There's something to be said for delayed gratification when Windows 11 is this full of bugs
- Reference: 1636982154
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/11/15/windows_11_insiders_bug_fixes/
- Source link:
Windows 11 was released on 5 October but has proved a problematic upgrade due to [1]onerous system requirements and certain user interface decisions, with some features chopped in the Start menu and a confusing new right-click menu in File Explorer.
The new [2]Insiders update , build 22000.346 for the Beta and Release Preview channels, shows another reason for not hastening to upgrade – bugs in the initial release. Release Preview means that these fixes should soon come to all users of Microsoft's latest Windows.
[3]
The company lists over 70 bug fixes, including significant issues like "we fixed an issue that causes the system to stop working after you enable Hyper-V" and "we fixed an issue that causes certain apps to stop responding to input" and "we fixed an issue that prevents your device from starting up, and it becomes unresponsive because of licensing API calls" and "we fixed an issue that causes devices that have certain processors to stop responding when waking from hibernation."
[4]
[5]
The bugs are not precisely described, with some vaguer than others. "We fixed an issue that occurs when a dialog opens within Internet Explorer," says one. Running Internet Explorer for any reason is something of an adventure today, so we are not surprised that an (unspecified) issue occurred; it is more notable that Microsoft fixed whatever it was.
Windows 11 introduced a novelty in the Windows world: a black screen of death. The traditional BSOD (Blue Screen of death) must be regarded with some affection, though, since another fix is that "we changed the screen color to blue when a device stops working or a stop error occurs as in previous versions of Windows." Note that the other common variant, the green screen of death, is reserved for Insider builds.
[6]
Other fixes concern Windows Subsystem for Linux, Group Policy, font rendering, memory leaks, errors connecting to "a remote printer that is shared on a Windows print server," USB printers not being detected, Windows Mixed Reality auto-starting when a headset is donned even when set not to do so, and the battery icon in Quick Settings disappearing.
Microsoft also notes that "we fixed an issue where OS functionality could be improperly redirected when microsoft-edge: links are invoked," perhaps a reference to [7]this issue that affects the company's ability to cajole users into firing up Edge rather than competing web browsers.
[8]FYI: If the latest Windows 11 really wants to use Edge, it will use Edge no matter what
[9]Microsoft touts Windows 11 SE: A locked-down OS to give Chromebooks a run for their money in schools
[10]Microsoft issues patch to Insiders to undo carnage caused by expired digital certificate in Windows 11
[11]Teams has a mute button all of its own in taskbar of latest Windows 11 preview build
We have been running Windows 11 for daily work since official release and are happy to report that it is usable and stable in our experience so far, though useful improvements over its predecessor are hard to identify. We have encountered an old friend from the early days of Windows 10, where the Start menu refuses to appear when summoned, whether by click or keyboard. The solution is to open Task Manager, then kill and restart the Explorer process, which is not too painful though hardly intuitive.
An out-of-band bug fix for Windows Server
[12]Last week's "Patch Tuesday" security fixes introduced an authentication bug on Windows domain controllers. The affected component is Service for User to Self (S4U2self) which allows a service to obtain an authentication ticket on behalf of a user, without supplying a password (and yes, this can be a security vulnerability so it is not surprising to see it impacted by a patch).
Microsoft [13]explains that following the 9 November update, "end users in your environment might be unable to sign into services or applications using Single Sign On (SSO) using Active Directory on-premises or in a hybrid Azure Active Directory environment."
Affected environments include Azure Active Direction application proxy, Web Application Proxy single sign-on, SQL Server, IIS with integrated Windows authentication, and load balancers performing delegated authentication.
[14]
Out-of-band fixes are relatively uncommon, but this one was sufficiently problematic that Microsoft has issued fixes for Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012 R2, 2012, 2008 R2 and 2008 SP2. Information on how to install the update is [15]here , though it will not be installed automatically.
It shows once again the dilemma facing administrators: patch quickly and risk breaking things, or slowly and risk being compromised by known vulnerabilities? ®
Get our [16]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/10/05/windows_11_in_detail/
[2] https://blogs.windows.com/windows-insider/2021/11/12/releasing-windows-11-build-22000-346-to-beta-and-release-preview-channels/
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YZKSQKPwk4N-EyKmMDjrzQAAAJc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YZKSQKPwk4N-EyKmMDjrzQAAAJc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YZKSQKPwk4N-EyKmMDjrzQAAAJc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YZKSQKPwk4N-EyKmMDjrzQAAAJc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/11/latest_windows_11_build_enforces_edge_links/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/11/latest_windows_11_build_enforces_edge_links/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/10/microsoft_windows_11se/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/05/windows_insider_cert_fix/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/04/windows_11_teams/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/09/microsoft_spreads_patch_tuesday_joy/
[13] https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-1809-and-windows-server-2019
[14] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_security/front&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YZKSQKPwk4N-EyKmMDjrzQAAAJc&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[15] https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/november-14-2021-kb5008602-os-build-17763-2305-out-of-band-8583a8a3-ebed-4829-b285-356fb5aaacd7
[16] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
We fixed an issue...
