Windows 10 Insider update botched Windows Sandbox and Application Guard

[onetheycallEric]

Why it matters: Microsoft's inability to deliver solid updates as of late has led to an eroded faith in the operating system -- especially when the updates break security features. Many Windows 10 users are beginning to avoid updating at all to protect both their PCs and their sanity, which is precisely the opposite effect cumulative updates are supposed to have.

One of Microsoft's more anticipated features coming to Windows 10 with the May 2019 (1903) update was the Windows Sandbox. Unfortunately, Microsoft admitted the recent update has left the new security feature unable to launch for many users. If that wasn't enough, Windows Defender Application Guard is also down.

Windows Sandbox was announced last year as a feature for Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise users, and would allow them to run a virtualized, sandboxed environment. This virtualization is designed to run less like a virtual machine, and more like a separate application. There's no need to install any third party VM software, as is the case with setting up a traditional virtual machine.

Windows Defender Application Guard is an enterprise-specific feature, allowing untrusted sites to be opened in a Windows Hyper-V container. This is designed to protect enterprise machines and data while employees use the network and internet.

However, Microsoft has acknowledged that both features are failing to launch with the latest KB4497936 update. In support documents, Microsoft explains a potential workaround by creating new registry keys using admin credentials, then restarting the host. Outside of that, Microsoft is working on a more permanent resolution, estimated to be available in late June.

The update also provided some protections against the newest speculative execution side-channel vulnerabilities, known collectively as MDS. It's also important to note that the KB4497936 update was only delivered to the preview rings of the Windows Insider program. That said, Microsoft hasn't exactly hit the mark with previous updates. Hopefully Microsoft can iron out the kinks, or this will be another in a long string of problematic updates.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/80267-latest-windows-10-update-botched-windows-sandbox-application.html

 

[TheBigT42]

Imagine that a Windows update breaking something

 

[noel24]

Imagine that a Windows update breaking something

The best is the enemy of the good. Windows 7 had it's fair share of bugs for Me in it's infancy, but later it became a steady platform for work and leisure. And then M$ decided it needs a replacement. 4 years on, Windows 10 is still unpolished. Unpolished turd, it seems. Get to work Satya, polish it!

 

[Puiu]

Insider builds having bugs is nothing new. They generally fix them in the next build or 2 if its something like this. I learned not to update my build (yes I use insider slow builds) in the first week to see how the community reacts and what bugs are reported.

 

[GregonMaui]

I used to use windows. It never was much. Worse than OS2 (on security, stability, flexibility. You could run multiple copies of windows and multiple copies of MS software like Excel, you could have dual configurations of extended and expanded memory running together at the same time), People were saying that MS paid for positive reviews, I'm not saying that, but people were saying that. It was always harder to use than it needed to be, you always needed to boot it multiple times per day, it always had weak security, it always took way too long to install and re-install, it crashed way too much.

Sorry windows, not seeing anything of value here.

 

[EClyde]

I still have my Win 7. I am going back to it because after almost a year of 10 I still don't like it.

 

[PEnnn]

Now, where was that link about disabling / postponing Windows update......damn, I should have bookmarked it.

PS: about 2 years ago, one of Windows 10 updates caused my PC to go into a perpetual reboot. And, my data hard drive died permanently (what a coincidence....especially since the drive was only 1 year old!). When I escalated this issue to the penthouse, a MS engineer remotely debugged what was happening. Turns out, my
Avast AV was interfering with the update and causing it to go into an eternal reboot from hell.

 

[Mr Majestyk]

What's the most pathetic is Windows is getting less polished with age. You might expect this right at the beginning, but not 4 years later on an ever increasing basis. I waited 6 months for the 1809 update, might be another long wait or a skip.

 

[Hardware Geek]

Thinking it's about time I got back to Linux. Had to go windows for my last computer for work reasons, but that likely won't factor into my next upgrade.

 

[enemys]

"Microsoft's inability to deliver solid updates as of late has led to an eroded faith in the operating system -- especially when the updates break security features. Many Windows 10 users are beginning to avoid updating at all to protect both their PCs and their sanity, which is precisely the opposite effect cumulative updates are supposed to have."
Interesting statement, do you have any evidence to support it? I have certainly seen that MS has some troubles with Windows Update as of late, but I encountered no specific data or reports about the scale.

