Microsoft investigates nasty Windows 11 bug that leaves PCs unable to boot heres what you need to know

Date:
Thu, 29 May 2025 16:15:00 +0000

Description:
A showstopping recovery error bug is hitting Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2, but Microsoft notes that it isnt affecting many home users.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 have been hit by a bug that can leave a PC unable to boot Microsoft is investigating this recovery error glitch in the May update Windows 11 Home users are unlikely to be affected, were told, but that doesnt mean they cant run into this showstopping affair

Those who havent yet installed the latest cumulative update for Windows 11 in May by which I mean the upgrade released the week before last, not the most recent optional update should be aware of a nasty bug that some users are encountering.

Microsoft has said that its investigating whether the May update can cause a showstopping error, which means your PC wont boot. However, this warning is delivered with a welcome caveat that it isnt likely to affect Windows 11 Home users. Still, that possibility isnt ruled out, and given the gravity of the bug, its worth bearing in mind if youre about to pull the trigger on this cumulative update.

Bleeping Computer reports that Microsoft has updated its release health dashboard with information on the bug , and how the upgrade might fall over with a recovery error 0xc0000098 in ACPI.sys message.

This is no simple error or installation failure, though, because it leaves Windows 11 unable to boot and requires a repair to be run on the system. And whether that repair will be successful is anyones guess, as sometimes, these are the kind of situations that are tricky to recover from and the OS wont necessarily pull itself out of the hole thats been dug.

The good news is that affected devices running Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 note that 24H2 is not affected here are few in number. Primarily, this problem pertains to virtual machines, not physical Windows 11 PCs .

Microsoft explains: Home users of Windows using Home or Pro editions are unlikely to face this issue, as virtual machines are mostly used in IT environments.

However, being unlikely does not equate to being impossible, and so there
must have been some reports of Windows 11 PCs (as opposed to virtual machines ) being affected by this unfortunate issue.

I did find one such recent report on Reddit , although it isnt explicitly linked to the latest update being installed, so take that with a grain of salt. The error message was slightly different as well, but in its warning, Microsoft acknowledges that a file name other than ACPI.sys might appear in the error. Analysis: A cautious approach may be wise here (Image credit: MAYA LAB / Shutterstock)

Microsoft wouldnt announce such an investigation lightly, so if you havent
yet installed the May update, I think that its worth considering delaying the installation of that upgrade for a little longer. Mainly to allow for Microsoft to complete its investigation here, after all, youve waited a
couple of weeks (for whatever reason) now, so whats another week, or perhaps
a bit longer?

It is possible to pause OS updates for over a month, even on Windows 11 Home, though youll be forced to apply any given patch after 35 days of deferring
it.

In this additional time, you can wait for Microsoft to complete its deeper dive into whats going on here, and hopefully thatll lead to a fix being implemented soon, too.

Granted, youd probably be very unlucky to encounter this recovery error, but even a small chance is off-putting, given that it could be a potentially thorny problem to extricate yourself from. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and if youve already installed the May update without encountering any such error, I should make it clear that you've got nothing to worry about.

Microsoft isnt having a great time of things lately when it comes to bugs of
a seriously unpleasant nature, as there was a real sting in the tail for some Windows 10 users with the May update , too. You might also like... Hate Copilot? You might change your mind if this hint that itll extend your
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Been hiding from Windows 11 24H2 due to the fuss about all the bugs? Theres nowhere to run now as Microsofts made the update compulsory



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/microsoft-investigates-nasty-windo ws-11-bug-that-leaves-pcs-unable-to-boot-heres-what-you-need-to-know


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