Microsoft has fixed an identified issue with Windows 11
Microsoft has fixed a recently identified issue, which prevents applications from opening on multiple client and server Windows versions after being repaired or updated using the Windows Installer system tool (formerly known as Microsoft Installer).
Systems affected by this bug include Windows users who have installed the KB5007215 cumulative update released on Patch Tuesday of November. The Windows 11 Build 22000.348 (KB5007262) fix, released the same month for Windows Insiders only, has also been rolled out to all affected Windows 11 customers during Patch Tuesday in December 2021.
"We fixed a known issue that could prevent applications, such as Kaspersky applications, from opening after you try to repair or update an application using Microsoft Installer (MSI)," said the Windows Insider Program Team.
Systems running older Windows versions are waiting for a fix
While Microsoft is now providing a fix for users running the latest Windows 11 version, users of other older Windows versions affected by this issue will have to wait for a future update.
The full list of Windows versions affected by this issue:
Client: Windows 11, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2; Windows 10, version 2004; Windows 10, version 1909; Windows 10, version 1809; Windows 10 Enterprise Edition LTSC 2019; Windows 10 Enterprise Edition LTSC 2016; Windows 10, Version 1607; Windows 10 Enterprise Edition 2015 LTSB; Windows 8.1; Windows 7 SP1
Servers: Windows Server 2022; Windows Server, version 20H2; Windows Server, version 2004; Windows Server, version 1909; Windows Server, version 1809; Windows Server 2019; Windows Server 2016; Windows Server 2012 R2; Windows Server 2012; Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1; Windows Server 2008 SP2
The list of November cumulative updates that break Windows Installer functionality:
Windows 7: KB5007233, KB5007236
Windows 8.1: KB5007247, KB5007255
Windows 10: KB5007206, KB5007207, KB5007186, KB5007189, KB5007192
Windows 11: KB5007215
Windows Server 2008: KB5007246, KB5007263
Windows Server 2008 R2: KB5007233, KB5007236
Windows Server 2012: KB5007245, KB5007260
Windows Server 2012 R2: KB5007247, KB5007255
Windows Server 2016: KB5007192
Windows Server 2019: KB5007206
Windows Server 2022: KB5007205
Available workarounds
While not all affected versions of Windows are ready for a fix, Microsoft offers a workaround for customers experiencing difficulty launching the application after deploying one of the problematic updates by uninstalling the affected application and installing a new version of the application.
Redmond engineers are working to resolve this issue for all other Windows customers, and these issues will be released in a future update. Microsoft is also preparing an update to address another issue affecting Windows 11 customers that may trigger a blue screen on systems with Intel Smart Sound Technology (SST) audio DSP drivers Boardwalk of Death (BSOD).