Glitches for Windows 11 Update Include Breaking File Explorer (zdnet.com) 57
Five days ago on Patch Tuesday, Microsoft released patch KB5051987 for Windows 11 version 24H2, writes the XDA Developers site.
But "As reported by Windows Latest and various communities like Reddit and Microsoft's help forum, many users have encountered a major issue..."
Some have reported that, in addition to File Explorer failing to launch, they're unable to open folders from the desktop, save Office files, or even download files. Clicking on a folder icon may display its subfolders, but the contents within remain inaccessible... Some users on Microsoft's help forum and Reddit have also reported that the KB5051987 patch fails to install entirely. The update gets stuck at a certain percentage for hours before eventually displaying an error code. While these are among the most widely reported issues, others have surfaced as well, including problems with Taskbar preview animations, the camera, and more.
"Microsoft keeps running into brick walls with the 2024 version of Windows 11," writes ZDNet. "Each new update designed to fix the outstanding bugs ends up introducing other problems..." Among the glitches resolved were ones that affected digital audio converters, USB audio drivers, USB cameras, and passkeys. The update also patched several security vulnerabilities, including some that were deemed critical....
Other glitches that may pop up include a stuttering mouse, an undetectable camera, .NET apps that cannot be installed inside the Windows Sandbox, and the Taskbar's new preview animation that does not work properly. You may also encounter other roadblocks. One person in the Windows Feedback Hub said that after installing the update, the battery life shows only 2.5 hours versus 6 hours previously. Another person found that the clipboard history no longer copies items from Microsoft Word...
Each annual Windows update can suffer from bugs, especially after being rolled out to millions of users. However, Windows 11 24H2 has been more problematic than usual. Since its official launch last October, the 2024 version has carried with it a host of known issues, many of which still haven't been resolved.
But "As reported by Windows Latest and various communities like Reddit and Microsoft's help forum, many users have encountered a major issue..."
Some have reported that, in addition to File Explorer failing to launch, they're unable to open folders from the desktop, save Office files, or even download files. Clicking on a folder icon may display its subfolders, but the contents within remain inaccessible... Some users on Microsoft's help forum and Reddit have also reported that the KB5051987 patch fails to install entirely. The update gets stuck at a certain percentage for hours before eventually displaying an error code. While these are among the most widely reported issues, others have surfaced as well, including problems with Taskbar preview animations, the camera, and more.
"Microsoft keeps running into brick walls with the 2024 version of Windows 11," writes ZDNet. "Each new update designed to fix the outstanding bugs ends up introducing other problems..." Among the glitches resolved were ones that affected digital audio converters, USB audio drivers, USB cameras, and passkeys. The update also patched several security vulnerabilities, including some that were deemed critical....
Other glitches that may pop up include a stuttering mouse, an undetectable camera, .NET apps that cannot be installed inside the Windows Sandbox, and the Taskbar's new preview animation that does not work properly. You may also encounter other roadblocks. One person in the Windows Feedback Hub said that after installing the update, the battery life shows only 2.5 hours versus 6 hours previously. Another person found that the clipboard history no longer copies items from Microsoft Word...
Each annual Windows update can suffer from bugs, especially after being rolled out to millions of users. However, Windows 11 24H2 has been more problematic than usual. Since its official launch last October, the 2024 version has carried with it a host of known issues, many of which still haven't been resolved.
...in other news.. (Score:4, Funny)
the sky is blue.
Re: ...in other news.. (Score:3)
And I want the simplicity and streamlined behavior of Windows 7 in classic UI mode back.
Windows 7? Give me Windows 2000 ... (Score:3, Insightful)
... but with modern under-the-hood features and a modern web browser.
For the average user, Windows 2000 was pretty much uncluttered, especially by today's standards. It had a few games, but they weren't networked, didn't phone home, and as far as I remember, didn't have ads. It had a version of Internet Explorer and a few other basic applications.
Or, to put it another way, give me Windows 11 with most of what we call "apps" or "applications" and almost all "phone-home" features stripped out and most "unde
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I've been resisting the urge to upgrade as my Win 10 install is very stable.
Re: ...in other news.. (Score:2)
Microsoft hears "we want more shit broken MS products like copilot advertised on the login a screen"
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Even the most polarized individuals are getting tired of blaming everything on politics. "My chainsaw broke. It must be the other political party's fault somehow."
Give it a rest and find another hobby.
This is not a test (Score:3)
Re:This is not a test (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Well this is the same MS that is hell bent on getting everyone off Windows 10 despite examples like this as why people are hesitant to migrate.
