Windows 11 once more has an issue with third-party customization apps which are used to switch the operating system’s interface, with one in every of these functions clashing with the most recent replace for the OS.
That’d be the brand new preview (non-compulsory) replace for Windows 11 22H2 (patch KB5028254), which as XDA Developers noticed has damaged the Begin menu for some customers of the customization app ExplorerPatcher (going by stories on-line).
If all this sounds acquainted, it’s as a result of earlier within the yr we witnessed points with ExplorerPatcher (and StartAllBack) inflicting bother with File Explorer (and nasty boot loops). This was with the Moment 2 update, in reality, again in March (when that was launched in preview).
With this gremlin rearing its head once more – albeit inflicting a unique concern – what’s Microsoft doing? Properly, not quite a bit it appears. Let’s dive into why.
Evaluation: Not our drawback
Again in March, when these third-party apps turned problematic for Home windows 11, Microsoft stated it could examine the matter (as The Register reported on the time) and supply extra information. What occurred was that the builders of each ExplorerPatcher and StartAllBack launched patches for his or her shoppers to unravel the bug, and that was that. We didn’t hear anything from Microsoft.
Now that points have appeared once more, it appears Microsoft has bought fed up, and is washing its palms of the matter. As suggested in a launch well being standing update for Home windows 11, Microsoft says: “We advocate uninstalling any third-party UI customization app earlier than putting in KB5028254 to stop this concern. In case your Home windows gadget is already experiencing this concern, you may must contact buyer help for the developer of the app you might be utilizing.”
The problem is marked as ‘mitigated exterior’ which principally means it’s as much as the developer (an exterior get together) to repair it for his or her app (as occurred up to now), and Microsoft doesn’t need to know.
Briefly, affected customers solely have two choices: nag the developer for a repair, or uninstall the customization app in query.
Is {that a} cheap response from Microsoft? In equity to the software program large, it has beforehand famous that a few of these apps use “unsupported strategies to realize their customization” and that this will produce bizarre side-effects. On condition that the strategies are ‘unsupported,’ Microsoft’s view is that it doesn’t should take this software program into consideration when updating Home windows 11 code (particularly if that is going to occur repeatedly, which appears to be the case).
We don’t really feel that’s unreasonable of Microsoft in all honesty, however nonetheless, the response does really feel somewhat chilly and ‘not our drawback’ in nature.
Word that KB5028254 is an non-compulsory replace proper now, so there’s no want to put in it, and the improve continues to be in testing; you’ll be able to merely steer clear.
Nonetheless, this may turn into a compulsory cumulative replace for August, and therein lies the issue – ExplorerPatcher customers (and presumably these using different third-party customization apps) might then have a damaged Begin menu. Hopefully, although, the developer of this app can have carried out a repair by then (as a result of Microsoft actually received’t, that’s abundantly clear).
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