Windows 11 24H2/25H2 System Freeze After January 2026 Updates – Lenovo ThinkPad G2
Dear Microsoft Support Team, We would like to raise a high-priority technical support case regarding a stability issue observed after installing the January 2026 cumulative updates on our Windows 11 devices. Environment Details: Device Model: Lenovo ThinkPad G2 (multiple units) OS Versions: Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 Update Installed: January 2026 Patch Tuesday cumulative update (KB number can be provided) Deployment Method: WSUS / Intune / Windows Update (specify accordingly) BIOS Version: (Installed Latest available from Lenovo) Issue Description: After installing the January 2026 cumulative updates, devices intermittently experience a complete system freeze. The system becomes fully unresponsive: Mouse and keyboard input stop responding No BSOD is displayed Task Manager cannot be opened System recovery is only possible via hard reboot (power button) Frequency: The issue occurs randomly, both during active use and idle state. Multiple users across our environment are impacted. Troubleshooting Performed: Reinstalled OEM-certified Lenovo display drivers Disabled Fast Startup Ran SFC and DISM health checks (no integrity violations) Updated BIOS to latest version Setting power idle mode, then work normally Request: - Please confirm whether this is a known global issue under investigation. - Advise if any hotfix, Known Issue Rollback (KIR), or registry-based mitigation is available. - Provide guidance on additional diagnostic logging required at kernel or driver level. - Confirm whether crash dump analysis is recommended for this scenario. We are prepared to provide additional diagnostic logs, memory dumps, or reproduction steps upon request. Kindly treat this as a priority case due to multi-user impact in a production environment. Thank you for your support. #Windows11, #Windows 11 24H2, Windows Update, Cumulative Update, System Freeze, Lenovo ThinkPad, Display Driver, Enterprise
Clipboard History does not recognize the Delete key on Windows 11
I recently moved to Windows 11 (installed from scratch), and as soon as it was ready I activated the Clipboard History with the Win+V shortcut, since I really liked this feature on Windows 10. But after a short while I noticed the Windows 11 Clipboard History does not recognize the Delete key anymore. On Windows 10 this works: - Invoke the Clipboard History with Win+V - Scroll to the entry you want to delete with your arrow keys - Hit Delete on your keyboard and that entry will be removed from the history. Clipboard History remains open so you can repeat this for as many entries as you like. On Windows 11: - Invoke the Clipboard History with Win+V - Scroll to the entry you want to delete with your arrow keys - Hit Delete on your keyboard, then the Clipboard History closes with no error or message. If you invoke the Clipboard History again, the entry is still there. So apparently there are only two options on Windows 11 now, use the "Clear all" button to remove all the entries from the history. Or click the 3 dots next to each entry you want to remove and then click Delete, which is... annoying if compared to Windows 10. Is there a way to make the Delete key work again?Feature Request: Allow Custom User Profile Folder Name during Microsoft Account OOBE Setup
Currently, when setting up Windows 11 using a mandatory Microsoft Account (MSA), the operating system automatically generates a truncated 5-character folder name in "C:\Users" based on the first five letters of the user's email address. For professionals using high-end workstations, this behaviour is problematic for several reasons: Professionalism: Truncated names like "siddh" instead of "Siddharth Shankar" look unprofessional in file paths and environment variables. Scripting and Development: Many automated scripts and terminal-based workflows rely on consistent, predictable naming conventions that align with the user's actual identity. Accessibility: Users should have agency over their local directory structure without needing to resort to OOBE\BYPASSNRO hacks or post-install Registry edits, which can be risky and time-consuming. Request: Please provide an "Advanced" or "Edit" option during the "Who is going to use this PC?" screen that allows users to manually define their local folder name while still signing in with their Microsoft Account. This change would align Windows 11 with modern UX standards of personalization and user control.
