Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 bug patch fixes some problems - and creates new ones

Microsoft and its users can't seem to catch a break with the Windows 11 2024 update. Officially released on October 1, the 24H2 update has been plagued by one bug after another. And now a new update designed to squash some of those bugs has actually added new bugs, including one that prevents people from even installing it.

Also: The Windows 11 24H2 bug list grows again: 9 reasons to avoid this update for now

Rolling out gradually since October 24, KB5044384 has reportedly resolved certain glitches that have affected people who installed Windows 11 24H2. Those include an error in which the System File Checker incorrectly flags certain files as corrupted, a failure by the Disk Cleanup tool to handle the removal of 8.63GB cache, and an issue in which the screen goes back on some PCs when you use Alt+Tab to switch windows. The update also fixes a host of other miscellaneous issues.

But no good deed goes unpunished. The patch designed to fix a bunch of problems is proving to be problematic itself, as noted by Windows Latest. The major glitch seems to be that it won't even install for some people. Certain users have reported that the update gets stuck at around 40% and then conks out or rolls back, displaying such error codes as 0x800f0922, 0x800736b3, 0xc015001a, 0x800f0991 and 0x80242008.

Also: How to upgrade your 'incompatible' Windows 10 PC to Windows 11: Two ways

In other cases, the patch stalls at 90%-95%, prompting you to retry it but triggering an install error when you do. The installation problems don't appear to be specific to certain hardware as even PCs with relatively new chipsets are affected.

One workaround suggested by Windows Latest is to manually install the KB5044384 patch instead of grabbing it from Windows Update on your computer. For this, browse to the Microsoft Update Catalog page. Click the Download button for the appropriate "KB5044384" link for your system and then click the link for the resulting MSU file.

But even if the patch is successfully installed, problems may persist. In some instances, the Task manager is unable to count the number of background processes correctly. "Sources close to Microsoft" told Windows Latest that the company is aware of this bug, blaming it on a reporting issue. Further, pressing Alt+Tab to switch to a different window may still trigger a black screen even though the patch supposedly fixed this problem.

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Likely aware of potential pitfalls, Microsoft is rolling out KB5044384 gradually. But instead of tempting fate with this update, you may be better off waiting until the next Patch Tuesday on November 12. That will give the company more time to investigate and hopefully resolve most of these persistent bugs. Though the Windows 11 2024 update has gotten off to a bad start, Microsoft will have to get it right at some point.