Errrr no. No one is "hesitant to migrate". The migration is all but forced for users who are capable of actually running Windows 11. In any case you're risk aversion is quite skewed. Windows is objectively buggy. There's lots of enduring problems in the system and they frequently get fixed with major version updates. Yeah new bugs are introduced and the occasional windows update gets screwed up, but on the whole MS fixes far more than they typically break with updates.
Heck I even remember installing an insi
Re:This is not a test (Score:4, Insightful)
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You're on Slashdot. You do not represent the broader user base we call "people". We here are a very different kind of IT user.
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You do not represent the broader user base we call "people"
The same applies to you. You seem to think other people do not represent "people" yet you must represent all other people. That is not how it works.
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Errrr no. No one is "hesitant to migrate".
Why do you always assert demonstrably false dichotomies? If there is a single person that is hesitant to migrate (and there are), you are spewing out falsehoods.
The migration is all but forced for users who are capable of actually running Windows 11.
And the fact some people do not want to migrate is not part of your calculus?
In any case you're risk aversion is quite skewed. Windows is objectively buggy. There's lots of enduring problems in the system and they frequently get fixed with major version updates. Yeah new bugs are introduced and the occasional windows update gets screwed up, but on the whole MS fixes far more than they typically break with updates.
Translation: I should accept buggy versions of Windows because you say so.
Heck I even remember installing an insider build at one point due to an infuriating Windows 10 bug that I just couldn't wait to have resolved, and as soon as the next major version rolled out (think it was 21H2 or something like that), I reverted back to the "stable" releases.
So were a beta tester for MS. Congrats. Do you not think most of us do not want to be unpaid testers for MS?
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Why do you always assert demonstrably false dichotomies? If there is a single person that is hesitant to migrate (and there are), you are spewing out falsehoods.
In conversation, context matters. The context here is that we're talking about general people. Yeah you'll find edge cases but I will bet you a kidney even with your autistic reading of my post that the edge case you find is some power user / admin / special case that doesn't even remotely resemble "people".
And the fact some people do not want to migrate is not part of your calculus?
No, people not. Power users yes. Any time we talk about people on Slashdot you need to remember that Slashdotters themselves should be removed from the discussion because we're objectively not normal use
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In conversation, context matters. The context here is that we're talking about general people. Yeah you'll find edge cases but I will bet you a kidney even with your autistic reading of my post that the edge case you find is some power user / admin / special case that doesn't even remotely resemble "people".
By using the term "edge case", you are misrepresenting facts. The fact of the matter is MANY people do not want to migrate to Windows 11 [numecent.com] for many reasons. You calling me "autistic" for describing what is happening in the real world is just an ad hominem attack because you lack perspective.
No, people not. Power users yes. Any time we talk about people on Slashdot you need to remember that Slashdotters themselves should be removed from the discussion because we're objectively not normal users of IT.
Again you need to remind yourself you do not speak for everyone.. I can tell you then #1 reason I stay on Windows 10 22H2 for now: It's stable. MS is not updating 10 anymore so they will not break my current setup. I still
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Well this is the same MS that is hell bent on getting everyone off Windows 10 despite examples like this as why people are hesitant to migrate.
Don't worry, this happened to Windows 10 too a month, perhaps two, ago. The Start Menu wouldn't open after an update. Much of the interface was unavailable after the update. Knowing keyboard shortcuts, I was able to open a shell and from there, the logs. It appears that the update hosed a bunch of folders in the Windows directory so that many of the display elements no longer exist. It sounds similar to what is being described now. In fact, so similar, it makes me wonder ...
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I wonder if MS ever test anything.
They do. In the field, where somebody else has to pay for it and somebody else has to pick up the pieces.
Microsoft QA? (Score:3)
Re: Microsoft QA? (Score:3)
They focus more on bloat and user tracking than stability and security.
Re: Microsoft QA? (Score:2)
Maybe Copilot writes all their code now.
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Ca't be. Part of it still works.
"Insiders" are supposed to replace QA (Score:4, Insightful)
MS thought they were being clever by sacking their QA team offloading beta testing onto the public with their "insider program". The trouble is it isn't rigorous. "Insiders" aren't systematically trying to find stuff that's broken in the parts that have changed. It doesn't give meaningful coverage.
Windows ain't done... (Score:5, Funny)
'til File Explorer won't run!
Re: Windows ain't done... (Score:2)
Does WINFILE.EXE still run on latest Windows versions?
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Re: Windows ain't done... (Score:2)
Yes, in a VM.
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Yes. You can compile it from source here:
https://github.com/microsoft/w... [github.com]
But I have to upgrade to Win11 in October? (Score:3, Interesting)
Lovely. Perhaps they'd like to extend the EOL for Windows 10 by a year while they make sure basic OS functionality is operational in Windows 11.
