi connections after installing the latest updates and all sorts of weird bugs with printers. Microsoft resolved the Wi-Fi bug with the Known Issue Rollback system, which does not require any action from end users. Fixing the printer problem, however, requires more effort: you must download a new troubleshooter from the official website and run it on affected systems.

Microsoft confirms Wi-Fi issues in Windows 11 KB5032288 by Taras Buria Microsoft has received reports of frustrated customers unable to connect to their Wi-Fi networks after installing recent Windows 11 updates. The problem mostly affects enterprise, education, and public Wi-Fi access points, preventing users from connecting or obliterating their connection speeds to impossible levels. According to a message published on the official Windows Health Dashboard website, the problem might occur after installing KB5032288, the latest non-security update for Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2. Luckily for "regular users," home networks should continue operating as usual, immune to the latest bug. In addition, the problem should not affect systems running Windows 10—only the most recent Windows 11 versions were hit. Microsoft has received reports of an issue in which some Wi-Fi adapters might not connect to some networks after installing KB5032288. As reported, you are more likely to be affected by this issue if you are attempting to connect to an enterprise, education, or public Wi-Fi network using 802.1x authentication. This issue is not likely to occur on home networks. Interestingly, the problem allegedly lurks inside the update that resolved one of the most annoying long-standing bugs in Windows 11, so an attempt to fix File Explorer popping on the screen out of nowhere may result in your laptop not connecting to a Wi-Fi network on your work or university. Microsoft says it is investigating the situation to see whether KB5032288 is to blame. The company plans to provide an update when more information is available. Meanwhile, universities and other establishments recommend that affected customers uninstall KB5032288 to mend broken Wi-Fi connections. Microsoft, on the other hand, asks users to send their feedback using the Feedback Hub app and attach additional telemetric data using the "Recreate my problem" option. If you care enough and want to help Microsoft resolve the situation, check out this post to learn how to send detailed feedback to the company. Alternatively, you can undo the update as described here.

Microsoft confirms weird printing issues and uncalled HP Smart App installations on Windows by Taras Buria Microsoft has confirmed weird printing issues plaguing Windows 10 and 11 customers. The company has updated its official Windows Health Dashboard documentation with details about the HP Smart App invading PCs and printers changing their names and icons. Additional symptoms include the "No tasks are available for this page" error when clicking on a printer. According to Microsoft, all three problems are related to printer configurations on systems with access to the Microsoft Store. Therefore, Windows 10 and 11 installations without the Microsoft Store should continue working as they should, with no changes in printer names or apps. Besides, printing processes "are not expected to be affected" regardless of whether your computer has the Microsoft Store app or not. You should be able to queue printing jobs and use additional features, such as copying or scanning. As for affected platforms, according to Microsoft, all Windows 10 and 11 versions, both consumer and server editions, are hit. Those include the following: Client Server Windows 11 23H2 Windows 11 22H2 Windows 11 21H2 Windows 10 22H2 Windows 10 21H2 Windows 10 1809 Windows 10 1607 Windows 10 LTSC 2019 Windows 10 LTSC 2016 Windows 10 LTSB 2015 Windows Server 2022 Windows Server 2019 Windows Server 1809 Windows Server 2016 Windows Server 2012 R2 Windows Server 2012 Sadly, the documentation says nothing about workarounds or temporary fixes. Microsoft only said it is investigating the problem with its partners and it would provide an update when more information is available. Also, the issue is not related to Windows Update, so there is no "originating update" you can uninstall to resolve the situation. But if you noticed the HP Smart App on your system and you do not use HP printers, feel free to uninstall it. You can find more information about the issue here.

Microsoft confirms broken Narrator when clean-installing Windows 11 version 23H2 by Taras Buria Microsoft released Windows 11 version 23H2 on October 31, 2023. However, the updated Media Creation Tool with 23H2 images arrived only in the second half of the month, forcing those wanting to perform a clean install to wait a little longer. If you plan to install Windows 11 version 23H2 from scratch and you rely on its assistive technologies, beware: Microsoft has confirmed a weird bug with Narrator not working. Microsoft says using Windows 11 version 23H2 physical media or disk images may result in Narrator launching in an unresponsive state, even though the component is present in the install media. It is worth noting that the bug only happens during installation and does not affect systems upgrading from Windows 10 or older Windows 11 versions. Please note this issue does not occur when Windows 11, version 23H2 is installed using Windows Update on a device which is already running Windows 10 or Windows 11. This issue only occurs when physical media or ISOs are used for this installation and Narrator is only affected while the installation process is taking place. It should continue to work as expected once the installation is completed. According to a message published in the official Windows documentation, Microsoft is working on a new Windows 11 version 23H2 install media to let users in need use Narrator during installation. You can get your system to Windows 11 version 23H2 using several methods. The latest feature update is available via Windows Update: head to the Settings app and toggle on the "Get the latest updates as soon as they are available." Alternatively, you can perform an in-place upgrade using disk images from the official website or clean-install version 23H2 using Rufus. If your computer does not officially support Windows 11, check out this guide detailing three easy methods to install Windows 11 version 23H2 on unsupported hardware.

Microsoft confirms bugs with emoji and the new color font format in Windows 11 build 23531 by Taras Buria Windows 11 build 23531, released on August 25 in the Dev Channel, introduced several minor changes and improvements (there is one you may actually hate) to try in the Windows Insider program. Like most preview builds, release 23531 contains a list of known issues, and Microsoft has just added another one. The updated release notes for Windows 11 build 23531 mention a bug affecting the recently introduced Unicode Emoji 15 support and the updated color font format with COLRv1 support. According to Microsoft, those changes are no longer available in the latest Dev build, but developers are working to resolve the problem in a future update. [ADDED 8/28] Unicode Emoji 15 support which began rolling out with Build 23475 and the updated color font format with COLRv1 support that began rolling out with Build 23506 no longer appear after updating to Build 23531 due to a bug. This issue will be fixed in a future flight soon. Unicode Emoji 15 adds 21 new emoji, such as a shaking face, more colorful hearts, two hand gestures, several animals, plants, and objects. As for the COLRv1 format, it enables Windows to display richer 3D-like emoji (those responsible for the "emojigate" scandal). You can learn more about COLRv1 implementation in Windows 11 from the official documentation. Full release notes for Windows 11 build 23531 are available here. Three emoji styles available in Windows 11. As a reminder, Dev and Canary builds often contain notable bugs and issues, so those willing to join the Windows Insider Program should back up important data and prepare for potential troubleshooting. Microsoft does not provide official support for PCs running Windows 11 preview builds, so the best idea is to run them on a spare PC or a virtual machine. If you need one, check out Microsoft's official free Windows 11 virtual machines available in four different formats.

