Microsoft has marked a significant milestone with the broad availability of Windows 11 24H2, yet the celebration is somewhat muted by the emergence of yet another known issue. This time, the focus is on the Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) applications, which are experiencing a bug that has recently been documented on the Windows Health Dashboard.
Understanding the AVD App Bug
The issue at hand affects the “App attach” feature, which is designed to enhance user experience by allowing applications from an application package to be dynamically attached to a user session within AVD. This innovative approach means that applications are not installed locally on session hosts or images; rather, they operate within containers. Microsoft touts this method as a means to simplify the creation of custom images for session hosts while simultaneously reducing operational overhead and costs for organizations.
These images can take various forms, including VHD, VHDX, or Composite Image File System (CimFS). Microsoft has highlighted that the process of mounting and unmounting CimFS images is notably faster than that of VHD or VHDX. However, the company advises that CimFS should only be utilized for application images if the session hosts are running Windows 11. Unfortunately, many users of Windows 11 24H2 may find the experience neither swift nor straightforward, contrary to Microsoft’s assertions regarding CimFS enhancements.
As users attempt to launch App attach applications, they may encounter an error message stating, “Element not found.” This glitch has raised concerns among users who rely on AVD for their operations.
Proposed Solutions and Future Fixes
In response to this issue, Microsoft recommends that users opt for VHDX (Virtual Hard Disk v2) images instead of CimFS images for packaging files. It is noteworthy that this problem has not been reported in earlier versions of the operating system, and a fix for the current version is anticipated by June 2025.
The timing of this glitch is particularly unfortunate, as Microsoft is actively promoting its Windows 365 Cloud PC, which shares components of its technology stack with AVD. This situation is further complicated by Microsoft’s recent announcement celebrating the completion of the gradual rollout for version 24H2 for Windows Update users, even as the list of known issues continues to grow.
With the broad availability of Windows 11 24H2, devices running the Home and Pro versions of Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 will receive the update automatically, unless managed by an IT department. Users are given the option to select the restart time for the update or to postpone it, providing some flexibility amid the ongoing challenges.
