Windows 11 21H2 Build 22000.1879 Preview: A Glimpse of Key Updates Coming to Users in May

Microsoft has released a test update, KB5025298, for Windows Insider Release Preview channel users, bringing Windows 11 to version 21H2 Build 22000.1879.

As this is a test update, Microsoft doesn't offer an offline installation package, and it is only available to users in the Release Preview channel via Windows Update.

The fixes included in this update will be released to the official Windows 11 21H2 channel on May 9th, allowing enterprise IT administrators to test the Release Preview if needed.

Here's a summary of the key updates and fixes in this release:

1. Firewall settings have been modified to allow users to configure program group rules.
2. A fix for the LSASS process error that caused blue/green screen crashes with error code 0xc0000005 (STATUS_ACCESS_VIOLATION).
3. Issues affecting Microsoft Edge's IE mode, causing pop-up windows to open in the background and tab window manager to freeze, have been resolved.
4. A fix for the Windows Remote Management client issue, where WinRM clients returned an HTTP 500 error.
5. An issue affecting protected content display in the taskbar preview window has been resolved to prevent unintentional leaks.
6. Problems with certain software packages not working correctly when requiring elevated permissions have been fixed.
7. A fix for the MDM client issue that prevented printing.
8. Issues with Microsoft Defender Application Control affecting signature compatibility with Secure Boot and hash rule policies have been resolved.
9. A fix for the Windows Hello Enterprise PIN login issue causing Remote Desktop Service login failures.
10. Improved performance for the search box.
11. Fixes for issues affecting administrator account lockouts, GPResult, and Resultant Set of Policy reporting.
12. A fix for Active Directory Users and Computers issues when enabling or disabling multiple objects with TaskPad view, which caused unresponsiveness.
13. Unified Write Filter (UWF) issues causing system crashes when using WMI to disable it have been resolved.
14. Problems affecting the Resilient File System (ReFS) preventing system startup have been fixed.
15. Issues with certain MySQL commands failing to run on Windows Xenon containers have been resolved.
16. A fix for the SMB Direct issue affecting multi-byte character set systems.

With this comprehensive list of updates and fixes, Windows 11 users can look forward to a more stable and secure experience once the official version is released in May.