7 General suggestions to Windows and its Apps
During my experience on Windows I’ve been thinking about how it could improve, especially around Fluent Design. I wrote down seven ideas that I’d love to hear opinions on. I will be sharing them here: #1: Two branches for Windows and content updates; Trying to please everyone with a single version of Windows is difficult, so Microsoft could maintain two official branches of the system: a “Vintage Windows” (like Windows 10), for those who prefer the classic interface and a more traditional look, with extended support indefinitely and security updates. And a “Modern Windows” (Windows 11), consistent with Fluent Design, constantly updated, and focused on introducing new features. Both would use the same kernel and APIs for developer compatibility. This approach would offer users greater freedom of choice and demonstrate that a trillion-dollar company is dedicating teams to simultaneously deliver traditional features and modernity. I’ve seen many people complain about the lack of consistency and lack of content. Additionally, I miss feature updates for Windows and hope that Microsoft brings more flexibility, apps, and Fluent 2-style fixes in future updates. And, yes, this would increase the efforts and costs, but it's a cost that a trillion-dollar company could take. #2: Modern Flyouts and Windows' limitation with volume mixer; In Windows 11, the multimedia controls displayed by apps like Fluent Flyouts are very limited; they only allow you to pause or skip tracks, with no option to adjust the volume or use repeat or shuffle buttons. This makes the experience less convenient compared to Android, where users can control the app’s volume or the music’s volume separately, and the operating system allows third-party apps to do so. My suggestion is that Microsoft should be more flexible and give apps like Modern Flyout the ability to adjust the volume, so you could turn the music up or down without affecting the overall system volume. Honestly, it’s surprising that something as basic as this hasn’t been implemented yet in the most widely used operating system. #3: Lack of flexibility in the Windows 11 search bar; Windows 11 still limits users and developers to a rigid and impractical search bar. Apps like Fluent Search, Flow Search, and Everything Toolbar are much faster and more powerful, but they’re confined to taskbar icons or floating search bars, while the native search bar takes up space without offering the same efficiency. Microsoft needs to be more flexible and release an API that allows third-party apps to appear as a search bar directly on the taskbar. This isn’t a complex feature; it’s something simple and obvious that should already exist. If the official search bar itself isn’t improved, the least they could do is give other apps the freedom to offer a superior experience. It’s frustrating to see Windows remain limited in such basic aspects, while other systems offer more modern and practical solutions. Microsoft needs to listen to users and stop holding Windows back with an outdated model. #4: Windows Task Scheduler and other menus and tools need to be updated The native Windows Task Scheduler is completely outdated and inconsistent with the Fluent 2 style. Independent projects like the Fluent Task Scheduler show that it’s possible to have a modern, organized, and much more user-friendly interface. It’s frustrating that these apps have to coexist with outdated system tools, without being able to replace them or integrate with the system. Microsoft, as a trillion-dollar company, should invest in modernizing its own utilities or hire independent developers who have already proven capable of creating superior solutions, such as the Fluent Task Scheduler. The lack of visual and functional consistency in Windows is glaring and needs to be addressed #5: Lack of flexibility in naming user folders Compared to the Android system; Windows is very inflexible and lacks practicality in many ways. For example, if my folder is C:\Users\eagl, I cannot simply correct it to eagle without creating an entirely new user profile. This lack of flexibility is a major hurdle for personalization on what could be a basic and simple fix. On Android, I was already so used to the system’s practicality that when I switched to Windows—which was supposed to be a more robust and powerful system—I was surprised to find it lacks even such a basic feature. #6: Differences in user experience between home and business users, and inconsistencies in Fluent 2; Microsoft seems to be focusing more and more on businesses, consistently applying Fluent 2 to apps like Teams, Outlook, and Office, while everyday users are left with a Windows full of outdated and inconsistent menus. This contradicts the marketing that promotes Fluent 2 as the standard, yet is frequently violated by the official apps themselves. It’s frustrating to see that Microsoft can’t deliver on its promises. If it really wants to preserve old elements for the sake of businesses, then it should separate the systems, as in point #1: a legacy one for compatibility and a modern one for home users. Or, at the very least, adhere to the Fluent 2 style across all of Windows. I love Fluent 2 and really want to see significant progress in this area, but seeing that Microsoft itself hasn’t made much effort in this regard has been a disappointment. The trillion-dollar company that talks so much about innovation shouldn’t be delivering a fragmented and outdated system. #7: Digital Wellness and productivity; Microsoft should make a native app with fluent style to help users watch their screen/app time. In 2026 there hasn't been an app that's free, solid and that feels native in Windows 11, because there aren't any API for that. Apps like Activity Watch for some reason don't work in my PC and apps like SolidTime are paid and not really fluent. Naturally, something like this should be made by Microsoft itself. Android has it since the beginning, why Windows doesn't have it yet? I believe that these suggestions, even though difficult, could contribute for a more consistent user experience, improved productivity and easier accesibility.
