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Microsoft ships emergency Windows fix for affected Dell PCs
Microsoft released an out-of-band Windows 11 update to fix a Dell incompatibility that caused slowdowns, overheating, and shutdowns.
Image: The Register
Microsoft has released an out-of-band update for certain Dell systems after an incompatibility blocked them from receiving the July 2026 Windows security update.
The issue involved the Intel Innovation Platform Framework driver and, according to Microsoft, could “cause changes in performance, power consumption, or system behavior.” On affected machines, those “changes” meant slowdowns, overheating, and random shutdowns. Microsoft said the problem stemmed from an incompatibility between the Intel driver and the new Windows USB-C Connection Manager interface introduced in the June 23 preview update.
The fix is now available for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 as KB5121767. Microsoft also issued a separate OOB hotpatch, KB5121768, for eligible Windows 11 Enterprise devices enrolled in hotpatching.
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Microsoft had already paused the Patch Tuesday rollout for the affected Dell models. With the emergency patch in place, those systems can now receive this month’s larger batch of security updates.
The Register notes that Microsoft has not had to issue many out-of-band updates in recent months after a busier stretch earlier in the year. Still, the need for another emergency fix raises fresh questions about Windows update quality, especially because the underlying bug was introduced only a month earlier.
Computing Editor
Tomas lives in the terminal. He covers chips, laptops, and operating systems with a focus on performance and efficiency. He reads kernel changelogs the way other people read fiction, and he's always on the hunt for the perfect mechanical keyboard switch. If it processes data, Tomas has an opinion on it.
via The Register
