Windows 11 December 2024 Update causes the Start menu to stop responding, and there are isolated reports of BSODs. Although isolated, some of you might run into other bugs, including performance issues, especially when playing games.
These issues affect KB5048667 for Windows 11 24H2 and KB5048685 for Windows 11 23H2. We have already reported issues with Windows 11 KB5048667 (24H2), including an issue where the patch fails, but it looks like there are more problems. We’re also seeing similar issues with KB5048685 (23H2).
I looked into more reports and heard back from our readers, and it turns out that Windows 11 December 2024 Update is a bigger mess than I initially thought. According to reports seen and verified by Windows Latest, the Windows 11 December 2024 Update causes the Start menu to stop working.
There are two separate issues related to the Start menu.
One of our readers pointed me to a Feedback Hub post titled “KB5048667 breaking Start Menu’s search theme.” After installing the December 2024 patch for Windows 11 24H2, one user observed that the Start menu search is showing mostly in white when using a dark Windows theme.
But there’s a bigger problem. The Start menu simply stops working.
After applying the Windows 11 KB5048667 (24H2) or KB5048685 (23H), you may run into an unresponsive Start menu in VDI sessions.
As confirmed by Citrix document, which was first spotted by Windows Latest, the Start menu unresponsive behaviour when using Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a known issue and is being investigated. If you’re one of those few people affected, you can update the following registry:
- HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\CtxUvi
In the above location, you’ll need to add StartMenuExper; to the UviProcessExcludes value, and reboot Windows 11. We recommend that you back up the registry before creating the new value..
While the Citrix bug mostly affects enterprises, there’s a second bug that affects people who do not have Critix software. It also makes the Start menu unresponsive.
In our tests, Windows Latest spotted that the second Start menu unresponsiveness issue is likely linked to an outdated (.dll) package called “MSVCP_140_APP.dll”. This package is bundled with Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00 (version 14.0.30704.0).
Now, the issue is that the Start menu stops working when Windows 11 detects you have an older version of the MSVCP_140_APP.dll package. It crashes StartMenuExperienceHost.exe, and the Start menu stops working abruptly.
If you’re affected, you can install Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00 manually. Of course, this should have auto-installed by Windows, but in case it is not installed, you will run into these Start menu issues.
We recommend installing Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00 package using “Microsoft Store Generation Project”. Otherwise, you can also uninstall older versions of Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00 using PowerShell commands like Get-AppXPackage -Name Microsoft.VCLibs.140.00 -AllUsers | Remove-AppxPackage.
In some cases, Windows 11 23H2 is also affected, which is why we haven’t specifically mentioned Windows 11 24H2 in the headline.
For example, in a Feedback Hub post, after installing “2024-12 Cumulative Update for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5048685)”, one user observed that the “Safely remove hardware and eject media” icon constantly showing “Realtec USB GbE Family Controller” available as a device to eject.
This was not the case before the patch. Further, one user noted that TCP resets and interrupts network connectivity.
There’s one isolated report of the screen being dull after installing Windows 11 23H2 KB5048685. This could be related to the HDR issue we reported earlier this week, as described by one user.
Just installed the above update on my Dell XPS 9700 with UHD screen, took a long time to install and when restarted the screen is very dull, whites are yellowish, if it turn up the brightness it still doesn’t look how it did before the update.
What about you? Are you also having issues with Windows 11 December 2024 updates? Let us know in the comments below.