If your PC has been acting strange since last week's Patch Tuesday, you're not alone. Microsoft's first big Windows 11 update of 2026 is causing chaos across multiple versions, and even the emergency fixes aren't solving everything.
KB5074109, released January 13 as part of the monthly Patch Tuesday rollout, was supposed to be a routine security update for Windows 11 versions 23H2, 24H2, and 25H2. Instead, it's turned into a masterclass in how not to handle Windows updates.
The Confirmed Issues (Some Fixed, Some Not)
Microsoft has officially acknowledged three major problems, but users have reported at least six separate issues. Here's the breakdown:
✅ Fixed: Remote Desktop Connection Failures
The update broke credential prompts for Remote Desktop connections, particularly affecting Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 users. When clicking "Connect," the authentication flow would immediately fail. Microsoft quickly released KB5077744 on January 17 as an out-of-band emergency fix.
✅ Fixed: Shutdown Bugs on Older Systems
Windows 11 23H2 machines with System Guard Secure Launch enabled would reboot instead of shutting down. Again, Microsoft pushed KB5077797 four days later to resolve it.
❌ NOT Fixed: Outlook Classic Crashes
This one is still breaking workflows. If you use Outlook Classic with POP email accounts, the application simply fails to launch after KB5074109. Microsoft's workaround? Open Task Manager and manually kill the Outlook.exe process every single time you want to open it. A proper fix is still "in development" with no timeline.
❌ NOT Acknowledged: The Black Screen Bug
Many users report their PCs hanging on a black screen for seconds—or even minutes—before the cursor appears and the desktop loads. Microsoft hasn't officially recognized this issue yet.
❌ NOT Acknowledged: Wallpaper Reset
Your desktop background getting wiped to solid black isn't a glitch; it's apparently a "feature" of this update. Users have to manually reconfigure their wallpaper or Spotlight settings after installation.
❌ NOT Acknowledged: desktop.ini Breakage
For power users, this is infuriating. The update kills File Explorer's ability to use desktop.ini files for custom folder names and icons. If you've customized your folders, those settings are now broken.
The SSD Disaster That Still Haunts Users
While not part of KB5074109, Microsoft is still dealing with fallout from KB5063878 (released September 2025). That update caused catastrophic SSD failures during large file operations, with users reporting drives becoming completely invisible to their systems.
One user on Microsoft's own forums wrote: "Update ruined my SSD and I lost everything on it. Thx."
Another developer described losing multiple SSDs: "I lost a hard disk at my work a week ago... crashed my computer twice, then it disappeared from my list of SSDs... same started happening at home."
Microsoft eventually released KB5064081 to fix the issue, but trust has been shattered. Many users now refuse to install updates automatically, creating a security nightmare.
Microsoft's "Fix It Later" Approach
The pattern is clear: Microsoft releases updates, users discover critical bugs, the company investigates, then eventually pushes a fix days or weeks later. For the January 2026 issues, the emergency updates aren't even available through Windows Update—you have to manually download them from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
As one community volunteer explained on Microsoft's forums: "The most important thing is to get the massive number of users out of this dangerous state. Stop investigating and focus on releasing a new update immediately."
Instead, Microsoft's official guidance includes gems like "restart Windows and wait 15 minutes before checking Update History." For the Outlook bug, their solution is to repeatedly kill processes in Task Manager.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you haven't installed KB5074109 yet:
- Pause Windows Updates immediately
- Wait for Microsoft to roll these fixes into the main update channel
If you already installed it and have issues:
- For Remote Desktop or shutdown problems: Download KB5077744 or KB5077797 from the Microsoft Update Catalog (search by KB number)
- For Outlook crashes: Kill the Outlook.exe process in Task Manager before launching, or roll back the update entirely
- For black screen, wallpaper, or desktop.ini issues: Your only option is uninstalling KB5074109 until Microsoft acknowledges the problems
To uninstall the update:
- Go to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall Updates
- Find KB5074109 and click Uninstall
- Restart and immediately pause future updates
The Bigger Problem: Update Quality
This isn't just about one bad patch. It's about a pattern. Microsoft has so far released five major out-of-band emergency updates in the past six months to fix self-inflicted wounds.
The Windows 11 24H2 release health dashboard currently lists multiple unresolved issues, including:
- Problems with WUSA installations from network shares
- Family Safety browser filtering bugs
- Known Issue Rollbacks needed for sign-in screen problems
Meanwhile, enterprise IT departments are spending countless hours testing, rolling back, and firefighting updates that should have been stable on day one.
Bottom Line
KB5074109 is a perfect example of why millions of Windows users have learned to fear updates rather than embrace them. When an update breaks basic functionality like shutting down your PC, launching Outlook, or maintaining your desktop background, something is fundamentally broken in Microsoft's quality control process.
The company is essentially using its entire user base as beta testers, then issuing fixes after the damage is done. Until Microsoft changes this approach, the best advice remains the same: wait. Let others test the updates. Read the horror stories. Then—and only then—think about clicking "Install."
Your SSD will thank you.
What issues have you experienced with recent Windows updates? Share your story in the comments.