"we fixed an issue that kept putting the words 'we fixed an issue' at the beginning of all our bug fix reports."
"we fixed an issue that meant the fix that was supposed to prevent putting the words 'we fixed an issue' at the beginning of all our bug fix reports really worked this time."
"we fixed an issue that meant the fix that was supposed to really work this time to fix the problem of putting the words 'we fixed an issue' at the beginning of all our bug fix reports did actually work this time even though it didn't last time."
"we fixed an issue ... oh fuck it, it's pub o'clock - just install Linux instead!"
Re: We fixed an issue...
My siter once was bitten by a moose penguin?
Re: We fixed an issue...
" We fixed an issue that meant we had to keep fixing things that aren't broken."
Is what I would really like to hear, one OS that works reliably and only has updates to keep up with advances in work practice.
I also want a flying car, a robobutler and a cold fusion plant for my workshop.
Not wasting my time on Windows 11 - the update AFAIC, can wait for at least another year. After being burned, when windows 10 surfaced - I've learned one lesson - never ever update windows, until, it actually works. Not being used as cannon fodder anymore MS.
Windows Update makes me happy
Whenever I've had a bad day I like to open Windows Update just so I can read, "This PC doesn't currently meet the minimum system requirements to run Windows 11".
It never fails to improve my mood.
Some things never change
... The solution is to open Task Manager, then kill and restart the Explorer process, which is not too painful though hardly intuitive.
Sounds like the bastard son of 'Stop it then Restart it' (of beloved memory).
The fact that something as fundamental as the Start Menu or the settings screen can so easily go AWOL on so many machines does nothing to instill any confidence as to the quality of the rest of the OS, even though the kernel itself and most other things are actually quite robust now.
I continue to detest software that doesn't put up meaningful error messages for the end user when it runs out of options to make something work.
The usual Microsoft mess.
^ See title.
Dear Microsoft
Reinstate your testing team.
Stop using users as guinea pigs for your half-arsed, rushed, releases.
Oh and whilst you're at it, can the telemetry.
It shouldn't be this hard.
I've stuck W11 on my daily driver just to try and get used to it. For me, personally, it's probably 90% meh and 10% what? Why the hell would you do that? And unfortunately, the 90% that is good news (good as in I don't notice anything), that 10% is utterly jarring to the point it actually interrupts what I am doing/wanting to do.
When IT pro's have to stop and think about how to do simple tasks, anyone with half a brain would think that there are things that need to be changed.
I wouldn't (yet) go quite so far as to call this utter crap. Just crap, but come on - most of that 10% is an own goal. Stop it.
Example of needless change/steps added: I want to give my NIC a static IP address:
Right-click on my network icon in the notification area. Don't left-click though because that brings up a whole different dialogue
Click Network and Internet Settings
Hmm ok - so far looks ok. Seems to have a fair bit of info that could be useful at first glance.
Click Properties
Another meh/ok - everything I might need seems to be here.
IP Assignment Automatic (DHCP) with an Edit button to the right.
Click Edit
Now there's a drop-down box.
Click the drop-down and I can choose manual.
Oh ffs - now I have to choose to turn on IPV4 and/or IPV6 and under each I can now finally set the static settings.
But wait... DNS encryption - ok... good... but NOW you need some narrative. What this does won't always be obvious to some users.
It's just messy. It's a metric shit load of extra steps that shouldn't need to be there.
Right-click the network icon. Click Network & Internet Settings. Now show me a summary of network cards, let me right-click the one I want and choose properties. Everything else can be put there.
I realise I am nit picking over things and I am not averse to change at all but it's change for the sake of change that adds no value - it certainly doesn't make things any easier or faster to achieve: quite the opposite.
DevOps in action
Yep.
A fan?
"the Start menu refuses to appear when summoned...the solution is to open Task Manager, then kill and restart the Explorer process, which is not too painful though hardly intuitive."
It seems that some people are easily pleased.