Though Microsoft thoroughly tests out features before rolling them out widely via Windows Update, things can still go sideways. A few days after Patch Tuesday, which is when Microsoft pushes its monthly batch of security and quality updates, reports of bugs people are noticing on their PCs slowly but surely begin to creep in.
Soon after this month's Patch Tuesday update, we reported that the update is reportedly causing havoc on some people's PCs. Some Windows 10 users were complaining that they were being asked to enter a BitLocker recovery key, and the computer would then roll back its own update once the recovery key was entered. Some reported blue screens of death after updating, and though it isn't all that unusual after Patch Tuesday updates, it's still frustrating.
Now, some users are reporting that a bug that’s preventing their PC from booting has made its way in right after they updated to the May cumulative update.
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The KB5058405 patch is preventing some PCs from starting up
Microsoft released its patch, KB5058405, on the 13th of May, for Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2. As first reported by Bleeping Computer, Microsoft has confirmed via an update on its release health dashboard that some Windows 11 PCs may fail to boot up after installing the mandatory Windows 11 security patch.
The report mentions that the KB5058405 patch might fail to install on some Windows 11 PCs, and the affected devices may be greeted with the following error 0xc0000098:
Your PC/Device needs to be repaired
The operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors.
File: ACPI.sys
Error code: 0xc0000098
Scary message to read right as you boot up your PC for a calming Netflix binge session, right? Fortunately, Microsoft mentions that the number of "physical" devices this frustrating issue has been reported on is fairly limited. The issue seems to have primarily struck devices running in virtual environments, which include Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Virtual Desktop, and on-premises virtual machines hosted on Citrix or Hyper-V.
The tech giant also mentions that Home users of Windows who are using either the Home or Pro editions are unlikely to fall victim to this issue. They back this up by claiming that virtual machines are typically used in IT environments. Take note of their wording, though. Unlikely still means there's a possibility of the bug affecting standard users too. This issue is affecting both Windows 11 version 23H2 and 22H2.
The worst part is that Microsoft currently doesn't have a fix for the issue or even a workaround you could use for the time being. The company mentions that they're currently investigating the issue and will provide more information when it's available. If you’ve already installed the patch and haven’t been hit with the issue, thank the Microsoft overlords and move along. You likely have nothing to worry about, and your system managed to escape this bug.
However, if you're yet to install the May update, it might be a good decision to wait for the company to roll out a fix for the issue and complete its investigation. Since KB5058405 is a mandatory security update, it will eventually be installed on your PC. But you can pause updates for over a month, so it may be worth holding off for now, just in case your system ends up being one of the unlucky ones.