Microsoft pulls Windows 11 update after boot loop error • The Register

Microsoft has pulled a Windows 11 update after users reported boot loops and boot failures.

The issue is the non-security June preview update, KB5039302, which left some systems requiring recovery operations to be operational after installation.

According to a message posted on the Windows Release Health dashboard, Microsoft isn’t sure what the issue is, but it appears to be related to virtualization. “This issue is most likely to affect devices using virtual machine tools and nested virtualization features, such as CloudPC, DevBox, Azure Virtual Desktop.”

Azure Virtual Desktop? If only the company had its own cloud with which it could test these patches before sending them. What might that look like?

Affected systems are Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. Microsoft says the virtualization aspect means Windows Home edition users are less likely to be affected.

The patch was released on June 26, and Microsoft has wisely chosen to remove it from Windows Update and Windows Update for Business while it determines what the problem is.

It’s a shame because this non-security update has some genuinely useful features. The Show Desktop button returned the default taskbar, and File Explorer was updated with more compression options. For example, 7-Zip and TAR files can now be created from the context menu, and a compression wizard has been added among the settings.

Other changes include fixes to the Capture tool to handle distorted videos and an update to the “Safely Remove Hardware” option, which used to fail when Task Manager was open.

Nothing earth-shattering, but useful quality of life improvements.

Of course, this assumes that a user can install the update without falling into a boot loop and without having to explore recovery options.

According to Microsoft, the purpose of a monthly rollup overview is “to enable customers to proactively download, test, and provide feedback.” In this case, this proactive testing revealed a serious enough problem that Microsoft chose to pause the deployment.

However, in the same definition, Microsoft also claims that the preview is “a tested, cumulative set of new updates.”

“Tested” – customers might think this word doesn’t mean what Microsoft thinks it means. ®