As for the article itself, I would call it a piece of low-level, unprofessional misinformation. The original version didn't even mention that it's an Insider build in its title, instead calling it "Latest Windows 10 update" and only noting that it's Insider-only at the end of the article. The sub-title note "Version 1903 is limited to the Windows Insider preview rings for now" didn't help, either, because it's both false (1903 has already been released to the general public) and because 1903 is not the update that breaks features, but the one that added them.

And, well... Insider builds are allowed to break things, so what's the fuss anyway?

 

[Nobina]

While Microsoft makes some of the worst updates out there, important thing to notice is that this is an insider build. As an insider you should know what you signed up for.

 

[Igrecman]

1903???
So it was supposed to be ready for March. It will probably have to be renamed 1909 or even 2003.

 

[MBaldelli]

I'm concerned about the accuracy of the article when I read the second line:

Version 1903 is limited to the Windows Insider preview rings for now.

I'm assuming that this was put there after some sort of announcement because I have made it an effort to **NEVER** be part of the insider preview group on my desktop because of the way such things knacker it up.

And yet, here I am with the update on my desktop anyway.

And I'm with @enemys as this seems to be rather unprofessional of the reporter to generate the usual FUD one would expect from a tabloid in the supermarket checkout aisles.

Perhaps instead of trying to get to the forefront of search engines, you actually take the time to actually check it out to report it accurately instead. Or is that too much to ask?

 

[Hardware Geek]

1903???
So it was supposed to be ready for March. It will probably have to be renamed 1909 or even 2003.

"May Update 2019, coming to Windows 10 PCs everywhere early 2020...maybe...here's hoping!"

~Satya Nadella

 

[wiyosaya]

Thinking it's about time I got back to Linux. Had to go windows for my last computer for work reasons, but that likely won't factor into my next upgrade.

After trying ShutUp10 and having an update install (admittedly 10 Home) on my laptop, and after having done a restore to a previous good release and having an update forced down my throat after having disabled
Update Orchestrator Service
Windows Update Service
Windows Modules Installer Service per my post here - Windows 10 will soon use AI to predict the best time to reboot for updates
I am going to install openSuSE on my laptop and only use 10 when I have to - though my restore did not have all three services disabled, so I'll try it one more time, and if it updates, well I think I am through with 10 on my laptop.

My other installations are 10 pro and I have successfully used the group policy editor to kill updates on every single one.

10, without updates disabled, has turned out to be a PITA if you ask me.

Now, where was that link about disabling / postponing Windows update......damn, I should have bookmarked it.

PS: about 2 years ago, one of Windows 10 updates caused my PC to go into a perpetual reboot. And, my data hard drive died permanently (what a coincidence....especially since the drive was only 1 year old!). When I escalated this issue to the penthouse, a MS engineer remotely debugged what was happening. Turns out, my
Avast AV was interfering with the update and causing it to go into an eternal reboot from hell.

You might try the link above.

Avast! You're PC went into the drink, Matey!

 

[TadMSTR]

Thinking it's about time I got back to Linux. Had to go windows for my last computer for work reasons, but that likely won't factor into my next upgrade.

Ubuntu is probably the easiest to jump into. I preferred Linux Mint for awhile but recently started trying out Manjaro. Linux Mint is nice but doesn't do rolling releases like Ubuntu. However, Manjaro does and has decent gaming support.

 

[Hardware Geek]

Ubuntu is probably the easiest to jump into. I preferred Linux Mint for awhile but recently started trying out Manjaro. Linux Mint is nice but doesn't do rolling releases like Ubuntu. However, Manjaro does and has decent gaming support.

I've tried Ubuntu and Linux Mint previously and would probably go back to mint because Ubuntu seems to hate my laptop and I liked the look and feel of Mint better, but might as well put a different one on each ssd in the system and try a few for a while until I find one that works the best with my system. I'd like to get at least another year out of my current laptop and can raid all 4 of the drives if I really need the performance boost.

 

[Igrecman]

Ubuntu is probably the easiest to jump into. I preferred Linux Mint for awhile but recently started trying out Manjaro. Linux Mint is nice but doesn't do rolling releases like Ubuntu. However, Manjaro does and has decent gaming support.

I suggest MX Linux. It's more popular than Manjaro, Ubuntu and Mint since 2019. The reason is the newest version is very user friendly, and updates won't break the system over time. It's based on Debian similarly to Mint and Ubuntu.