Windows 11 users, beware: A recent update has been causing constant reboots

Microsoft has issued a warning to Windows 11 users over a recent optional software update that has been causing multiple problems. The company says patch KB5043145 is causing some computers to restart many times in a constant loop, and in some cases, become unresponsive.

In the cases where the computer is unresponsive, the only thing that appears is either a blue or green error screen. Another side effect of the glitchy update is the Windows Automatic Repair tool sometimes appears after several attempted restarts. In other scenarios, BitLocker recovery appears in its place. 

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It’s unknown exactly how widespread the issue is or what is causing it in the first place. Microsoft is investigating and “will provide an update when more information is available.” From what I can gather, this issue only affects a select group of users. Microsoft’s post states the affected systems are Windows 11 version 22H2: Enterprise and Education editions, and Windows 11 version 23H2.

The mention of BitLocker is noteworthy because the encryption tool is only available on Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Enterprise, and Windows 11 Education. BitLocker is not present on Windows 11 Home. I assume people running the Home edition are safe from the glitchy patch, although I can’t say for sure. 

I reached out to Microsoft asking if any Windows 11 Home users have been affected and if any data encrypted by BitLocker will be lost as a result of the update. Normally, BitLocker protects user files from a Windows 11 meltdown. However, due to the nature of this current dilemma, I wonder if there are other unknown consequences.  

Outside of the glitches, KB5043145 introduces several tweaks, features, and fixes. The Lock Screen on Windows 11 will now show media controls in the lower half of the screen when media is playing. The Windows Share window no longer has a search box and a fix has rolled out to Microsoft Edge. It was reported that sometimes Edge stops working under IE mode.

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As stated earlier, the update is optional. You won’t be forced to install it, but if you do and experience issues, there are several things that you can do. 

Microsoft is asking affected users to provide feedback to speed up the investigation. This can be done via the Feedback Hub, which you can find by clicking on the Start icon and then typing “Feedback Hub” inside the search bar. It’ll be the first entry you encounter. Select Report a Problem and proceed to describe the issue. 

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Additionally, you can uninstall an update by going to the Windows Update section of the Settings menu. According to Microsoft, go to Update History then click Uninstall Updates at the bottom. Find KB5043145 and hit Uninstall.