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It's never stopped them before, why now?
Windows update has been breaking itself as long as it's existed.
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And at the same time, I run automatic (!) updates on Debian every 3 days, and it has resulted in one minor problem in the 20 years I have been doing it. MS is simply abysmally incompetent and does not care one bit about engineering quality.
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Sad but true. Late-stage enshittification at work.
Get rid of it (Score:2)
At this point, with as many failures as Microsoft has with this "patch", the best thing to do is issue a full roll-back to the previous version and undo all these failures. Then, they can take a look at what they did and take a flamethrower to it. For at least a minute to be sure it's dead.
For a company of ths size to have this many repeated failures can't even be called disgraceful. Incompetent is the only word which can be used.
Priorities on AI Enshitification (Score:3)
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I'd rather they just stop fucking with the UI and just clean out existing bugs. MS lost its UI touch decades ago; they'll make it worse if they try.
Not that I complain, but (Score:2)
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The larger, the higher the risk of gross incompetence. Look at Boeing or Crowdstrike for other examples. Or Arther Anderson, which was one of the largest multinational enterprises before they got caught not only being incompetent, but highly criminal.
In the grand scheme of things (Score:2)
Microsoft and their buggy ass updates wreck more havoc with the average PC than any
intentionally crafted malicious content does in this day and age.
You can do everything right and Microsoft will still break your f*****g computer :|
I'm not entirely sure how Microsoft is able to avoid getting the sh*t sued out of them for
the absolute chaos their own ( forced ) patches create.
The very definition... (Score:3)
Each new update designed to fix the outstanding bugs ends up introducing other problems...
Isn't this what's known in the industry as Technical Debt? Or in this case, a failure to pay down said Debt with sufficient diligence...
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Isn't this what's known in the industry as Technical Debt? Or in this case, a failure to pay down said Debt with sufficient diligence...
It is amazing to me that Microsoft has more resources than the East India Trading Company but can't find the resources to fix their shit properly. It would be utterly hilarious except that they are a monopoly that we are all forced to use in some aspect of our lives.
So much whining (Score:2)
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Actually not that easy in many situations, unfortunately. MS has invested decades in making it hard to leave them behind. They are certainly not competing on engineering quality or price these days.
What we need is liability for crapware like this. Maybe if MS is due $500 for every time a user has to clean up their mess that will make a difference. And maybe if they cannot prove they were following the state-of-the-art, unlimited liability for all damage done would also be a good idea. To protect smaller pla
Kind of funny (Score:3)
My current laptop is indeed a Windows 11 one. But I clicked the update yesterday away. ... it ran in debug mode from the IDE in a Dart VM running Dart bytecode - and still was minimum 100 times faster than the windows file explorer.
About 10days ago I wrote a rudimentary File Explorer in Dart. Perhaps I should make a real one, lolz.
I only used it as a kind of toy to find all images in a folder and its subfolders
Opening a few hundred images in roughly 200x200 size and displaying them in a window, was basically instantly.
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Indeed. MS stuff is often borked to an unimaginable level. Why are they getting away with it?
"Glitches"? "Pathetic screwups"! (Score:2)
Seriously. Going easy in Microsoft when they mess it up again and again and again has to stop. It is also high time for liability for defective products and services that are as critical as these.
This time M$ really ... (Score:1)
... fkd up and you have to stop it.
Search for "regedit 24h2 block" and you'll find some solutions.
AI (Score:1)
Next version will be much better (Score:1)
I got that update on 2/11/25 (Score:2)
No problems. Sup, I've been robbed!
Microsoft turns WIndows 11 into (Score:2)
I honestly don't know (Score:2)
Why anyone would intentionally use win11 outside of work requirements. It's a shitshow.
The sane ones moved to Linux and Macs years ago, although Sequoia is shaping up to be almost as bad bugwise from the reports that I've seen so far. Might be worth revisiting around July or August.
It's like both companies outsourced their OS developers to the cheapest bidder. There's no damn excuse for it.
MS has been trying to drive users to Der Cloud for years and give up their home PC experience in favor of Web-based app
RDP client graphic display broken (Score:2)
Sadly, my client reported, that she, as graphical designer, couldn't use late mstsc client, as image delivered is erroneous, starting with the very desktop icons of remote machine. Luckily, online suggestions to hack workaround mstsc from Windows.old copy did partially work.
If you keep a laptop merely as a backup its a mess (Score:2)
During this I though dust got in my mouse or on the touchpad, nope - stuttering mouse is part of the new windows? wtf. do they test this shit?
This is a pain if it's your daily driver, but if you keep a laptop maintained as an emergenc