Microsoft investigates Windows (KB5029351, KB5029331) Unsupported Processor BSOD crashes by Sayan Sen Update: MSI has offered a workaround. Microsoft is looking into a problem users on the latest Windows 11 and Windows 10 builds are facing. Despite running their systems on supported CPUs, the issue leads to an error wherein the PC crashes with a blue screen of death (BSOD) with an error message that says: "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR". (Microsoft recently updated its support list for both Intel and AMD.) The tech giant is unsure at the moment if it is an issue with Windows or whether the root cause may be something else. As such, the company has requested feedback via the Feedback Hub app. On the Windows health dashboard it explains: Microsoft has received reports of an issue in which users are receiving an “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” error message on a blue screen after installing updates released on August 22, 2023 (KB5029331) [and KB5029351] and then restarting their device. KB5029331 might automatically uninstall to allow Windows to start up as expected. If you are experiencing issues, please use Feedback Hub to file a report following the below steps: ​Launch Feedback Hub by opening the Start menu and typing "Feedback hub", or pressing the Windows key + F ​Fill in the "Summarize your feedback" and "Explain in more detail" boxes, then click Next. ​Under the "Choose a category" section, click the "Problem" button, and select "Install and Update" category. Then select "Downloading, installing, and configuring Windows Update” subcategory. Click Next. ​Under the "Find similar feedback" section, select the "Make new bug" radio button and click Next. ​Under the "Add more details" section, supply any relevant detail (Note this is not critical to addressing your issue). ​Expand the "Recreate my problem" box and press "Start recording". Reproduce the issue on your device. ​Press "Stop recording" once finished. Click the "Submit" button. Browsing through Feedback Hub, it seems that MSI motherboards, mainly from Intel's 600 series (Z690) and 700 series (Z790), are the ones where the issue is infesting the most, though it is possible the problem is there on other OEM motherboards too. In case you have a board from some other maker, like say Asus, Gigabyte, or ASRock, among others, and experiencing this bug, Microsoft would likely appreciate some feedback about those.

