Microsoft rushes out another fix for cloud storage after January update
(2026/01/26)
- Reference: 1769425213
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/01/26/microsoft_outofband_patch/
- Source link:
Microsoft dropped a weekend treat for administrators with yet another out-of-band update to deal with Outlook freezes and broken cloud storage.
The latest [1]fix is for an issue introduced in the January 2026 Windows Security Update in which some applications that open or save files stored in cloud-backed locations could become unresponsive or display errors.
Microsoft gave its email client as an example. "Some installations of Outlook may also become unresponsive and fail to open when PST files are stored in cloud‑backed storage such as OneDrive."
[2]
The issue was initially thought to be a problem with classic Outlook POP account profiles, but Microsoft later acknowledged the bug was related to using cloud-backed storage and Outlook was not the only application affected.
[3]
[4]
The problem is compounded by the fact that, as a Security Update, uninstalling it while Microsoft addresses the bugs risks exposing systems to the [5]vulnerabilities the patch was meant to fix.
[6]Surrender as a service: Microsoft unlocks BitLocker for feds
[7]Microsoft shifting to cloud management software brings possibility of it peeking into your estate
[8]Microsoft 365 outage drags on for nearly 10 hours during bad night for North American infra
[9]Notepad will now tell you all the ways Microsoft has enshittified it
This is the second out-of-band update Microsoft released since the January 2026 Security Update. An [10]earlier emission on January 17 dealt with [11]borked credentials for remote desktop connections and [12]hibernation problems .
Microsoft says any supported version of Windows (including Server) might be affected. Administrators fielding calls from users struggling with mysterious Outlook freezes and similar issues should get installing.
Two out-of-band updates in two weeks following a security patch is a poor showing, especially with another fortnight for more issues to emerge from Windows before the year's second Patch Tuesday arrives.
[13]
In answer to administrators wearily wondering "what could possibly go wrong?" the answer appears to be "plenty." ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#3768
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/14/patch_tuesday_january_2026/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/surrender_as_a_service_microsoft/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/microsoft_shifting_to_cloud_management/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/microsoft_365_outage/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/22/microsoft_notepad_update/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/19/windows_11_shutdown_bug/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/15/windows_app_credential_failures/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/16/patch_tuesday_secure_launch_bug_no_shutdown/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The latest [1]fix is for an issue introduced in the January 2026 Windows Security Update in which some applications that open or save files stored in cloud-backed locations could become unresponsive or display errors.
Microsoft gave its email client as an example. "Some installations of Outlook may also become unresponsive and fail to open when PST files are stored in cloud‑backed storage such as OneDrive."
[2]
The issue was initially thought to be a problem with classic Outlook POP account profiles, but Microsoft later acknowledged the bug was related to using cloud-backed storage and Outlook was not the only application affected.
[3]
[4]
The problem is compounded by the fact that, as a Security Update, uninstalling it while Microsoft addresses the bugs risks exposing systems to the [5]vulnerabilities the patch was meant to fix.
[6]Surrender as a service: Microsoft unlocks BitLocker for feds
[7]Microsoft shifting to cloud management software brings possibility of it peeking into your estate
[8]Microsoft 365 outage drags on for nearly 10 hours during bad night for North American infra
[9]Notepad will now tell you all the ways Microsoft has enshittified it
This is the second out-of-band update Microsoft released since the January 2026 Security Update. An [10]earlier emission on January 17 dealt with [11]borked credentials for remote desktop connections and [12]hibernation problems .
Microsoft says any supported version of Windows (including Server) might be affected. Administrators fielding calls from users struggling with mysterious Outlook freezes and similar issues should get installing.
Two out-of-band updates in two weeks following a security patch is a poor showing, especially with another fortnight for more issues to emerge from Windows before the year's second Patch Tuesday arrives.
[13]
In answer to administrators wearily wondering "what could possibly go wrong?" the answer appears to be "plenty." ®
Get our [14]Tech Resources
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#3768
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/14/patch_tuesday_january_2026/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/surrender_as_a_service_microsoft/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/microsoft_shifting_to_cloud_management/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/microsoft_365_outage/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/22/microsoft_notepad_update/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/19/windows_11_shutdown_bug/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/15/windows_app_credential_failures/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/16/patch_tuesday_secure_launch_bug_no_shutdown/
[13] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/storage&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aXedyk7lnxrSRDd2pRnKtgAAAAw&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[14] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
KBxxxxxx Mares
hamiltoneuk
This is well worth watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtB2L-6buww created 19 hours ago, as of now!
how much of these issues are due to AI
and CoPilot assisting the MS programmers. Maybe they should start use it for their testing as it so wonderful and they don't appear to do much these days..