Microsoft Issues Emergency Fix After Some Windows 11 Systems Can’t Shut Down
Microsoft’s latest Patch Tuesday update to fix bugs and issues has introduced new bugs and issues in Windows 11.
The company released a statement that “Windows 11 23H2 computers are not able to shut down normally after installing the latest KB5073455 release.” The bug doesn’t affect all devices — only those configured with Secure Launch, Microsoft said.
The problem? “If a user chooses to shut down an affected PC, the system does a restart.”
What Windows Secure Launch does
Windows Secure Launch was introduced in Windows 10. It is a Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) service that uses hardware-based Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement (DRTM) to protect system integrity during startup.
Secure Launch allows the system to boot into untrusted code initially, but quickly transitions all CPUs into a trusted state to verify the untrusted code is not malicious, Microsoft said. This is meant to protect systems from firmware-level threats and works in tandem with Secure Boot.
Workaround available
For those whose devices are affected by the involuntary shutdown, Microsoft has provided a workaround. Users need to type cmd in the search bar and open Command Prompt. In the Command Prompt window, type the command: shutdown /s /t 0 and then hit enter.
The issue also affects hibernation, as some systems are unable to enter it. However, Microsoft said there is no workaround for that bug at the moment. The company said it is investigating the problem and encouraging users to save their work before their systems run out of power, or they will lose all progress.
A checkered past
This isn’t the first time Windows 11 PCs have experienced significant issues. In the past year, other problems have cropped up, including a bug that caused Task Manager to fail to close when the user exited the application. This caused system resources to lock up after a lengthy period if the user had opened and closed Task Manager several times during a session.
Another update caused File Explorer to flash a white screen when opened in dark mode. The update was supposed to improve dark mode on Windows 11.
“There was also an update that somehow broken [sic] the Windows Recovery Environment in a way that made it impossible to process through the recovery options to actually recover your PC,’’ according to Windows Central. “These sort of bugs appear to be cropping up into the product via Windows Updates all the time now, even with the company supposedly testing every update with Insiders first.”
Coming attractions
Meanwhile, a leaked new feature in the latest Windows 11 preview build last week shows an invisible button that may be tied to Microsoft’s generative AI chatbot.
Windows 11 version 26H1, built on new PCs powered by Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X2 platform, is due to arrive this spring.
Also read: Microsoft will end support for Office 2021 and several Windows 11 releases in 2026, putting upgrade timelines back on the calendar.
About Author
