compatibility problems Archives

Winsage

November 28, 2024

Windows 11 Recall is misbehaving in testing, and the fix for the biggest issue is an age-old favorite: turn it off, then back on again

Windows 11's Recall feature is currently in the testing phase and has encountered several bugs, including a failure to save snapshots. Recall is intended to improve search capabilities on Copilot+ PCs by taking regular screenshots of user activity for natural language searches. Users have reported delays of several minutes between snapshots, leading to gaps in the timeline. Microsoft has suggested rebooting the PC as a remedy for these issues. Additionally, there are compatibility problems with certain accessibility applications and misleading notifications about snapshot saving. Even when snapshots are enabled, users may still receive prompts to confirm that saving is active.

Winsage

November 27, 2024

Windows 11 24H2 is now incompatible with USB scanning devices, too

Windows 11 version 24H2 has faced significant criticism due to security and reliability issues, with users reporting numerous critical bugs. Compatibility problems have been noted with cache-less WD SSDs, Ubisoft games, Asus devices, fingerprint sensors, USB scanners, and devices using the eSCL scan protocol. Microsoft has confirmed that after upgrading to 24H2, USB devices supporting eSCL may become undetectable, disrupting communication with networked scanners, printers, fax machines, modems, and other devices reliant on this protocol. Since the rollout on October 1, 2024, users have reported that their eSCL-compatible devices are inoperative in various environments. Businesses are urging Microsoft for a fix, and the company is working on a solution but has not provided a timeline. To address these issues, Microsoft has placed a "compatibility hold" on PCs connected to eSCL devices, preventing automatic upgrades to 24H2, and has advised users to avoid manual installation of the update until resolved.

Winsage

November 11, 2024

Microsoft shares policy after upgrade debacle around Windows Server 2025

Microsoft clarified its update policies after an unintended push of Windows Server 2025 to systems running Windows Server 2019 and 2022. The upgrade was intended to be optional, but some third-party products may have triggered automatic updates. This issue is linked to a common update known as KB5044284, which was misclassified by certain patch management systems, leading to unexpected upgrades. A system administrator from Heimdal Security raised concerns about the misclassification, while Heimdal attributed the issue to Microsoft. However, some users argued that the fault lay with Heimdal. Microsoft did not assign a KB number to Windows Server 2025, identified by build 26100.1742. The incident has raised concerns among system administrators about the risks of unscheduled upgrades, which can disrupt services and create licensing issues. Windows Server 2025 has encountered several significant problems, including installation text errors, startup issues in iSCSI environments, and compatibility problems with high-thread CPUs.

Winsage

November 5, 2024

Gamers are finally flocking to Windows 11 after 3 years

Windows 11 has reached a 51.97% adoption rate among gamers, a 4.28% increase from the previous month, while Windows 10 has declined to 45.95%, a decrease of 2.71%. Windows 11 first surpassed Windows 10 in adoption in August, and the gap is widening as users migrate. Windows 10 will be retired on October 14, 2025, with Microsoft offering an additional year of security updates for a fee. Recent performance issues with AMD’s Ryzen 9000 CPUs at launch were addressed in the 24H2 update. The Steam hardware survey also reported a 1.53% increase in RTX 3060 users, now at 7.24%. Windows 11 includes features like the Xbox Game Bar and DirectStorage to enhance gaming experiences.

Winsage

October 28, 2024

Windows 11 24H2 comes with an added dose of problems

Microsoft is rolling out Windows 11 24H2, but users are facing hardware and software challenges during installation due to stringent prerequisites. To address potential issues, Microsoft has implemented 'compatibility holds' that prevent the update until systems meet the necessary criteria. Certain ASUS laptop models, specifically the X415KA and X515KA, are experiencing significant problems, including blue screen errors, prompting Microsoft to halt the update for these devices until users install a firmware update from ASUS. Various applications are also causing complications, leading to the rollout pause. Notable problematic applications include Voicemeeter, Safe Exam Browser (version 3.7 and earlier), custom wallpaper applications, Asphalt 8, and Easy Anti-Cheat software, particularly on devices with Intel Alder Lake+ processors and Intel vPro technology. Users are advised to update their drivers and applications for a smoother transition. Issues with facial recognition features and camera functionalities have been reported, with built-in cameras and fingerprint sensors potentially ceasing to function post-update. Microsoft has paused updates related to these functionalities, and firmware updates may be necessary. Devices using Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) are encountering blue screen errors linked to specific driver versions (10.29.0.5152 and 10.30.0.5152), with a recommended update to driver versions 10.30.00.5714, 10.29.00.5714, or later to resolve these issues.

