Windows 11 24H2 Update: Promising Features Overshadowed by Bugs

Ah, software updates—the double-edged sword of the digital realm. On one side, you have shiny new features and promises of boosted performance. On the other, there’s the reality of bugs gnawing at users’ patience like termites on fresh wood. The much-anticipated Windows 11 24H2 update, officially rolled out October 2024, seemed to stride in confidently with improvements to Copilot AI, refined File Explorer functionality, and claims of a faster, more stable experience. But as the new year settles in, this update is starting to look like an albatross, weighed down by bugs that just keep stacking up.
If you’ve already updated—or if you’re considering making the leap—let’s dig into the 13 (and counting) issues reported with this rollout, figure out what’s going on under the hood, and help you decide whether patience might be your best bet at the moment.

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1. No Future Updates? That’s Kind of a Big Deal​

Imagine being stuck in a Windows time capsule, unable to patch or secure your system against future vulnerabilities. That’s the lot of users who installed the 24H2 version via physical media (like CDs or USB drives) between October 8 and November 12, 2024. Due to a technical hiccup, those systems now refuse all forthcoming updates.
While Microsoft has promised a fix, it’s advisable to grab the newest installation media if you're still stuck in the update window. If you're affected and waiting on a solution, you may want to steer clear of sketchy workarounds that could further muck up your system.

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2. Ubisoft Games: From Assassin's Creed to Black Screens​

For fans of Ubisoft games like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla or Star Wars Outlaws, this one's a bummer. The update results in outright crashes, freezing, or dreaded black screens in five major Ubisoft titles. While Ubisoft has released partial patches, even these don’t eliminate all the problems. Gamers, Microsoft, and Ubisoft are all waiting for a more comprehensive fix.
Tech Tip: Gamers may want to avoid the update altogether—because let’s face it, nothing ruins an epic gaming session more than a title that refuses to cooperate with your OS.

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3. Auto HDR: When Beauty Isn’t in the Eye of the Beholder​

Auto HDR, a shiny feature aimed at making games more visually stunning, seems to stumble in the 24H2 update. Instead of jaw-dropping visuals, users experience color inaccuracies—or games that refuse to display correctly altogether. Until a solution surfaces, disabling Auto HDR in Windows settings serves as a viable workaround.

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4. Easy Anti-Cheat Meets the BSOD​

Online gamers may already dread Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors, but encountering one due to Easy Anti-Cheat is an unwelcome surprise. This problem especially affects Intel Alder Lake+ processors running the 24H2 update. While Microsoft and Easy Anti-Cheat’s developer are working on a fix, for now, users may want to steer clear of the update if competitive online gaming is a big part of their routine.

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5. Blue Screens Galore: More than Just Cheating Software​

Blue screens aren’t limited to Easy Anti-Cheat users. Certain Intel drivers (e.g., Intel Smart Sound Technology) and poorly optimized SSDs—from brands like Western Digital on PCs by Lenovo and ASUS—are turning users’ systems into crash test dummies. Additionally, PCs with Z890 motherboards and Core Ultra CPUs are also affected.
Pro Tip: Ensure you have the latest drivers before even considering the upgrade—it can help dodge some of these motherboard and driver-specific issues.

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6. Wait, Where Did My Mouse Pointer Go?​

For some users interacting with Chromium-based apps like Chrome or Edge, the mouse pointer vanishes when clicking a text field. While a minor annoyance compared to full-blown crashes, this issue further muddies the update’s first impression.

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7. Internet Connectivity Woes—USB Errors and More​

One of the more troubling bugs involves Ethernet and Wi-Fi connections that won’t assign a valid IP address, leaving users effectively cut off from the modern world. Debugging methods like resetting network settings don’t seem to fix the issue for everyone. A workaround involves switching to a static IP, but that’s… not exactly beginner-friendly.

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8. Time Zones: Can’t Touch This​

Non-admin users may be stumped when they try to adjust their time zones in the updated Windows settings and find the option outright missing. A trip to the legacy Control Panel offers a workaround, but this is yet another bug that makes users feel like Windows isn’t ready for prime time in 2024.

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9. Broken Clipboard History: Microsoft, Copy That​

Introduced in 2018, clipboard history is supposed to let users paste previously copied content. Yet, the latest update leaves certain users with an empty clipboard despite copying multiple items. If the idea of being stuck with Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V as a one-time event sounds horrifying, maybe hit the pause button on the upgrade.

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10. Network Sharing Broken​

Network sharing—one of the simplest-yet-most-useful features for home and small offices—is another casualty of Windows 11 24H2. In some cases, devices simply fail to appear in the network list, rendering file sharing and printer access impossible until users fiddle with Function Discovery Resource Publication (FDResPub) settings or other low-level network configurations.

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11. Printers Refusing to Play Nice​

If you’re using ARM-based Copilot+ PCs, be prepared for headaches with your printer. Whether you’ve got a trusty Brother, HP, or Canon machine, Microsoft itself has acknowledged that the 24H2 update often leaves printers unable to connect. So, there goes your plans for a hassle-free work-from-home day.

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12. Audio Output Dead for Dirac Audio Users​

For PCs leveraging Dirac Audio (a sound enhancement technology), the update has caused integrated speakers, Bluetooth devices, and headsets to stop working altogether. Microsoft has recognized this bug, but so far, affected users are left twiddling their thumbs.

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13. Outlook Shut Out by Google Workspace Sync​

Finally, here’s one for professional users: Outlook refuses to start with Google Workspace Sync installed. While a partial fix exists by updating the Google Sync tool, many users report that even this doesn’t fully resolve the issue, forcing them to call in Google Workspace Support.

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Broader Implications: What Went Wrong?​

Microsoft’s rollout of the 24H2 update demonstrates the difficulties in balancing major feature upgrades, extensive compatibility testing, and tight release schedules. Even with months of beta testing, this update is plagued with a higher bug count than usual.
For Microsoft, there’s growing pressure to deliver improvements to Windows while maintaining user trust. If each major update brings this level of disruption, many users may decide to stick with older, more stable builds—or even jump ship to alternate platforms. One wonders: Is this the growing pain of unifying AI into the OS, or is it a symptom of deeper QA resource limitations at Microsoft?

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Should You Update?​

For the average user, the advice here is simple: wait. Patches are trickling in, but many of these bugs are unresolved and can severely impact productivity or gaming experiences. Without ironclad assurance that the 24H2 update will work well on your particular configuration, it might be safer to stick with a stable version of Windows 11—or even Windows 10. After all, sometimes the best feature an operating system can offer is reliability!

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TL;DR​

The Windows 11 24H2 update brought some promising features but also introduced a staggering list of bugs: from BSOD errors to vanishing cursors, network-sharing issues, print failures, and more. While Microsoft scrambles to patch the mess, users are left to decide if new features are worth the frazzled nerves.
In conclusion? For now, the best "update" you can make this New Year might just be to skip this one altogether.

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Source: ZDNET New year, new Windows 11 24H2 bug to add to the list: 13 and counting