Microsoft Weekly: Paint goes dark, Windows 10 gets new apps, IE celebrates its anniversary by Taras Buria In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at new Windows 11 preview builds and their features, app updates, lots of gaming news, an upcoming Surface hardware event in New York, and blasts from Microsoft's past. Table of contents: Windows 11 (and 10), Surface, and other Microsoft news Updates! Gaming news A blast from Microsoft's past Random fact about Microsoft Windows 11 (and 10), Surface, and other Microsoft news Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions. Last week, Microsoft released the August 2023 Patch Tuesday updates with bug fixes and security patches. Although we have not heard about major earth-shattering bugs, Microsoft confirmed one annoyance affecting Windows 10 users. According to the official documentation, recent Windows 10 updates could cause issues with ClickOnce apps. Microsoft promises to release a fix soon. Meanwhile, affected customers can mitigate the problem by re-installing the impacted ClickOnce programs. On the more positive side, Windows 10 users will soon get another application straight from Windows 11. Sharp-eyed enthusiasts noticed that the latest Microsoft Photos app update introduced support for Windows 10, meaning those sticking to the previous-generation Windows may soon get access to the redesigned app and its features, such as improved OneDrive integration, better import, fancier user interface and more. Check out our coverage to find more details and learn how to install the app right now. Moving to Windows 11, we have the latest post from Microsoft detailing the benefits of using Windows 11 on Surface devices. According to the company, Windows 11 is better at adapting to different modes and "postures," it provides better energy efficiency with dynamic refresh rate support, better security, and more. Speaking of Surface, Microsoft has finally announced the date of its upcoming Surface event. On September 21, 2023, the company will hold a special event in New York, where we expect a bunch of new Surface computers, such as Surface Go 4, Surface Laptop Go 3, and other. Also, with the company no longer making Microsoft-branded PC accessories, one may expect some new accessories under the Surface brand. On the less positive side, a security research team at AquaSec has published a report highlighting a series of major security vulnerabilities found in Microsoft's PowerShell Gallery, a repository with scripts, modules, and DSC resources. More importantly, AquaSec claims Microsoft has been aware of the issues for a very long time. Despite reporting the flaws to the Microsoft Security Response Center on two separate occasions, with confirmation of the reported behavior and claims of ongoing fixes, as of August 2023, the issues remain reproducible, indicating that no tangible changes have been implemented. Also, Microsoft announced it would stop producing Azure Kinect Developer Kits in October 2023. For those unfamiliar, the Azure Kinect Developer Kit is a Kinect-based device made for businesses and enterprise customers. Windows Insider Program Microsoft released a bunch of preview updates to test in the Windows Insider program this week. Here are the details: Server vNext: 25931 Azure Arc-enabled servers support and more. Canary Channel: 25931 with more features coming from the Dev Channel, fixes, the ability to uninstall more stock applications, and in-place upgrade support on ReFS. Dev Channel: 23526 with Start menu, UI, Narrator, and other improvements. The update also changes the built-in time bomb, allowing you to use preview release until September 15, 2024. Beta Channel: 22631/21.2199 with native support for more file compressing formats (RAR, TAR, 7Z, TGZ, and more), UI improvements, never combine mode for the taskbar, and more. The latest Windows 11 preview builds also contain a new feature for Microsoft Paint. After releasing dark mode and improved zoom controls for all users, developers introduced centered canvas support for improved navigation. Also, there is an update for Windows Subsystem for Android. The August 2023 update delivers stability improvements, a more recent Chromium WebView version, and Android 13 security updates. Updates are available This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties. A number of Surface devices received new firmware this week. Usually, these updates fix security issues, resolve various fixes, introduce support with new accessories, improve performance, and more. Surface Go 2 received security patches, support for new docking accessories, and stability improvements for the Surface Dock 2. Surface Pro X (Wi-Fi, SQ2, and SQ1) got app performance improvements, something you can never have enough of. You can download the latest firmware for your Surface Go 2 or Surface Pro X from Windows Update. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced the new default font coming soon to its Office apps. Dubbed Aptos, the font will replace the beloved Calibri introduced in 2007 alongside Microsoft Office 2007. Aptos is already available for testing in the Microsoft 365 Insider program, and it will soon arrive for all customers in the stable channel. According to a recent Microsoft 365 Roadmap update, the company plans to ship the new font somewhere next month. Microsoft PowerToys, one of our favorite Windows 10 and 11 utilities, will soon get a redesigned settings home page. Developers plan to implement a new section with quick toggles and tips about shortcuts and other utility-specific options. Another new feature for Windows 11 and 10 will come in handy for those playing games on their PCs and using Microsoft Teams. The Xbox Game Bar app now received "Play Together," a Discord-like feature that lets you communicate with friends while playing PC games. Here are other notable app updates released this week: AI-generated review summaries are now available in the Microsoft Store, giving you a quick and easy way to learn what other people think about a specific program or game. Another Microsoft Store update lets web developers publish their PWAs for free thanks to Microsoft's partnership with the PWABuilder team. The offer is valid until September 15, 2023. Skype Preview now supports file auto-download. Version 8.102 is available for testers with several notable changes for the file download experience. After a couple of days, Microsoft released another update with drag and drop, GIF, and stability improvements. Microsoft Loop added integrations with Jira and Trello for improved project managing. Paint has finally received dark mode and improved zoom controls. The long-promised update is now available for all Windows 11 customers in the stable channel. Microsoft Dev Home Preview 0.4 added accessibility improvements to let you navigate widgets using a keyboard and more. And here are new drivers you may want to check out to get the latest improvements, fixes, and performance uplifts: Intel Arc WHQL 31.0.101.4644 with fixes for system hangs and power cycle issues. It also contains performance uplifts for DirectX 11-based games. AMD Chipset Driver 5.08.02.027 with new drivers and support for a "new program." On the gaming side Check this section to learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, and more. Starfield, one of the most anticipated games this year, is getting closer with the release scheduled for September 6, 2023. However, some gamers are already raising concerns about potential delays since the game has yet to "go gold" (a special term to indicate that a game is ready for its initial release). To calm the unrest, Bethesda's head of publishing, Pete Hines, tweeted that gamers should "take a deep breath" and his team "know what they are doing." And just a few days later, Bethesda confirmed that Starfield had gone gold. If you still have a hard time waiting for the release, checking out Starfield's official timeline may help you a bit. Starfield will be available on Xbox Series X|S and PC on September 6, 2023. You can preorder (and preload) it in the Microsoft Store and Steam or play it on day one with Xbox or PC Game Pass. Tip: You can save $10 on the digital version using a special Newegg promo code. Although everything looks set for Starfield, the same cannot be said about Robocop: Rogue City. The upcoming game from Teyon was delayed from September 2023 to November 9, 2023. In July 2023, developers held a closed beta test, and its results most likely contributed to the two-month delay. Robocop: Rogue City will be playable on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5. Epic Games and Remedy Entertainment also decided to postpone their upcoming title Alan Wake 2. Luckily, only by 10 days: from October 17 to October 27. The reason for this delay is that developers do not want Alan Wake 2 to be jammed up with another games. Finding a good release window for a game is not easy this way, hence such weird delays and changes. Another game getting a release date change is Assassin's Creed Mirage from Ubisoft. However, unlike Robocop: Rogue City and Alan Wake 2, developers moved the schedule in another direction. The game went gold, and fans of the franchise will get access one week earlier. Now the release is scheduled for October 5, 2023. Ubisoft plans to release a new update for Rainbow Six Siege. This week, the studio revealed the Year 8 Season 3 update called Operation Heavy Mettle with a floor-eating robot (what?), a quick match overhaul, a new arcade mode, and a brand-new operator from South Korea. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is another game coming to PC and consoles this month. If you are into such games, check out the recommended specs for running the game in 1080 30/60fps and 4K 30/60fps. Also, there is detailed information about performance targets on the current and past-generation consoles from Microsoft and Sony. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will arrive on PC, Xbox (including Game Pass), and PlayStation on August 18. Speaking of Game Pass, check out the latest wave of new games for those subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, or Xbox Game Pass ultimate. The new additions include Firewatch, Gris, and more. Forza Horizon fans received fresh new cars and fixes in the latest update for Forza Horizon 5. The Italian Automotive update is now available with 16 vehicles (free and premium) from Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Italdesign. Another important gaming announcement from Microsoft this week was the new Xbox Enforcement Strike System. Violating the code of conduct may result in receiving from one to three strikes and a suspension from Xbox Live from one day up to one year. Also, Microsoft revealed its plans to put the Xbox 360 store to its final rest. On July 29, 2024, the company will pull the plug on the marketplace. Customers will no longer be able to purchase titles for the console released almost twenty years ago, potentially resulting in more than 220 digital-only games going six feet under. However, the change does not affect the games you own—you can continue playing them on your Xbox 360 (digital or physical copy) even after the specified date. Moreover, backward-compatible titles will remain accessible on more modern consoles, namely the Xbox One and Series family. Finally, Microsoft Flight Simulator marked its third anniversary this week. To celebrate the milestone, Microsoft published a bunch of stats, detailing the most popular aircrafts and airports, total miles flown, number of flights, etc. Deals and freebies Looking for something new to play? Check out this week's Deals with Gold offering notable discounts on Borderlands, Crysis, Grand Theft Auto, Timbleweed Park, and more. On the PC side, the Epic Games Store is giving away Black Book and Dodo Peak. Another game you can snag with a massive discount is Bethesda's Fallout 4 Game of the Year Edition, which is now available DRM-free on GOG Galaxy. To celebrate the launch, Bethesda lowered the price from $39.99 to only $9.99. Finally, check out our weekly series featuring the latest PC game deals with triple bundles, double freebies, free play days, and more. A blast from Microsoft's past Our colleague John Callaham provides weekly throwbacks into Microsoft's past, with multiple look-back articles providing interesting trivia about the company's past products, partnerships, mishaps, and successes. This week's look-back article recalls the Microsoft Songsmith app from 2009. Songsmith was a Microsoft Research project that later became a commercial product ($29.99 or almost $44 in today's money). The idea was to help you generate somewhat bearable music for your lyrics, "more than good enough to make a cute birthday card for Mom or a Valentine's Day love song." Grab a mic, sing any lyric, select the style you want, and watch the app do its magic. The software giant stopped selling Songsmith long ago, but the app is still around. You can try its limited free trial even on a modern PC running Windows 11. With all the latest hype around artificial intelligence, it is beyond interesting to see Microsoft's past experiments with generative software. On August 16, 1995, Microsoft launched the first version of Internet Explorer. It was part of the Microsoft Plus! package for Windows 95 and included basic HTML support with bare-bones, no-frills capabilities. You can learn more about this 28-year-old piece of Microsoft history in John's another look-back article. Random fact about Microsoft And here is a randomly selected piece of trivia about the company, Windows, and other Microsoft-made things. Did you know that the Windows 95 CD-ROM version included a bunch of extra stuff for fun, including a game called Hover! Unlike 3D Pinball Space Kadet, Minesweeper, and Solitaire, many users do not know about this long-forgotten capture-the-flag-like game released 28 years ago. Like other stock games in Windows, Microsoft made Hover! to showcase the "advanced multimedia capabilities" of personal computers of that time. However, not everyone at Microsoft liked Hover!, and some even secretly called it Hoover. Apparently, because the game sucked, just like those vacuum cleaners from Hoover. In 2013, when Windows 8.1 was the latest and greatest, Microsoft released a remake with "brand-new 3D graphics" and touch gameplay. Then-new Hover was also available as a web-based game for showcasing WebGL support in Internet Explorer (rest in peace, old friend). Sadly, like the Windows Store version, web-based Hover is no longer available. You can find other issues of the Microsoft Weekly series using this link. Also, you can support Neowin by subscribing to our Newsletter to get regular news recaps delivered directly to your email.

