Windows 11 users have recently encountered a bug that has caused significant disruption, particularly for those using the Pro and Enterprise versions of the operating system. This issue affects all users running Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2, with a smaller impact on Home version users due to their limited use of virtualization.
Affected Windows 11 Versions
The bug primarily impacts Pro and Enterprise users who rely on virtualization technologies. Windows 11 Home users are less likely to experience the problem because the Home version does not include Hyper-V, the built-in virtualization platform. Instead, Home users typically run virtual machines using third-party level-2 hypervisors like VMware and VirtualBox. Notably, server builds of Windows 11 remain unaffected by this bug.
What Can You Do?
Dealing with infinite restart loops caused by this bug can be challenging. Users must access the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) to utilize troubleshooting tools. From there, they can either remove the problematic update or perform a clean install of Windows 11.
If you have noticed the optional update in your Settings but have not yet downloaded or installed it, you can breathe a sigh of relief—you are not affected by this issue. Interestingly, tests conducted by Windows Latest on virtual machines running Windows 11 did not encounter the restart problem, suggesting that the bug may not manifest in all virtual environments.
Microsoft is aware of the restart bug and is actively working on a fix. The company plans to address this issue, along with another bug affecting Windows 11 Enterprise upgrades, in the upcoming July Patch Tuesday update. Users can expect these fixes to be rolled out in the coming weeks, providing much-needed relief from these disruptive bugs.
