emergency update Archives

Winsage

October 4, 2026

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 26H2 is crashing some games and apps, promises to fix it in the next update

In October 2026, Microsoft is addressing ongoing issues from its September updates for Windows 11, particularly related to audio decoding. Certain applications and games using Windows' built-in AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio decoding may crash when users adjust volume or audio settings. This issue primarily affects older applications and games, while most modern apps are expected to function normally. Microsoft has issued multiple updates, including a mandatory Patch Tuesday update and an emergency patch, but some audio problems remain unresolved. The September updates also introduced a significant increase in security fixes, addressing 974 vulnerabilities compared to 86 in September 2025. Additionally, an emergency update disrupted the functionality of File History, which Microsoft is investigating. An optional update aimed to fix File History but led to new crashes in various applications. Microsoft is currently working on a resolution for the audio-decoding bug without a specified timeline.

Winsage

September 28, 2026

Windows 11 preview update causes black screen after sign-in; Microsoft publishes workaround

On September 24, Microsoft reported an issue affecting devices that installed the August 27 preview update for Windows 11, causing a black screen after sign-in and preventing the desktop from loading correctly. This issue primarily impacts Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) hosts using FSLogix with existing user profiles. The affected OS versions are Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2, and 24H2, and the causal update is KB5120998. Microsoft has issued interim workarounds, including a manual desktop launch and a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), which will be automatically delivered to non-enterprise devices. Affected enterprise-managed devices require manual deployment of the KIR policy. The black screen issue is part of a series of update-related problems for Windows 11 in 2026, while Windows 10 has experienced fewer issues during the same timeframe.

Winsage

September 25, 2026

Sorry Microsoft. Windows 10 is more stable than Windows 11, and your recent updates have made it obvious

Windows 11's September update, released on the 8th, has caused various issues, including problems with Remote Desktop, USB audio, and Linux/WSL applications. Failures in File History, crashes of Explorer.exe, and instability with AMD GPUs were also reported. An emergency update was issued on September 14 but did not resolve all issues. Over nine months, Windows 11 updates have resulted in numerous bugs, while Windows 10 has experienced significantly fewer issues. Specific problems with Windows 11 included black screens and authentication issues in January, Microsoft account sign-in issues in March, BitLocker recovery problems in April and May, boot failures in June, and compatibility problems in July. August saw game crashes linked to third-party drivers, and September was marked by extensive issues requiring an emergency update. Windows 10 continues to receive updates and has a commitment to Extended Security Updates until October 12, 2027. The stability of Windows 10 is attributed to fewer significant changes compared to the ongoing enhancements in Windows 11.

Winsage

September 22, 2026

Windows 11’s audio bugs won’t be fixed until October

Users of Windows PCs with AMD Radeon GPUs, including models such as RX 6600, RX 7700 XT, RX 7800 XT, RX 7900 GRE, RX 7900 XTX, and RX 9070 XT, may experience persistent issues until October 13th, 2026. These issues include error messages in Device Manager (Code 10), absence of audio output, unresponsive volume controls, inaccessible sound settings, and failures in multi-channel or 3D audio features. Additional problems reported are driver timeouts, black screens, missing displays, and system crashes. Issues with File Explorer and File History have emerged after September's Patch Tuesday updates, affecting the creation and accessibility of backups. Some problems have been resolved through an emergency update, including fixes for Claude Cowork and Remote Desktop Services, and a misleading Defender warning.

Winsage

September 22, 2026

Microsoft admits Windows 11’s emergency update still breaks audio, and a fix may not arrive until October

Windows 11 is facing ongoing challenges with audio functionality following recent updates, particularly with the emergency update KB5129195 released on September 14. This update aimed to fix issues from the September Patch Tuesday update (KB5124008) but has led to new problems, including compromised audio output on some devices and disruptions in secure trust relationships for enterprise systems. Users have reported error messages like “This device cannot start (Code 10)” in Device Manager, and issues with USB audio devices. Microsoft is investigating these audio problems but has not provided a timeline for resolution. Additionally, there are reports of GPU issues on AMD systems, including driver timeouts and black screens, affecting various Radeon models such as RX 6600, RX 7700 XT, RX 7800 XT, RX 7900 GRE, RX 7900 XTX, and RX 9070 XT. Some users found that uninstalling the September update alleviated these problems, but the emergency update KB5129195 does not address the GPU errors.

