Microsoft patches Windows and Excel – breaks audio, remote access, and paste
summary
Recent security updates from Microsoft have introduced significant bugs that disrupt Remote Desktop Services, USB audio devices, and basic spreadsheet functions in Excel. These failures contradict Microsoft's stated goal of improving software quality, as the updates were pushed to users automatically. The company is working on fixes, but the users are currently left with unstable systems and limited workarounds.
key points
- Remote Desktop Services (RDS) are experiencing failures where connections drop or servers hang, affecting multiple Windows versions including Windows 11 and Windows Server 2012.
- Some USB Audio Class 1.0 devices are now non-functional, resulting in lost audio or broken volume controls on several Windows 11 versions.
- A security patch for Excel has caused the paste operation to fail silently, meaning users cannot move data without receiving any error messages or warnings.
who should read it
IT administrators and Windows users who rely on Remote Desktop Services or specific USB audio hardware. It also targets Excel users who may be experienced with managing security updates.
discussion hostile
consensus
Commenters generally agree that Microsoft has a long history of instability, though the nature of the failure has shifted from general bugginess and poor design in the 90s to forced, destructive updates and 'slop' in the modern era. There is a shared sentiment that quality control has plummeted since Windows 10, with many users migrating to macOS or Linux to avoid tracking, ads, and reliability issues. While some recall a brief period of stability between 2005 and 2017, the current state is viewed as negligent.
top insight
The distinction between historical instability and modern breakage is that early Windows issues were often optional or caused by third-party drivers, whereas current failures are 'actively malicious' and forced upon users via non-optional updates. This shift represents a move from a product that was simply poorly built to one where the developer actively disregards user stability and data integrity to push updates. This fundamental change in the delivery model is seen as more egregious than the original software flaws.
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