Microsoft KB5043145 update wreaks havoc on Windows 11 with multiple reboots and BSODs — company rolls back optional update

Some Windows 11 computers are experiencing significant issues after installing the optional KB5043145 update on Windows 11, forcing Microsoft to distribute a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) fix. Affected PCs experienced multiple reboots and BSODs after installing the errant non-security preview Windows update, causing a few computers to run the Automatic Repair tool. A few cases also triggered BitLocker recovery, adding headaches for many users.

Microsoft says that the KIR is deployed automatically for most consumers, so they don’t have to do anything but restart their PC. Although they may have to wait 24 hours after Microsoft announces the fix before it reaches their computer, it should already be available to all systems at the time of writing. Conversely, managed system users must work with their IT departments to have their administrators deploy the special Group Policy that Microsoft released to fix the issue.

Thankfully, the issue looks limited to a few users, especially as the update was just a preview. It still shadows Microsoft’s release of Windows 11 24H2 today, but at least it’s not as bad as the CrowdStrike crash that caused a massive global outage in July.

Microsoft’s updates are crucial for keeping Windows 10 and 11 safe and secure while adding a few new features now and then. Unfortunately, support for Windows 10, the current most popular operating system, will be on October 14, 2025, giving holdouts about a year to upgrade their computers. Unfortunately, many perfectly usable systems are ineligible for the upgrade because of Microsoft’s TPM, CPU, and RAM requirements.

While there are workarounds for these so you can install Windows on systems that aren’t strictly compatible, Microsoft is rolling out patches to prevent Windows 11 installation on unsupported CPUs. Furthermore, you now need to create an online Microsoft account to use Windows 11, which some users might find unpalatable. Again, there was an easy workaround for this by using a random email, but Microsoft has already patched it. So, to keep your computer strictly offline, use the Shift + F10 OOBE/BYPASSNRO bypass to get your information out of Microsoft’s hands.