Winsage

October 26, 2024

Z890 motherboards are having instability issues with Windows 11 24H2 — BIOS updates or disable iGPUd required to update Windows

A significant number of Intel Z890 motherboards have experienced issues following the Windows 11 24H2 update, particularly affecting users of Intel's Core Ultra 200S series CPUs with integrated Iris Xe-LPG graphics. The problems coincide with the launch week of Arrow Lake. Users may need to update their BIOS, which can vary by motherboard model, but many can download and apply updates directly within the BIOS. Additionally, the Windows 11 24H2 update has been associated with other issues, including BSOD incidents for Western Digital NVMe drive users, an 8.63 GB cache error, and compatibility problems with Easy Anti-Cheat affecting certain games. Despite these challenges, there have been optimizations in the update process and improvements in newer Windows 11 previews.

Winsage

October 25, 2024

Data Doctors: How to pause the problematic Windows update

Users of Windows 10 and 11 are experiencing issues with the recent rollout of Windows 11's latest update (24H2), including the "Blue Screen of Death" and system freezes, primarily due to driver compatibility problems. Microsoft is distributing this update in phases, so not all users will receive it at the same time. To prevent automatic installation of updates, users can temporarily disable the option to receive the latest updates in the Windows update settings. The update addresses critical security vulnerabilities, prompting the U.S. government to require federal employees to implement mitigations or discontinue use of affected devices. Users on older versions of Windows (XP, 7, 8.1) should disconnect from the internet, as no patches are available for them. Windows 10 users will face an "end of life" scenario in approximately one year (October 14, 2025), making an upgrade to Windows 11 advisable. If issues arise after installation, users should consider rolling back the update, while not all users may experience problems.

Winsage

October 22, 2024

Microsoft blocks Windows 11 24H2 update for some PCs following bug onslaught

Microsoft paused the rollout of the Windows 11 24H2 update, which began on October 1, due to various bugs affecting different PC models. Notable issues include a System File Checker bug, cache file deletion glitch, conflicts with the Easy Anti-Cheat application, instances of the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), disappearing mouse pointers, internet connectivity issues, fingerprint sensor malfunctions, and a broken clipboard history. Specific problems have been identified on Asus models X415KA and X515KA, leading to BSOD during the update process. The update has also been paused for users of the audio program Voicemeeter due to incompatibilities, and for systems running version 3.7 or lower of the Safe Exam Browser, which may fail to load. Additionally, conflicts with Easy Anti-Cheat have affected PCs with Intel's Alder Lake+ processors. Users have reported various bugs, including issues with calendar syncing, Intel driver installations, and Remote Desktop Connection performance. Users are advised to avoid the update until most issues are resolved and can revert to the previous version if needed.

Winsage

October 18, 2024

WD releases SDD firmware fix after Windows 11 24H2 BSODs

Microsoft is investigating reports of issues with specific Western Digital SSDs affecting users of Windows 11 24H2. Users have experienced severe disruptions, including Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors, after installing the update. Microsoft confirmed awareness of the complaints but has not officially listed this issue among the known problems with Windows 11 24H2. Western Digital has acknowledged the problem and released a patch to address an issue with the Host Memory Buffer (HMB) for certain SSD models, which include WDBLACK SN770, WDBLACK SN770M, WD Blue SN580, WD Blue SN5000, and SanDisk Extreme M.2, all of which are 2TB models. Western Digital cautioned that Microsoft may block systems with affected models from upgrading to Windows 11 24H2 until the firmware is updated. Additionally, Windows 11 24H2 has been linked to other known issues, including problems with fingerprint sensors and Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers, as well as a reporting error in the Disk Cleanup tool.

Winsage

October 17, 2024

7 reasons to avoid the latest Windows 11 update (hint: they’re all bugs)

Microsoft has released the 2024 update for Windows 11, known as Windows 11 24H2, which includes enhancements to Copilot AI, a new File Explorer, improved performance, and increased stability. The update is available through Windows Update and Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page. However, it has been reported to contain several bugs, including: 1. The System File Checker (SFC) tool is producing false positives for corrupted files. 2. An 8.63GB update cache is not deletable by standard methods, though it can be removed via "Windows Update Cleanup." 3. A conflict with the Easy Anti-Cheat application may cause blue screens for users with Intel Alder Lake+ processors. 4. Blue screens may also occur due to driver incompatibilities with Intel Smart Sound Technology and specific Western Digital SSDs. 5. A glitch in Chromium-based applications causes the mouse pointer to disappear in text input fields. 6. Users are experiencing erratic internet connections, with the system failing to assign valid IP addresses. 7. Some devices have unresponsive fingerprint sensors after the update. Microsoft has acknowledged these issues, and users may want to delay the update until these problems are resolved.