Microsoft: Windows 10 (KB5028244) app installs via ClickOnce incorrectly nagging users by Sayan Sen Towards the end of July, Microsoft released KB5028244, its C-release non-security update for the month. The update was one which brought in multiple issues like those related to UWP and Win32, BitLocker, printers, and more. Find the full release notes of the update in its dedicated post. However, the update wasn't flawless as Microsoft confirmed a major bug that was causing video codec issues, and Windows 11 was affected too. Today, the tech giant has confirmed another bug in the update. Microsoft says that applications installed via ClickOnce are incorrectly showing as not installed. Microsoft has issued a known issue rollback for this bug. On its health dashboard, Microsoft explains the bug in detail as well as its workaround: After installing KB5028244 or later updates, apps which were deployed using ClickOnce might begin to prompt for installation even when the ClickOnce apps are already installed and marked as “trusted”. Workaround: To temporarily workaround the issue, uninstall the impacted ClickOnce Application and reinstall the application again. Resolution: This issue is resolved using Known Issue Rollback (KIR). Please note that it might take up to 24 hours for the resolution to propagate automatically to consumer devices and non-managed business devices. Restarting your Windows device might help the resolution apply to your device faster. For enterprise-managed devices that have installed an affected update and encountered this issue can be resolved by installing and configuring a special Group Policy. The special Group Policy can be found in Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> . Group Policy downloads with Group Policy name: Download for Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 21H2 - Windows 10 20H2, 21H1, 21H2 and 22H2 KB5028244 230814_02353 Feature Preview Important: You will need to install and configure the Group Policy for your version of Windows to resolve this issue. You can find the official announcement post here on the health dashboard site.

Microsoft confirms a missing taskbar bug in Windows 11 build 23516 by Taras Buria This week's Dev Channel build 23516 introduced several improvements and new features, such as improved screen casting, HDR wallpaper support, accessibility enhancements, and more. Preview releases often pack multiple known issues and bugs, and build 23516 is no exception. In fact, Microsoft has updated the release notes to mention a new problem reported by some insiders. According to Microsoft, customers might experience issues with the taskbar after updating to build 23516—it might disappear after installing the latest update. The company claims it achieved mixed results when reproducing the problem, and its spread "has proven to be inconsistent." Still, there are several methods to mitigate the problem. Here is what you can do if the taskbar is missing after installing Windows 11 build 23516: If your taskbar is missing, allow the computer to sit idle for 5-6 minutes. Users have reported hearing an audible ding notification after which time the Taskbar reappears. Reboot the device. This has not proven to be a fully reliable workaround, but it has been noted as successful from some users. Lastly, you may choose to roll back from this build to the prior build. This bug was not present in the prior Dev Channel build (23511). To roll back your device if the task bar is missing, please follow these steps: Click the lock screen to display the login page. Select the on-screen Power Button in the lower-right corner. Hold the Shift key and select Restart. (The device will reboot and enter the Windows Recovery Environment) On the "Choose an option" screen, select Troubleshoot Select Advanced options Select Uninstall updates Select Uninstall latest feature update If your device has BitLocker enabled, you will be prompted for the recovery key. Input the key and click Continue. On the next screen select Uninstall feature update. The uninstall process will now begin. Microsoft says developers are busy investigating the problem and hope to resolve it in a future update. If you have more insights on resolving the taskbar issue, let us know in the comments and share your findings with Microsoft in the Feedback Hub. Other users can take this story as another reason why running Windows 11 preview builds on a mission-critical or primary PC is not a great idea.

Microsoft: Windows 11 (KB5028254) Start menu not starting with third-party apps by Sayan Sen Microsoft has confirmed that third-party applications that let users customize the user interface (UI) are once again breaking the Start menu. The issue returned today with the latest Windows 11 update KB5028254 which was released earlier today for version 22H2. Microsoft says ExplorerPatcher is problematic at the moment, but others (like Start11, etc.,) may be affected too. Interestingly, the software fixes Windows 10 Start menu issues with its latest update. Microsoft notes the issue on its Windows health dashboard stating: After installing KB5028254 or later updates, the Start menu might not open on Windows devices with some third-party UI customization apps installed. The known affected third-party UI customization app is ExplorerPatcher but others might also be affected. These types of apps often use unsupported methods to achieve their customization and as a result can have unintended results on your Windows device. Workaround: We recommend uninstalling any third-party UI customization app before installing KB5028254 to prevent this issue. If your Windows device is already experiencing this issue, you might need to contact customer support for the developer of the app you are using. Next steps: If you are using any third-party UI customization app and encounter any issues, you will need to contact customer support for the developer of the app you are using. Affected platforms: Client: Windows 11, version 22H2 Server: None As mentioned up top, this problem is not new and was affecting Windows 11 22H2 previously as well. Towards the end of February, earlier this year, when the Moment 2 update went live, the issue was first seen. This time though, it is Moment 3 which is affected. In related news, the tech giant was able to resolve another Start menu issue in late June, something it had been struggling with for a while. Another issue affecting Windows 11, as well as Windows 10, at the moment, is a video codec problem, which you can find details about here. Edit: Brad Sams, VP and General Manager, Stardock Software, informed Neowin that Start11 is not impacted by this issue. They stated in a mail: "We are not impacted by the KB that broke explorer patcher - we use a different method for implementation." Neowin reader fishnet37222, who is probably a Start11 customer, confirmed a similar experience.

Microsoft confirms video codec issue on Windows 10 (KB5028244) and Windows 11 (KB5027303) by Sayan Sen Microsoft has confirmed that there is an issue plaguing WVC1 or VC-1 video codec at the moment. Windows 10 and Windows 11 apps using the codec may fail to playback, record, or capture videos, and the issue extends to cameras and webcams. The bug was introduced with Windows 11 update KB5027303 and Windows 10 users with update KB5028244. On its health dashboard, Microsoft explains that the way to resolve this issue is to perform a Known Issue Rollback (KIR). After installing KB5027303 or later updates, some apps might fail to playback, record, or capture video when using the WVC1 codec (VC-1). Certain cameras or webcams might also fail to work if they use the WVC1 codec by default. Resolution: This issue is resolved using Known Issue Rollback (KIR). Please note that it might take up to 24 hours for the resolution to propagate automatically to consumer devices and non-managed business devices. Restarting your Windows device might help the resolution apply to your device faster. For enterprise-managed devices that have installed an affected update and encountered this issue, it can be resolved by installing and configuring a special Group Policy. The special Group Policy can be found in Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> For information on deploying and configuring these special Group Policy, please see How to use Group Policy to deploy a Known Issue Rollback. Group Policy downloads with Group Policy name: Download for Windows 11, version 22H2 - Windows 11 22H2 KB5027303 230528_03453 Known Issue Rollback Download for Windows 11, version 21H2 - Windows 11 (original release) KB5028245 230630_032045 Known Issue Rollback Download for Windows 10, version 22H2 - Windows 10 20H2, 21H1, 21H2 and 22H2 KB5028244 230627_173555 Known Issue Rollback Important: You will need to install and configure the Group Policy for your version of Windows to resolve this issue. You will also need to restart your device(s) to apply the group policy setting. Both Windows 10 (versions 21H2 and 22H2) and Windows 11 (versions 21H2 and 22H2) are affected by this bug.

