Windows 11 24H2 Bug Crashes Explorer and Start Menu
▼ Summary
– A critical Windows 11 24H2 bug causes File Explorer, Start Menu, and other system components to crash after applying cumulative updates from July 2025 onward.
– The issue occurs due to XAML dependency packages failing to register properly after updates, creating a timing problem that prevents critical interface components from initializing.
– Affected users experience Start menu crashes, missing taskbars, shell process failures, and Settings app launch issues, particularly in non-persistent virtual desktop environments.
– Microsoft is developing a permanent fix and has provided temporary PowerShell commands to manually register the three affected XAML packages and restore functionality.
– The bug especially impacts enterprise virtual desktop infrastructures, where Microsoft recommends running a logon script before Explorer launches to prevent the timing issue.
A significant bug has been confirmed in Windows 11 version 24H2, causing critical system components to fail after applying cumulative updates released from July 2025 onward. This issue primarily affects users during their first login following an update and is especially problematic in non-persistent virtual desktop setups, where applications must reinstall with every new session. The core of the problem lies with specific XAML dependency packages that do not register correctly after an update is installed, leading to a cascade of system failures.
When the XAML packages, MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS, Microsoft.UI.Xaml.CBS, and MicrosoftWindows.Client.Core, fail to register in time, essential Windows shell components cannot initialize. This results in the crashing of File Explorer, the Start Menu, and other interface elements, sometimes with visible error messages and other times failing silently. Users may find themselves with a partially functional system, unable to access the taskbar, launch the Settings app, or use basic navigation tools.
Microsoft has acknowledged the problem in a support document, stating that applications relying on these XAML packages are encountering a timing issue post-update. The company is actively developing a permanent solution but has not yet announced a release date for the fix. In the meantime, a temporary workaround using PowerShell commands is available for affected users.
To restore system functionality, users can manually register the missing packages by executing three specific Add-AppxPackage commands in PowerShell, followed by a system restart. The commands target the appxmanifest.xml files for each of the three affected XAML packages located in their respective SystemApps directories. This process forces the proper registration of the dependencies, allowing the shell components to load correctly.
The impact is particularly severe for enterprise environments utilizing non-persistent virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), where the issue recurs with every login as applications are reprovisioned. For these scenarios, Microsoft suggests implementing a logon script that runs before Explorer.exe launches. This batch file ensures the necessary XAML packages are fully provisioned ahead of the desktop environment loading, effectively bypassing the timing race condition.
This Windows 11 bug is part of a broader series of recent update-related issues. Just last week, Nvidia released a GeForce Hotfix Display Driver to resolve gaming performance problems linked to the KB5066835 cumulative update from October 2025. Additionally, Microsoft issued out-of-band emergency updates to fix errors with extended security updates (ESU) installations and to stop a recurring hotpatch installation loop in Windows 11.
(Source: Bleeping Computer)
