Windows 11 Update Causing Problems

A recent Windows 11 update has failed to install for some users. Meanwhile, some of those who did install it have reported annoying bugs.

It reawakens an age-old dilemma: some users may conclude it's safer to avoid the update altogether and even manually uninstall it, but that means missing out on some security fixes for previous vulnerabilities.

To make the decision more difficult, Microsoft hasn't provided much detail about these fixes other than to say the update "addresses security issues for your Windows operating system."

For some users, there's no choice to make as they simply can't install the update. Making things worse, there's no obvious cause as the problems vary. Users have reported at least four different error codes, while the precise problem seems to vary between not being able to download the update, not being able to install it after downloading, and getting stuck in a loop where the computer keeps restarting.

Start Menu Suffering

Those who have got the update in place haven't necessarily fared better. One of the main problems is with the Start menu, which may stop working when a program is opened or closed. Others have reported problems with File Explorer.

Some users have reported that installing the update became possible after either disabling .NET Framework (a Windows component that helps third-party software work with the system) or the security tool Malwarebytes. Switching off security tools should always be a last resort, and only done temporarily. (Source: theregister.com)

Experts are split on the best way to respond to the problems. The closest thing to a consensus is that people who have Windows Updates set to run automatically can leave the computer to do its thing, though make sure they keep regular backups.

How To Uninstall Update

If any of the problems do occur, manually uninstalling the update becomes worth considering. That can be done by opening Windows Update, choosing "More Options", "Update History" and then "Uninstall Updates" and finally selecting the KB5015814 update to uninstall. (Source: techadvisor.com)

Those users who install updates manually will need to decide whether the risk of disruption outweighs the risk of not getting the security fixes in place. That's a tough one to answer with the available information.

What's Your Opinion?

Have you spotted any problems with the update? Do you manually manage Windows updates or leave it to run automatically? Would you like Microsoft to give more detail on which security holes an update fixes and how serious the risk is if left unpatched?