Microsoft finally fixes broken Start menu, Windows Search and UWP apps in Windows 11 and 10 by Taras Buria Last month, Microsoft confirmed it could not fix a bug breaking different parts of its desktop operating system. According to the company, the problem could result in the Start menu, Windows Search, and UWP apps no longer working. The only possible workaround was to uninstall programs utilizing Microsoft Office APIs. Now, however, users finally have a permanent solution that no longer requires removing problematic apps. KB5027292, a preview update Microsoft released yesterday, finally fixes the broken Start menu, Windows Search, and UWP apps. Here is how Microsoft describes the problem: The Start menu, Windows search, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps might not work as expected or might have issues opening. Affected Windows devices might have damaged registry keys or data which might affect apps using Microsoft Office APIs to integrate with Windows, Microsoft Office, or Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Calendar. An example of an app affected by this issue is ClickShare. The underlying Issue is not caused by the installation of an update to Windows and might be exposed by an update to an affected app. Unlike regular Patch Tuesday updates that install automatically in the background, preview releases require manual installation from Windows Update. You can install KB5027292 by heading to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update (Windows 10) or Settings > Windows Update (Windows 11) and clicking Check for updates. The problem affects all client Windows 11 versions (21H2 and 22H2) and Windows 10 versions 22H2, 21H2, and 20H2. Server editions are not affected by the bug. In addition to mending the Start menu and other parts of the operating system, KB5027292 resolves higher-than-usual CPU usage by File Explorer when the user tries to view or edit Effective Access permissions. You can learn more about that bug in our dedicated coverage. Was your system affected by some of the bugs KB5027292 fixes? Let us know in the comments.

Microsoft confirms a bug preventing Outlook and other Office apps from opening on Windows by Taras Buria According to Microsoft, Windows 10 and 11 users may experience a bug preventing Outlook and other apps from launching after installing the latest Patch Tuesday update (KB5027231, released on June 13, 2023). The company has updated its Windows Health Dashboard documentation to provide the necessary details about the problem and offer affected customers a workaround. Microsoft says the bug affects 32-bit Office installed on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11 (client versions 22H2 and 21H2, plus Windows Server 2022). Even though Microsoft changed the default Office installation from 32-bit to 64-bit in 2018, many people may still be using 32-bit Office. However, you need a specific antivirus and a specific version to experience the problem—according to Microsoft, the issue occurs on systems using Trellix Endpoint Security version earlier than 35.31.25. After installing KB5027231 or later updates on Windows devices with certain antivirus, antimalware or security software installed, you might not be able to open Microsoft or third-party apps. Some known affected apps are Microsoft Outlook and other Microsoft Office apps. This issue only occurs with 32-bit apps running on 64-bit Windows with Trellix Endpoint Security version earlier than 35.31.25. When attempting to open an affected app, Event Log indicates an access violation with the error "module is unknown". This issue is not likely to be encountered by consumers using Windows devices in their home. Affected customers can resolve the problem by updating Trellix Endpoint Security Agent to version 35.31.25 and newer. Although Microsoft has only mentioned Trellix Endpoint Security Agent, other antivirus apps might cause the same problem. Therefore, the company recommends that those using other anti-malware solutions and experiencing issues with Office apps should contact customer support of the security software they use. You can learn more about the problem with Outlook not opening on Windows 10 and 11 after the June Patch Tuesday update in the official Windows Health Dashboard documentation.

Microsoft confirms a bug causing higher File Explorer CPU usage in Windows 11, here is a fix by Taras Buria Microsoft has published details about a newly found bug in Windows 11. It affects all Windows 11 versions (21H2 and 22H2) by breaking a specific part of File Explorer and causing higher-than-usual CPU usage after installing KB5026372, released on May 9, 2023 (the May 2023 Patch Tuesday update). According to Microsoft, the problem appears when users try to check Effective Access permissions in the "Advanced Security Settings" dialog for shared files or folders. Clicking the "View effective access" button can result in Windows displaying a "Computing effective access..." message without query results. In addition, File Explorer will continue taxing the CPU, even after closing the Advanced Security Settings dialog. After installing updates released on May 9, 2023 or later updates, you might be unable to view Effective Access in the "Advanced Security Settings" dialog for shared files or folders. On affected devices, when the "View effective access" button is selected, you will receive the message "Computing effective access...." but the results of the query might not be displayed and explorer.exe might continue to use CPU after the Advanced Security settings dialog is closed. This issue is unlikely to be experienced by consumers using Windows devices in their home. Fortunately, the bug is easy to mitigate and is unlikely to affect "regular customers" using Windows 11 PCs in their homes. Microsoft says you can temporarily resolve the issue by restarting your computer or signing out and then back in. Note, however, that just locking Windows will not fix the problem. The bug affects Windows 11 client versions 21H2 (the original release) and 22H2. It may also pop up on systems running Windows Server 2022. Microsoft is already working on resolving the bug and promises to release a permanent fix later this month. In case you missed it, Microsoft recently removed several legacy folder options from File Explorer in the latest preview build from the Dev Channel. You can learn more about this upcoming change here.

Microsoft temporarily fixed broken webcams on ARM PCs by lowering their image quality by Taras Buria Last week, Surface Pro X owners suddenly discovered that their ARM-powered computers could no longer use cameras and camera-related features, such as Windows Hello. Any attempt to open an app utilizing integrated cameras resulted in the "0xA00F4271 (0x80004005)" error. Fortunately, Microsoft deployed a temporary fix relatively quickly, albeit not without a huge asterisk. The updated Windows Release Health dashboard contains all the details about the issue that crippled cameras in ARM-based Windows PCs. According to Microsoft, the bug affects devices with Qualcomm 8cx Gen 1, Gen 2, Microsoft SQ1, and Microsoft SQ2 processors running Windows 11 version 22H2 and 21H2, and Windows 10 22H2. In other words, it is not Surface-exclusive. At the same time, external USB cameras continue operating without issues. A few days ago, users started reporting that integrated cameras work again, thanks to Microsoft deploying a "critical troubleshooter" to mitigate the issue on most affected Windows devices. That troubleshooter kicked in automatically and did not require any action from the user. You can check your ARM-powered PC by looking for the following entry in the troubleshooting history: Hardware and devices troubleshooter Automatically change system settings to fix a problem on your device Although cameras are working again, Microsoft says the mitigation is temporary. Moreover, the fix is not available on managed devices, with troubleshooters disabled by administrators. Resolving the camera bug on those PCs requires executing the following command with administrator privileges: reg add "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Qualcomm\Camera" /v EnableQCOMFD /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f You can use the Command Line method on a non-managed device if it has not yet received the critical troubleshooter. However, Microsoft warns that it is intended for the affected devices only, so do not mess with your system's registry if the integrated cameras are working. Another thing worth noting is that the workaround has a side effect: Microsoft says it might disable some camera features or lower the image quality. The company is working with OEMs on a new camera driver to bring cameras back to their normal behavior.

