Microsoft Deploys Crucial Task Manager Fixes in Latest Patch Tuesday Update!

In a move that has many Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 users breathing a sigh of relief, Microsoft rolled out a significant update during Patch Tuesday, addressing two frustrating issues that had recently plagued users.

While the main focus of update KB5046617 was security, it also introduced several "quality improvements." Notably, it tackled a critical bug related to the Task Manager, which emerged during the October 2024 non-security preview update. Users were reporting a misleading issue where the "Group by Type" feature displayed zero processes for Apps, Background Processes, and Windows Processes, even when active applications were running. This glitch left many users confused and unable to accurately monitor their system's performance.

Dave Plummer, the original creator of the Task Manager, described this as a "fairly severe bug," though he acknowledged that users might not frequently check that count. He speculated on the effectiveness of Microsoft's automated testing, saying, "I’d honestly bet that the chances that the automated tests actually OCR the status bar output are pretty low!" This raises questions about the reliance on automated testing versus manual processes, sparking discussions among tech enthusiasts about the evolution of software testing.

In addition to addressing the Task Manager issue, the patch also resolved access problems for the Windows Subsystem for Linux’s Dev Drive, as well as a perplexing installation delay of up to 40 minutes reported by some users on specific hardware configurations.

Moreover, Microsoft quietly resolved issues faced by Windows Server 2025 users operating servers with 256 logical processors or more. Users had previously encountered failures during installation, prolonged restart times, and frustrating blue screen errors when launching applications. A temporary fix necessitated reducing the server's logical processor count, a stopgap that was far from ideal. Thankfully, the latest patch effectively remedies this.

As November unfolds, system administrators can appreciate the diligence with which Microsoft is addressing its myriad known issues, especially in Windows 11 24H2. Among these fixed problems is the issue involving malfunctioning fingerprint sensors, which has only recently been sorted out, albeit with prior updates being stifled to ensure user security.

While the list of known issues for Windows Server remains relatively brief, attention to details such as the unexpected upgrades from Windows Server 2019 and 2022 to Windows Server 2025 highlights Microsoft's ongoing commitment to enhancing user experience.

Stay tuned as Microsoft continues to roll out improvements and fixes, potentially changing how users interact with their systems forever!