Windows 11 21H2: Preview-Update KB5028245 (July 25, 2023)

[German]Microsoft has released optional cumulative (preview) update 5028245 for Windows 11 version 21H2 on July 25, 2023 (there's nothing for Windows 11 22H2 yet). The preview update brings a number of bug fixes for people still on version 21H2 (which, after all, drops out of support in October 2023). Below I give an overview regarding these updates for Windows 11.

It should be noted that this update is a so-called preview update. This is optional and by default must be manually triggered to download and install. The update contains the fixes that will be rolled out in the security update for the following month (so by August 2023 patchday at the latest, all Windows 11 21H2 users will get this update). The list of updates for Windows 11 can be viewed on this Microsoft page.

Preview-Update KB5028245 for Windows 11 21H2

Preview update KB5028245 has been released for Windows 11 version 21H2. The update raises the OS build to 22000.2245 and provides a fixes for this Windows version. Here is an overview of the highlights:

• This update addresses an issue that affects virtual private networks (VPN). There might be excessive Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) requests to the network gateway. This occurs when the VPN is on a wireless mesh network that uses an aggressive throttling algorithm. Because of this, network performance is poor.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain display and audio devices. They are missing after your system resumes from sleep.

Below is the complete list of fixes that this update makes – worth mentioning is the fix in the printing area:

• New! This update affects the Handwriting Software Input Panel (SIP), the Handwriting Engine, and the Handwriting Embedded Inking Control. They now support GB18030-2022 conformance level 2. Because of this, they meet the level 3 requirements.
• This update affects the Windows Push Notification Services (WNS). It makes the connection between the client and the WNS server more reliable.
• This update addresses an issue that affects UI Automation and caching mode.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Notification Platform. It fails to send notifications from applications to you.
• This update addresses an issue that affects hybrid joined devices. You cannot sign in to them if they are not connected to the internet. This occurs when you use a Windows Hello for Business PIN or biometric credentials. This issue applies to a cloud trust deployment.
• This update affects Windows Autopilot profiles. The process to download the Windows Autopilot policy is more resilient. This helps when a network connection might not be fully initialized. This update increases the retry attempts when you try to download the Windows Autopilot profile.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect Win32 and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. They might close when devices enter Modern Standby. Modern Standby is an expansion of the Connected Standby power model. This issue occurs if certain Bluetooth Phone Link features are turned on.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) repository. This causes an installation error. The issue occurs when a device does not shut down properly.
• This update addresses an issue that affects certain CPUs. There is inconsistent reporting of the L2 cache.
• This update addresses an issue that affects Event Forwarding Subscriptions. When you add an Event Channel to the subscription, it forwards events you do not need.
• This update enhances hinting for some of the letters of the Verdana Pro font family.
• This update affects user mode printer drivers. They unload unexpectedly. This occurs when you print from multiple print queues to the same printer driver.
• This update addresses an issue that might affect your computer when you are playing a game. Timeout Detection and Recovery (TDR) errors might occur.
• This update affects text edit controls in XAML. You cannot edit the controls again after they become read only. This occurs when you use the new Microsoft Input Method Editor for Japanese, Chinese, and Korean.
• This update makes Narrator announce the "Change product key" label.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the Defender Firewall Profile. It fails to automatically switch from a LAN that is trusted to a public network.
• This update makes Country and Operator Settings Asset (COSA) profiles up to date.
• This update addresses a deadlock in Internet Protocol Security (IPsec). When you configure servers with IPsec rules, they stop responding. This issue affects virtual and physical servers.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the MPSSV service. The issues causes your system to restart repeatedly. The stop error code is 0xEF.
• This update addresses an issue that affects a Clustered Shared Volume (CSV). The CSV fails to come online. This occurs if you enable BitLocker and local CSV managed protectors, and the system recently rotated the BitLocker keys.
• This update addresses an issue that causes Windows to fail. This occurs when you use BitLocker on a storage medium that has a large sector size.
• This update affects the Windows Kernel Vulnerable Driver Blocklist, DriverSiPolicy.p7b. It adds drivers that are at risk for Bring Your Own Vulnerable Driver (BYOVD) attacks.
• This update addresses an issue that affects the fastfat file system driver. It stops responding because of a race condition.
• This update addresses an issue that affects refsutil.exe. Options, like salvage and leak, do not work properly on Resilient File System (ReFS) volumes.
• This update addresses an issue that affects I/O over Server Message Block (SMB). It might fail when you use the LZ77+Huffman compression algorithm.

DThis long list of new features and fixes will be integrated in the security update for the following month. The preview update is optional and is only offered when the user explicitly selects optional updates for installation in the settings page. The update is offered via Windows Update, but can also be downloaded and installed from the Microsoft Update Catalog. The latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU) is included to fix various issues. Further details, e.g. about the installation requirements, can be found in the support article in case of doubt. The possibly known issues are also listed there.

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Patchday: Windows 10-Updates (July 11, 2023)
Patchday: Windows 11/Server 2022-Updates (July 11, 2023)
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Microsoft July 2023 Patchday issues (Windows, Office, Apps) – Part I
Microsoft July 2023 Patchday issues: Windows 10 22H2 Update KB5028166 – Part II

Windows 10 22H2 Preview Update KB5028244 (July 25, 2023)
Windows 11 21H2: Preview-Update KB5028245 (July 25, 2023)
Windows 11 22H2: Preview Update KB5028254 (July 26, 2023)