Winsage

September 15, 2026

Microsoft rolls out emergency update for Windows 11’s latest patch — recent update causes crashes on AMD graphics, Explorer hang-ups, and broken third-party integrations

Microsoft has released an out-of-band update to address issues from the September 2026 Windows 11 patch, which introduced new features and fixed nearly 1,000 security vulnerabilities. The update includes a movable taskbar, adjustable height, configurable Start menu layouts, enhanced Windows Search, and size indicators in File Explorer. However, users with AMD Radeon GPUs are experiencing crashes due to driver instability, and reinstalling drivers has not resolved the issue. Microsoft did not address these GPU concerns in its communication. The update also fixed instability issues with Remote Desktop Services, but users still report audio output and microphone input failures, which Microsoft has included a fix for in the emergency patch. Lenovo users have reported unexpected black screens or shutdowns linked to power management issues.

Winsage

September 15, 2026

Microsoft rolls out emergency update for Windows 11’s latest patch — recent update causes crashes on AMD graphics, Explorer hang-ups, and broken third-party integrations

Microsoft has released an out-of-band update to address issues from its recent Windows 11 patch, which introduced new features and fixed nearly 1,000 security vulnerabilities. The September 2026 update includes a movable taskbar, a transformed Start menu with configurable layouts, improved Windows Search, and updates to File Explorer showing file sizes in various units. However, users with AMD Radeon GPUs are experiencing crashes due to driver instability, and reinstalling the driver has not resolved the issue. Microsoft did not address AMD GPUs in its communication. Additionally, there are ongoing problems with audio output and microphone input, with some audio devices starting up with incorrect configurations. A temporary workaround for audio issues has been provided. Lenovo users are reporting black screens or sudden shutdowns linked to power management issues.

Winsage

August 3, 2026

Microsoft finally has a Windows 11 upgrade everyone can get behind

Microsoft is focusing on enhancing Windows 11 by addressing fundamental improvements, as highlighted by CEO Satya Nadella during the fiscal 2026 fourth-quarter earnings call. The company is investing in maintaining high quality and fundamentals for the operating system, with ongoing efforts to fix user concerns. Enhancements include testing a movable taskbar, reducing RAM consumption, fixing memory leaks, improving slow startup times, and updating File Explorer and Windows Search. The introduction of the Low Latency Profile update aims to improve responsiveness in the Start menu and shell. Microsoft has also removed the Copilot branding from certain applications to streamline the user experience. This renewed focus follows a challenging year with problematic updates, including a mandatory update in June that caused boot failures and other issues, prompting an emergency update in July. Financially, Microsoft's More Personal Computing revenue declined by 4%, with Windows OEM and Devices revenue dropping by 7%.

Winsage

May 17, 2026

Microsoft confirms Windows 11 KB5089549 issues due to low storage, says it’s rolling out an emergency patch to fix install errors

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue with the installation of Windows 11’s May 2026 Update (KB5089549), which has been encountering errors such as 0x800f0922, 0x80240069, and 0x80240031. An emergency server-side update is being implemented to resolve these installation hurdles. The KB5089549 update is mandatory and intended to install automatically on compatible PCs, but some users have reported difficulties, including installation stalling around 35-36%, leading to a rollback with a message stating, “something didn’t go as planned. Undoing changes.” Investigations reveal that installation failures are particularly affecting devices with limited EFI partition space, with error code 0x800f0922 indicating insufficient free space and potential conflicts with third-party files. The EFI System Partition (ESP) typically occupies no more than 100MB and can become congested due to leftover files, causing installation failures when available space is low. Users with less than 10MB of free EFI storage may face additional complications. A PowerShell command can be used to check EFI storage status. Microsoft has advised users to consider increasing the size of the ESP by modifying the Windows Registry, although the recent server-side update may have already addressed the issue. The Known Issue Rollback (KIR) has been implemented, automatically propagating the resolution to devices. Users are encouraged to restart their devices to expedite the application of the fix, and there are no additional bugs reported.

Winsage

April 20, 2026

Emergency Update for Windows Server Following Reboot Issues

Microsoft has released emergency updates for various versions of Windows Server due to issues arising from the April 2026 Patch Tuesday security updates. A significant problem was a reboot loop affecting domain controllers caused by crashes of the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS), which disrupted authentication services. This issue was especially problematic during the setup of new domain controllers. Additionally, some Windows Server 2025 systems encountered difficulties in installing the security update KB5082063. The out-of-band update (KB5091157) for Windows Server 2025 addresses both the installation failure and the domain controller restart issue. Other updates targeting the domain controller restart problem were released for additional supported Windows Server versions. Microsoft has introduced an out-of-band update for seven versions, including KB5091157 for Windows Server 2025 and KB5091571 for Windows Server, version 23H2. Furthermore, some Windows Server 2025 devices may boot into BitLocker recovery mode after the update, requiring users to enter a BitLocker recovery key.