“Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Update 19-Aug-2024: Microsoft has successfully resolved the bug mentioned below. Five years ago, following a string of problematic Windows updates, Microsoft committed to improving its update process. As part of this effort, they introduced a “release health dashboard” to track known issues with each update.
This transparency is beneficial, but sometimes it leads to more questions. For example, the July 2024 security update was flagged on the release health dashboard for causing issues on PCs running Windows 10, Windows 11, and various versions of Windows Server. Affected devices would not boot to the normal login screen and instead displayed a blue screen prompting the user to prove their identity for data recovery.
Microsoft has since resolved this issue with updates released on August 13, 2024 (KB5041585) and later. It is recommended to install the latest updates to address this and other issues.
The bug affected some PCs and servers, but Microsoft did not provide specific details on its scope. It seemed to impact HP and Lenovo laptops on corporate networks that received firmware updates as part of the July 2024 Patch Tuesday release. The cause of the issue was likely related to the BitLocker encryption not recognizing changes in the boot process, possibly due to a firmware upgrade.
Device Encryption and BitLocker Drive Encryption are security features available on Windows 11. Device Encryption is standard on modern PCs and encrypts the system drive, while BitLocker Drive Encryption is available for business editions and offers more advanced management tools.
Users can check if their system drive is encrypted in Windows Settings and ensure they have a backup of their recovery key in case of BitLocker recovery prompts. If concerned about potential BitLocker issues, users can disable device encryption in Settings.
Overall, while the bug caused inconvenience for some users, Microsoft has addressed the issue, and proper encryption and backup practices can help mitigate similar problems in the future.”