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Windows 11 KB5124010 Bug Crashes Games and Apps, Users Report Boot Failures

Microsoft has acknowledged that Windows 11 preview update KB5124010 can crash games and apps that decode AC-3 audio, and some users report boot failures and slow performance. The patch is set to become the full October update.

AI News Feed · 2026-10-05 21:39

Microsoft’s Windows health dashboard post, highlighted by Windows Latest, states that “some applications which require the decoding of AC-3 (Dolby Digital) audio might close unexpectedly.” The company adds that “affected applications may vary and can include games, media players, and certain productivity applications.” The bug may cause a game or app to fail to launch, or it may crash; in some cases the software may work until certain features are used, such as playing music.

Microsoft says many modern applications do not use Windows for this type of encoding and therefore will not encounter the issue. The company said: “We are working on releasing a resolution for this issue in a future Windows update. We will provide an update when more information is available.”

Gamers on Reddit have reported crashes in games including Fallout: New Vegas, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Wardogs. In those cases, players found that the problems started after installing the September preview patch and ceased when the update was removed. Some affected users reported more serious problems, including systems that ended up broken with boot failures, very slow booting or shutting down, and general sluggishness on the desktop.

One Reddit user said KB5124010 “was a disaster” on a Windows 11 25H2 PC. The user said it caused boot issues and very slow shutdown and search, and after uninstalling it the machine got stuck at the Asus logo and stopped booting, requiring a clean reinstall. Another user said they thought they were “going insane with slow boot up,” and described File Explorer issues and large grey boxes taking a long time to load.

According to TechRadar, the only apparent cure for the bugs is to uninstall the patch, and there is no workaround. The preview update is scheduled to become the full October update for Windows 11 a week from tomorrow. It also includes a fix for a previous bug in the September non-preview update that broke a backup feature in Windows 11, which may have led some users to install KB5124010 promptly only to encounter the new problems.

TechRadar warned that users who have selected the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” in Windows 11 will receive these preview updates automatically and may be hit by bugs like these. The publication advised caution about exercising that option, even for users keen to receive new Windows 11 features as soon as possible.

Editor's Summary

Microsoft has confirmed that Windows 11 preview update KB5124010 can crash games and apps that decode AC-3 audio, and some users report boot failures and slow performance. The patch is set to become the full October update, while Microsoft says it is working on a fix in a future Windows update.