Microsoft: File copy/save on Windows 11, Windows 10 32-bit apps failing, Office affected too by Sayan Sen Microsoft has warned IT and system admins that a file copying, saving, and attaching issue is affecting applications on Windows 11 as well as Windows 10. Thankfully, File Explorer is unaffected, however, 32-bit applications are. Microsoft says that 32-bit apps that are large address aware and use the CopyFile API are affected. This API essentially helps copy a new file to an existing file and keeps track of the progress. Hence, with this functionality broken at the moment, copying and saving have become a major issue at the moment for affected applications. Microsoft has also added that 32-bit versions of Office apps like Word and Excel are affected as well, and users may receive a "Document not saved" error. Microsoft explained the issue in detail on its Windows health support page: You might have intermittent issues saving, or copying, or attaching files using 32-bit apps which are large address aware and using the CopyFile API. Windows devices are more likely to be affected by this issue when using some commercial/enterprise security software which uses extended file attributes. We are not receiving reports that copying files using File Explorer is affected, but CopyFile API used within apps might be affected. Microsoft Office apps such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel are only affected when using 32-bit versions and you might receive the error, "Document not saved." This issue is unlikely to be experienced by consumers using Windows devices in their home or on non-managed comercial device. Note: Apps are not affected by this issue if they are 64-bit or 32-bit and NOT large address aware. There is a positive though. Microsoft says the issue is intermittent which means redoing the same action could likely work out. The company lists this as a potential workaround: Workaround: To mitigate the issue, you can attempt to save or copy again. Since the issue is intermittent, it is likely to succeed on a subsequent try. The above workaround is only for Windows 11 22H2 though. For other versions of Windows 11 and Windows 10, Microsoft recommends doing a known issue rollback (KIR): Workaround: To mitigate the issue, you can attempt to save or copy again. Since the issue is intermittent, it is likely to succeed on a subsequent try. Important: If the resolution below does not resolve intermittent save or copy issues in your environment, then you might be experiencing a different issue with similar symptoms. Resolution: This issue is resolved using Known Issue Rollback (KIR). Enterprise-managed devices that have installed an affected update and have encountered this issue can resolve it by installing and configuring a special Group Policy. The special Group Policy can be found in Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> . Group Policy downloads with Group Policy name: Download for Windows 11, version 21H2 - KB5023774 230222_032017 Known Issue Rollback Download for Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 21H2 - KB5023773 230222_032013 Known Issue Rollback Important: You will need to install and configure the Group Policy for your version of Windows to resolve this issue. In somewhat related news, Microsoft recently resolved a SMB file copy issue on Windows 11 21H2 with the KB5026436 preview update.