Windows 11 Random Restarts During Installation and OOBE. Stable in Linux and Windows Desktop
System Specs Motherboard: ASRock B450M Pro4-F (BIOS P10.43 Beta, AGESA ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.F) CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 RAM: 2x 16GB (tested and verified stable, no errors) Storage: Samsung 970 EVO 1TB NVMe OS: Windows 11 Pro 25H2 Problem This PC previously ran Windows without issues for 5-6 years. I recently decided to do a fresh Windows 11 install, and my system randomly restarts during Windows 11 (and Windows 10) installation at various stages. Sometimes at 15%, sometimes at 48%, sometimes during the OOBE setup when clicking "Next." There is no BSOD, no error message. The screen just goes black and the system reboots. The system is completely stable when idle at OOBE screens (it can sit for hours without issue), and it is fully stable once Windows is actually running on the desktop. Linux (Zorin OS) runs perfectly stable in every scenario: live USB, installation, and normal use. No crashes whatsoever. What I've Tested and Ruled Out Hardware RAM: Ran memory diagnostics, no errors found. Also tried using each stick individually (1 stick at a time), same issue with both. SSD: SMART health check shows no issues Multiple GPUs tested: Tried a different GPU, same random restarts during installation Multiple USB drives: Tried different USB drives for installation media, same result CMOS battery: Considered but system clock is accurate and BIOS settings persist BIOS Updated BIOS from P7.40 to P8.01 to P10.43 Beta (latest available with AGESA ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.F and updated fTPM) Disabled fTPM (Advanced > CPU Configuration > AMD fTPM Switch > Disabled), no change Tested multiple BIOS versions, restarts occur on all of them Software Tried both Windows 10 and Windows 11 installation, both experience the same random restarts Tried different Windows 11 ISOs, same behavior Linux is completely stable. Zorin OS runs without any issues, which rules out fundamental hardware failure Workaround That Got Windows Installed Since the Windows installer (Windows PE) kept crashing, I bypassed it entirely by applying the Windows image directly from Linux using wimlib: Booted Zorin OS live USB Partitioned the NVMe drive (GPT: 512MB EFI, 16MB MSR, 930GB NTFS) Used wimapply to apply install.wim (Index 6, Pro) directly to the NTFS partition Copied the EFI bootloader files manually Created BCD store from a Windows PE command prompt using bcdboot Windows booted successfully, but OOBE still caused random restarts when progressing through setup. I used Ctrl+Shift+F3 to enter Audit Mode, installed GPU and chipset drivers, and created a local user account manually via command line. Current State Windows 11 Pro is installed and the desktop is functional, but I'm stuck in Audit Mode with broken UWP/AppX app provisioning: Start Menu opens but taskbar icon clicks don't work Windows Search doesn't work Notification panel doesn't open Built-in apps like Notepad don't launch Creating a new user profile doesn't fix it (system-level issue) sfc /scannow finds no integrity violations DISM /RestoreHealth fails with error 0x800f0915 even with the ISO as source (version mismatch, Windows Update patched the system past the base ISO build) Re-registering AppX packages produces errors about missing paths Cannot run in-place repair upgrade because setup.exe refuses to run in Audit Mode Cannot fully exit Audit Mode. Registry values are set correctly but Windows keeps booting into Audit Mode (ImageState was IMAGE_STATE_SPECIALIZE_RESEAL_TO_AUDIT, changed to IMAGE_STATE_COMPLETE but Audit Mode persists) Sysprep /oobe /reboot triggers OOBE which crashes again with random restarts No unattend.xml files found on the system Key Observation The random restarts happen exclusively in: Windows PE (the installer environment) Windows OOBE (first-time setup screens, specifically when advancing through steps) The system is completely stable in: Linux (any distribution, any scenario) Windows desktop (Audit Mode, normal use) Windows OOBE when idle (sitting on a screen without clicking) This pattern suggests a driver or ACPI compatibility issue specific to the Windows pre-boot/setup environment on the B450 + Ryzen 5500 combination, not a hardware defect. Questions Has anyone experienced similar random restarts specifically during Windows installation/OOBE on B450 boards with Ryzen 5000 series CPUs? Is there a known incompatibility between Windows PE/OOBE and certain B450 + Zen 3 configurations? Is there a way to force Windows out of Audit Mode when all registry approaches have failed and OOBE causes crashes?
Win 11 OEM Activation problems on Laptop w/ Win 10 S Mode
I purchased an HP laptop model 15-dw3033dx from Best Buy a few years ago. These had Windows 10 in S-Mode preinstalled. First thing I did after OOBE and initial activation was to go to the Windows Store and switch the laptop out of S-Mode, then I did a clean install of Windows 10 Home. I run it with a local account only. When I did a clean install from a fresh Win 11 Home 25H2 download with a local account, the system activated as expected. However, when I did a Win 11 Home 25H2 install with a customized autounattend.xml file and local account, I get an activation error with code 0xC004C003. I installed from the SAME media to the SAME laptop, the only difference being having the custom autounattend.xml file or not. I then did a clean install of Win11 Home 25H2 WITHOUT the custom autounattend.xml file and logged in with a Microsoft account. The Activation was normal. On the same laptop and same media, I reinstalled Win 11 25H2 Home using the custom autounattend.xml file and logged in with a Microsoft Account. This time, I get an activation error with code 0x8004FE94. This time I am given an option to activate by phone, but the countries listed goes from Afghanistan to Palau, and nothing past Palau. There was an option to say I changed hardware on the device so I gave that a try. I get a "Unable to activate Windows" message. Bottom Line - on the same laptop (sold w/ Win10 S Mode and switched out) and same install media, clean install of Windows 11 Home activates normally, customized autounattend.xml install gives activation error. I have some other similar devices at a local nonprofit to migrate to Win11 so all suggestions and insights are welcome!
