Microsoft patched the BitLocker recovery page issue in Windows with the August 2024 security update. Surprisingly, the update introduces a bug that affects all the dual-boot PC with Linux. Users can no longer boot to their Linux installation and encounter an error message.
Microsoft updated its official health page to report this newfound problem with the update. The reason behind this problem is the Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) setting that the company introduced with the update. SBAT’s function is to block outdated and unsecured boot managers.
But it didn’t recognize systems with dual-boot configuration and blocks them. It isn’t the intended behavior of the feature, which now obstructs users from accessing their Linux operating system with the following error message:
“Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”
This bug doesn’t spare any Windows OS versions or editions. So, all supported Windows 11, 10, and Server versions that use Linux in dual-boot will face this issue. Thankfully, the Windows OS boots without any issues.
There’s a silver lining if you haven’t applied the update on their PC. Microsoft suggests a registry tweak that will prevent SBAT from blocking the Linux access on your PC. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Command Prompt with administrative rights.
- Type the following command and press Enter:
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecureBoot\SBAT /v OptOut /d 1 /t REG_DWORD
- Close the Command Prompt window.
Once Microsoft fixes the issue, you’ll have to delete this registry key to ensure that future SBAT updates are installed on your PC.
What should I do if I have installed the August 2024 update?
If you applied the update on your PC, then the only option is to remove it. You can do so by navigating to Settings > Windows Update > Update history > Uninstall updates. Find the most recent update and click on the Uninstall button to remove it from your PC. Or you can use the WinRE page to remove updates.
Windows 11 doesn’t have any other known issues except this one after the August 2024 security update. But Windows 10 still has the profile picture bug, which produces the error code 0x80070520 whenever you try to change the profile picture.