Microsoft Weekly: bugs, apps, IE not dead, and the overall calm before Build by Taras Buria Another weekend—another issue of Microsoft Weekly, your regular seven-day recap of everything that happened in the world of Microsoft. This week was relatively tame and quiet, something you can call the calm before the storm Build, Microsoft's annual developer conference. It is kicking off next week, and we expect many announcements from the software giant. But before that, time to look back at this week full of Windows bugs, apps, updates, Bing, and other news. Confirmed Windows Bugs and other troubles This week, Microsoft confirmed several issues and bugs in its operating systems. It all started with multiple users reporting cryptic errors when installing the latest Windows 11 cumulative updates. In addition, some complained about VPN slowdowns that Microsoft subsequently confirmed. Later, Microsoft admitted it could not fix issues with the Local Security Authority feature and offered a temporary workaround. Interestingly, LSA is not the only problem Microsoft has a hard time fixing: the company confirmed the return of the bug causing issues with the Start menu, Office apps, Window Search, UWP apps, and other components. This time, the only workaround as we wait for a real fix is to uninstall specific apps, which might not be acceptable for many. Finally, Microsoft detailed a weird bug causing internal hard and solid-state drives to show as removable media in Windows 11. Funny enough, it is one of those ancient annoyances from the Windows Vista era, and it still haunts modern Windows versions, such as 11. Luckily, Microsoft has provided a workaround. It is not all bad news It is not all negative, though. This week also brought some good news, such as the updated Windows Clock app, in which Microsoft finally mended its "game-changing" feature. After months of neglect, one of Windows 11's productivity-boosting capabilities is working again. Another great improvement (do not praise Microsoft for it) is the Weather app infected with ads and MSN News. After a wave of criticism, Microsoft removed all banners and news, resulting in a much cleaner and more pleasant application. Other app-related news includes the global rollout of the Phone Link app for iOS that now allows you to send iMessage (sort of) from your PC, make calls, and receive notifications. Windows PCs now play much better with iPhones, and it is excellent. Besides, Microsoft has released an update for the Windows Photos app with support for the WebP image format. Windows 11's built-in photo viewer is now much better at handling still exotic and unconventional for many formats, such as WebP or AVIF. Internet Explorer lives... wait, what? This week, Microsoft reverted some of its initial plans to bury the good-old Internet Explorer for good. The company explained that Windows updates would no longer remove visual references from its operating system (icons on the taskbar or Start menu), leaving companies in control over determining the timing to remove IE11. Also, Microsoft would ensure some exceptional scenarios still allow access to IE11 within Edge. So there you go, Internet Explorer is still not dead™. EU and China say "Go," and Microsoft loves GeForce Now Every week brings new developments to the ever-going saga of Microsoft trying to get its hands on Activision-Blizzard. After failing to score the green light from the UK, the software giant received approval from the European Union and China. One of the biggest and most interesting gaming-related news (especially in light of CMA's discontent with the Microsoft-ABK deal) is Microsoft bringing its games to Nvidia's GeForce Now streaming service. The company has announced its plans to let gamers stream Gears 5 and more projects in the future using GeForce Now and not just Xbox Cloud Gaming or xCloud. Finally, if you are looking into something new to play, check out the latest addition to the Xbox Game Pass library that now includes FIFA 23, Railway Empire 2, Planet of Lana, and more. Bing or be careful who you call ugly in Middle School Bing is no longer Microsoft's unloved child; it gets new updates almost weekly. On May 16, Microsoft announced new AI-powered features to its mobile apps, such as Bing, SwiftKey, Edge, and Skype. Those updates will help you leverage the power of artificial intelligence in your daily life and make things much easier than before. Not so long ago, Microsoft opened Bing Chat to all users, leaving no customer in the waiting line. This week, the company made another notable change with Bing no longer requiring a Microsoft Account to access its artificial intelligence power. It is worth noting, though, that you will not get all features when accessing Bing without an MSA, so the best experience still requires an account. In addition, Microsoft is rolling out a bunch of features it promised to deliver earlier. Users can now share their conversations with Bing or export them into PDF, text, or Word documents. Finally, the character limit was increased from 2,000 to 4,000, and the service now supports video overlays and extra enhancements in Edge. Bing's rapid growth and customer interest have made some manufacturers consider swapping Google with Microsoft's upgraded search engine. However, things are not changing in favor of Bing as Samsung has not decided to ditch Google on its smartphones. No_builds week The Windows Insider program was quiet this week, with no new builds for those rocking Canary and Dev Channels. All eyes of insiders are now on the upcoming Build 2023 conference, where we want to see some Windows 11-related announcements and details about future updates. Regarding future updates, reliable sources confirmed this week that the upcoming Windows 11 23H2 update would still arrive as an enablement package based on the 22H2 version with a minor build bump. Although we haven't got any preview builds to test, Microsoft released a few apps and Xbox updates for early trials. For example, the Windows Subsystem for Android received a few neat features improving security and performance thanks to anti-virus software support and memory reallocation. The Xbox app for Windows got a few bugs squashed, and Xbox Insiders received an updated Home experience with improved Reward points integration. As for unofficial updates and projects, the original Surface Duo received another set of drivers that enabled this tiny dual-screen device to run Windows 11. Version 2305.45 brought improved sensor support, compatibility with the Surface app from the Microsoft Store, and more. Accusations and a new investigation This week, Twitter sent a letter to the Microsoft CEO complaining that the company has been "improperly using Twitter data" without paying and sharing it without permission. A Microsoft spokesperson was quick to react and told The New York Times that the software giant does not pay Twitter for its data and that Microsoft would review the complaint and respond to it accordingly. Another not-so-positive story of the week is a new antitrust investigation from the EU. The watchdog is now looking into accusations of Microsoft behaving anti-competitively and abusing its access to confidential information to leverage and compete with other cloud providers. Fun, useful, and free stuff Internet Explorer is not the only Microsoft product refusing to die this week. In a surprising move, Microsoft announced a giveaway of an unopened Zune player to help promote Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Although the giveaway sounds extremely exciting, there is one catch: Microsoft does not know if the never opened Zune works ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Adam Bottjen, your source of weekly tips, has published a new guide describing how to stop Edge from automatically loading on Windows startup. It is a handy tip for those wanting to maximize performance on startup and ensure Windows boots as "clean" as possible. Now to the freebies and discounted stuff: Epic Games is giving away free copies of the highly acclaimed Death Stranding. Also, many games are discounted during the Epic Games Store Mega Sale (coupons included) and you can save up to 90% on games in this weeks Deals with Gold that remain live until Monday. Finally, John Callaham published a guide to all the major streaming gaming events in the next few weeks to help everyone keep up with the upcoming announcements. Dates, time, and where to watch—everything included. Signing off And that is all for the week of May 15, 2023. As we approach the annual Build conference, brace yourself for a massive drop of Microsoft news next week. And to never miss a single Microsoft announcement and support us, subscribe to the Neowin Newsletter.

Microsoft: We haven't yet been able to fix Start, UWP, Office issues on Windows 11 and 10 by Sayan Sen Microsoft announced that it managed to mitigate a major issue that affects the Windows Shell on all versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11. The bug, confirmed back in January, is related to the Windows Shell and Office APIs. On the Windows health website, Microsoft notes that the Start menu, Windows search bar, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps may fail to open or have issues. Essentially it becomes un-clickable or non-interactive. The tech giant further notes that affected PCs can exhibit damaged registry keys or data that can affect applications based on the Microsoft Office APIs, that are integrated with Windows, Office, Outlook or Outlook Calendar. The workaround is to uninstall such apps, which is hardly awe-inspiring considering it has been four months since the issue was first opened. It writes: The Start menu, Windows search, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps might not work as expected or might have issues opening. Affected Windows devices might have damaged registry keys or data which might affect apps using Microsoft Office APIs to integrate with Windows, Microsoft Office, or Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Calendar. An example of an app affected by this issue is ClickShare. The underlying Issue is not caused by the installation of an update to Windows and might be exposed by an update to an affected app. Workaround: To mitigate this issue, you can uninstall apps which integrate with Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Calendar. Updates to affected apps or guidance from the developer of the app might also be available. If you are using ClickShare by Barco, please see Symptom: Start Menu and other shell components fail when Apps including Barco's ClickShare access Office APIs and Unresponsive Windows taskbar or user shell folder permissions issues with ClickShare App Calendar integration. You may find more details on Microsoft's Windows health website here.

Microsoft confirms problems with VPN connections in Windows 11 by Taras Buria Multiple Windows 11 customers and IT administrators report weird VPN behavior in the latest cumulative updates. According to Reddit and Microsoft Support forums posts, installing the May 2023 Patch Tuesday updates cripples VPN connection speed, subsequently crippling other features, such as RDP. No problems connecting to the VPN, just once you get in the speeds are extremely slow and RDP basically just times out. A quick search of the web confirms that KB5025305 causes speed issues on L2TP/IPsec VPN. --- Our users are facing this, with a strange oddity: a group of 5-6 users is able to get 100m down and 80m up speeds, but the vast majority get sub 1m down and sub 1m up speeds. Some affected users claim the unknown bug only affects Wi-Fi connections, and systems using wired internet continue operating VPNs without problems. A Microsoft spokesperson has said (via) that the company is aware of the problem and is looking into it. Unfortunately, they have not provided any possible workarounds, so the only option for those suffering from a snail-like VPN connection is to uninstall the problematic updates or sit tight, waiting for a fix from Microsoft. It appears that VPN slowdowns are not the only problem with the latest Patch Tuesday updates. Some users report seeing cryptic errors when installing available updates, and others complain about notable SSD speed downgrades.

