Blue screens, begone: Microsoft puts an end to troubles caused by optional Windows 11 update, and you don’t even have to do anything to fix your PC

Earlier this week, we reported on issues being caused by the recent optional update KB5043145 for Windows 11, and Microsoft’s efforts to provide a solution to those affected. Luckily, Microsoft has now seemingly provided a fix in the form of a Known Issue Rollback (KIR), a feature that lets Microsoft swiftly undo problematic changes caused by a Windows update without removing the whole update. 

Even better, it’s automatically applied through Windows Update, resolving the issue being targeted without you having to intervene. This KIR has only just been issued and it might take up to 24 hours to be applied to your PC; The Register writes that restarting your PC could help speed up the process.

KB5043145 was supposed to be the September 2024 non-security preview, showing some of the changes coming soon to the OS. Unfortunately, it appeared that some users had run into issues, which was made more alarming by the fact that the next major yearly feature update for Windows 11, 24H2, is due to be released very soon. 

What happened with KB5043145 for some users?

Some users experienced serious issues like random repeated restarts, system crashes prompting the feared blue (or green) screen of death, and starting the Windows Automatic Repair tool or even BitLocker. Some people also had problems with connecting to USB drives or their Wi-Fi, as well as issues for users who work with Linux on their Windows devices.

The problems were fortunately not fatal for anyone’s PC, and Microsoft’s Windows 11 releases are historically known to sometimes cause more issues than they remedy. While it can be inconvenient – and counters the intention of updates like KB5043145 which was meant to bring OS improvements – Microsoft is pretty good about recognizing issues and issuing fixes. 

It looks like Microsoft hasn’t paused the update (and I would add that it’s not wreaking havoc for everyone who tries to install it) but it might be best to wait for the next mandatory update rather than installing this optional one right now. I expect the useful improvements that this update includes will be rolled into a bigger monthly update or even into a version of 24H2, which will hopefully be stable when it’s finally installed on users’ machines. 

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