Microsoft points at Samsung after Galaxy app bug locks users out of C:/
- Reference: 1773661044
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2026/03/16/samsung_c_drive_windows/
- Source link:
Users saw the [1]message "C:\ is not accessible – Access denied" when trying to launch applications, including Office, browsers, and utilities such as Quick Assist.
An access denied error when trying to access the C:\ drive is certainly a bad day for Windows users. The C:\ drive is usually assigned to the first bootable disk partition and is where system files and applications are typically located.
[2]
However, for some users running Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2, the C:\ drive became inaccessible, with reports of the issue occurring around the time of the March Patch Tuesday update. There were also reports following the installation of the February 2026 security update.
[3]
[4]
Microsoft confirmed: "Affected devices encounter the issue when users execute common actions, such as accessing files, launching applications, or performing administrative tasks, and do not require any specific user action beyond routine operations.
"In some cases, users are also unable to elevate privileges, uninstall updates, or collect logs due to permission failures."
[5]
So another example of Microsoft's legendary approach to quality control? It appears not. "The issue has been observed on Samsung Galaxy Book 4 and Samsung Desktop models running Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2," according to Microsoft.
"Microsoft and Samsung investigated these reports and concluded that the symptoms were caused by an issue in the Samsung Galaxy Connect app."
In response, Microsoft temporarily pulled the Samsung Galaxy Connect application from the Microsoft Store "to prevent further installations" and Samsung "republished a stable previous version," which will halt further impact, but is of little help to devices already affected.
[6]Hardly anybody bought Samsung's last smartphones for AI. It hopes this year's models change that
[7]RAM is getting expensive, so squeeze the most from it
[8]Microsoft adding Xbox mode to Windows 11 - even the Professional edition
[9]Sorry, kids. Memory crunch threatens to kneecap Chromebook shipments
[10]Say goodbye to budget PCs and smartphones – memory is too expensive now
Microsoft said it is "collaborating with Samsung's efforts to develop and validate solutions," but noted that "recovery options for devices already impacted remain limited."
The Windows behemoth directed users to Samsung's support channels for device-specific assistance.
[11]
Microsoft has not had a great start to 2026 when it comes to Windows updates. A succession of out-of-band updates accompanied the [12]first Patch Tuesday of 2026 . However, in this instance, Microsoft is not to blame for this specific problem.
How a third-party application could wreak such havoc on affected devices, particularly one downloadable from Microsoft's own app store, remains unanswered. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/release-health/status-windows-11-25H2#3801msgdesc
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2abg3NTCLmRzY3o3mYLHh9wAAAcE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abg3NTCLmRzY3o3mYLHh9wAAAcE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33abg3NTCLmRzY3o3mYLHh9wAAAcE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44abg3NTCLmRzY3o3mYLHh9wAAAcE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/25/samsung_galaxy_s26_launch/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/13/zram_vs_zswap/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/12/xbox_mode_windows_11/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2026/03/10/memory_chromebooks_pcs/
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/26/memory_price_hikes/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_software/applications&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33abg3NTCLmRzY3o3mYLHh9wAAAcE&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/02/microsoft_quality_control/
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: WTF am I stuck with this MS shite on my Samsung ?
Because you bought a Samsung computer with Windows installed?
If you don't want any Microsoft stuff installed you're gonna have to go Linux*
* or one of the BSDs, FreeDOS, Minix, BeOS...
Re: WTF am I stuck with this MS shite on my Samsung ?
Your carrier gave you a computer? Really? Since this only happens on Samsung computers (not mobile phones, which are the thing carriers give customers).
The shite, in this case, is Samsung shite. On Samsung branded computers.
The C:\ drive is usually assigned to the first bootable disk partition and is where system files and applications are typically located.
Now I haven't used Windows in years, so my knowledge may be out of date, but doesn't Windows spray files and data all over the C and other drives?
Having got used to the Unix way of partitioning it strikes me as a very inefficient way of chopping up your drives, but I suppose that legacy drag stops MS doing anything about it.
"How a third-party application could wreak such havoc on affected devices, particularly one downloadable from Microsoft's own app store, remains unanswered."
Every time Microsoft tries to limit applications from doing darn near anything, the outcry from the user community and third party software makers is" YOU'RE TAKING AWAY OUR FREEDUMBS and leveraging your monopoly you big meanie" and a thousand lawsuits are launched.
They can't limit what store apps can do. They tried that, and lawsuits were launched.
The complete operating system, all user interface actions, all access to data becomes unavailable because of a single app. Yes, the app is a problem. But should not Microsoft treat this as a security incident (Denial of service: a malicious app may render the file system inaccessible)?
Apps need access to do stuff that can result in the system breaking in order to work. For example, to update drivers a driver updater app will need the ability to potentially brick hardware. Antivirus likewise is going to need the ability to lock down parts of the machine in order to protect the user from viruses.
And no matter what explicit permissions model you try to retrofit onto Windows, I don't think a first party is going to hesitate in demanding any and all permissions they may or may not need.
I've just failed to delete `C:` with `DeleteVolumeMountPoint`/`DefineDosDevice` on Win10.
So either it regressed. Or it must have some sort of driver or kernel-level component to make it happen. But maybe there is a way I haven't thought of.
WTF am I stuck with this MS shite on my Samsung ?
Carrier free too. Yet I can't evict these useless apps.