Microsoft admits it couldn't really fix Windows 11 Security and Defender LSA issues by Sayan Sen Towards the end of March, Microsoft confirmed a Windows 11 issue where the Windows security app would incorrectly display "Local Security Authority protection is off", even when the feature was enabled. The company provided a workaround for the time being. Almost exactly a month later, the tech giant announced that it had fixed the issue. However, Microsoft may have been too quick to close the bug report. Neowin forum member kiddingguy, among others, noticed that the problem continued to persist even after they installed the latest Patch Tuesday. In fact, the latest update also apparently has other bugs according to various user reports online. Image via kiddingguy (Neowin forum) Microsoft has hence been forced to re-open the issue on its Windows Health dashboard. A new section has been updated that says affected users will need to use the workaround previously published. The Redmond company has also recommended disabling kernel-mode hardware-enforced Stack protection in case users were encountering blue screen or system restarts. Updated May 16, 2023: This known issue was previously resolved with an update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus antimalware platform KB5007651 (Version 1.0.2303.27001) but issues were found, and that update is no longer being offered to devices. If you encounter this issue, you will need to use the above workaround until the issue is resolved. If you have installed Version 1.0.2303.27001 and receive an error with a blue screen or if your device restarts when attempting to open some games or apps, you will need to disable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection. To do this, select the Start button, type Windows Security and select it, select Device Security then select Core Isolation then disable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection. You may find more details on Microsoft's official Windows health dashboard site.

Microsoft confirms speech recognition issues in Windows 11 22H2 by Taras Buria Microsoft has updated its Windows Health Dashboard documentation with details about a newly discovered bug. According to the company, Windows 11 version 22H2 users might experience problems with speech recognition, expressive input, and handwriting after installing KB5022913 (and subsequent releases). Affected systems fail to recognize words or detect input in various applications. Microsoft says the problem appears on PCs running client Windows 11 version 22H2 edition with Chinese and Japanese languages and apps using Windows.Media.SpeechRecognition API. Other speech recognition implementations, APIs, and Windows versions are unaffected. The company is working on resolving the issue in future updates. Meanwhile, customers can mitigate the problem by doing the following after every device restart: Close the app which is having issues with speech recognition or other affected input types. Open Task Manager by selecting the Start button and type "task manager" and select it. Select the "Processes" tab on the left and then select the "Name" column so that the list of processes is sorted by their names. Find ctfrmon.exe and select it. Select the "End Task" button. Confirm a new instance of ctfmon.exe is started automatically. You should now be able to open the affected app and use speech recognition and other input types. You can learn more information about the bug in the documentation.

Microsoft fixes "Local Security Authority protection is off" Windows 11 Defender issue by Sayan Sen Microsoft has confirmed earlier today that it has fixed a major issue with Windows Defender wherein it would incorrectly display "Local Security Authority protection is off" even when the feature was toggled on and the device was consequently restarted to complete the enabling process. The Local Security Authority, or LSA, authenticates, logs and maintains all information related to the local security of a system. The bug was affecting all Windows 11 platforms, i.e., Windows 11 versions 22H2 and 21H2. The Microsoft health dashboard describes the issue as following: After installing "Update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus antimalware platform - KB5007651 (Version 1.0.2302.21002)", you might receive a security notification or warning stating that "Local Security protection is off. Your device may be vulnerable." and once protections are enabled, your Windows device might persistently prompt that a restart is required. Around a week ago, users online started noticing that Microsoft had pushed a new update "Windows Security Service version 1.0.2303.27001" under the KB5007651. The update seemingly fixed the LSA protection off and today, it has been confirmed by Microsoft itself. The tech giant has updated its health dashboard for the issue with a new resolution section where it has basically confirmed the earlier report. It says: Resolution: This issue was resolved in an update for Microsoft Defender Antivirus antimalware platform KB5007651 (Version 1.0.2303.27001). If you would like to install the update before it is installed automatically, you will need to check for updates. Interestingly, it looks like the new Defender update resolved the issue by updating "Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection" security feature present under Core Isolation (VBS) in the Windows Security app. Source: Microsoft (1) , (2)

Microsoft: Upgrade to Windows 11 22H2 if RDR 2 doesn't launch via Rockstar Launcher on 21H2 by Sayan Sen When Windows 11 version 22H2 first hit, there were plenty of user reports online regarding issues related to gaming on the new feature update. Soon enough, Microsoft had confirmed the problems, and placed upgrade blocks on affected systems. However, the issues were finally resolved by around mid-December when Microsoft pushed the KB5020044 update. So while Windows 11 21H2 was considered a safe haven, it looks like the roles are reversed now as Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR 2) fails to launch on the original Windows 11 release. The issue is triggered when attempting to launch the title from the Rockstar Games Launcher wherein the game does not open when selecting the "Play" button from the Launcher. Hence, for now, Microsoft says the only workaround to mitigate the issue for those affected is to upgrade Windows 11 21H2 systems to 22H2. The issues began since the KB5023774 update that was released earlier today. On the Windows release health dashboard, Microsoft explains: After installing KB5023774 or later updates, Red Dead Redemption 2 might not open. When attempting to open it from the Rockstar Games Launcher by selecting the "Play" button, it will switch to "Loading", but Red Dead Redemption 2 might not open, and the button will revert to "Play". Workaround: To mitigate this issue, you can upgrade to Windows 11, version 22H2. If you are interested in moving to Windows 11, version 22H2, open Windows Update settings and select Check for updates. If your device is ready, you will see the option to Download and install. Microsoft says the matter is being investigated and at the moment, there is no word on a fix. Update: Microsoft has confirmed that the issue has been fixed with the latest game update. On the Windows release health dashboard the company has updated the issue status to resolved. It notes: Resolution: This issue was resolved in an update from Rockstar Games for Red Dead Redemption 2. After updating to the latest version of the game, you should be able to open it as expected. Hence users should be able to launch the game via the Rockstar Games launcher on Windows 11 21H2 as well.

Microsoft confirms Xbox controllers can break shutdown in Windows 11 Canary builds by Taras Buria Microsoft has confirmed that the newest Windows Canary build has a hard time shutting down in specific scenarios. According to Jen Gentleman (via @XenoPanther on Twitter), a member of the Windows engineering team at Microsoft, build 25314 and 25324 can hang when the user attempts to turn off the system with an Xbox Wireless Controller paired via a USB cable. The message from Jen was published in the Feedback Hub (clicking the link will launch the Feedback Hub if installed) under a report about the shutdown not working after upgrading to builds 25314 and 25324. Interestingly, the same bug causes green screens of death for some insiders when their PCs are asleep. Thanks for taking the time to report this - we're investigating an issue where if you have a wired Xbox controller connected then shutdown will hang. This is the same root cause as some insiders seeing bugchecks (or rather green screens) when the PC is asleep. We're working on a fix. If your computer is affected by the bug, try disconnecting your controller before turning off the PC. As a reminder, keep in mind that Canary builds may be highly unstable since Microsoft is using the Channel to trial early long-term platform changes. Switching to Dev, Beta, or Release Preview may be a more reliable option, with the ability to test feature updates before Microsoft pushes them to the general public. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to go "down" from Canary to more stable builds, so reinstalling the operating system is your only option. For that reason, Microsoft started offering Windows Insiders free USB thumb drives.