Skip to main content

New Windows Insider preview build causes issues with Mixed Reality

Microsoft recently released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17112 to members of the company’s Insider Fast ring program, but it warned Mixed Reality users to avoid this one. Tom’s Hardware reported that Microsoft warned that its latest preview build contains bugs that can cause the mixed reality programs to crash or suffer from low frame rates, which could make some users uncomfortable.

Microsoft said that its Mixed Reality programs would run at at around 8-10 frames-per-second if they ran at all, and would sometimes completely crash. Of course, bugs such as these are to be expected when taking part in the Fast ring of Microsoft’s Insider Program. Members of these programs are basically beta testing for Microsoft, but while members of the Slow ring only receive access to builds that are nearly ready to go public, Fast ring members receive access to much earlier versions. This allows them to not only get a sneak peak at the latest Windows features, but also the latest bugs.

Speaking of bugs, build 17112 doesn’t only cause problems for Windows Mixed Reality users. It also contains some pretty severe issues for the standard desktop experience, such as making the Microsoft Store application vanish. Microsoft has a potential fix posted on its website, along with a warning regarding the fact that build 17112 could affect the Microsoft Store.

Worse than the loss of Microsoft’s shop, however, is the potential loss of your operating system. Microsoft said that it has received reports that build 17112 can cause a “small number of devices” to fail to load the OS upon launch, forcing users into a boot loop sequence. This could require users to use a bootable ISO or USB to repair their operating system. One option available to affected users would be to disable fast boot, which could resolve the boot loop sequence. Otherwise, those who encounter this issue will need to repair their OS.

Overall, build 17112 contains some major issues that may make users think twice before using it. Aside from the aforementioned issues, it contains a few bug fixes, but nothing major. It’s also lacking any new features that Fast ring members wouldn’t already have access to.

Editors' Recommendations

Eric Brackett
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Beware! The latest Windows 11 update might crash your PC
A laptop running Windows 11.

Microsoft releases routine updates for Windows every month, and while the intent is to fix issues and occasionally add new features, the latest one is doing more harm than good. Some Windows 11 users have taken to social media to report that the latest KB5035853 update could be crashing their PCs, with the feared Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) appearing on startup.

Although Microsoft hasn't appeared to document any known issues with this update for Windows 11 22H2 and Windows 11 23H3, there's a Reddit thread on the matter. Frustrated Windows 11 users mention the problems they are experiencing after installing the update. One mentions that Explorer.exe shows an error during shutdown and another reports that the ribbon of the File Explorer is slow to load. Audio-related issues and PCs feeling laggy when gaming are among some of the other problems being reported.

Read more
The Windows 11 Android app dream is dead
A photo of the TikTok app running on a Windows 11 laptop

Microsoft first brought over the option to run Android apps natively in Windows 11 in 2021, but the dream is coming to an end after just a few years. Today, the company quietly updated its documentation for the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) to indicate that it will be ending support for the feature on March 5, 2025. Amazon has also published updated guidance for the same issue about its Amazon App Store on Windows 11, which powers the WSA.

What's causing this change is unknown, as Microsoft did not dive into specific details. Left to speculate, we can assume it's due to either lack of use or licensing issues, but until we hear more, it's left ambiguous.

Read more
Microsoft may fix the most frustrating thing about Windows updates
Windows 11 updates are moving to once a year.

Most Windows users will agree that one of the most annoying things about the operating system is the updates. While Windows Updates are necessary, they often tend to come up at the worst possible time, interrupting work and gaming sessions with persistent reminders that the system needs to reboot. Microsoft might be fixing that problem in the upcoming Windows 11 24H2 build, but it's still too early to bid farewell to those ill-timed reboots.

As spotted in the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26058, Microsoft is testing "hot patching" for some Windows 11 updates. Hot patching refers to a dynamic method of updating that often doesn't change the software version and may not even need a restart. In the context of Windows 11, it's pretty straightforward -- Windows will install the update, and you won't have to reboot your system.

Read more