- Windows 11’s November Update fixes quite a few bugs
- The bug with Task Manager eating resources by keeping multiple instances of the app open has been fixed
- Microsoft has also fixed an issue with hibernation which meant it failed to preserve battery life with Windows 11 gaming handhelds
Windows 11’s latest patch offers a number of bug fixes, including some important ones when it comes to the performance of the operating system and gaming handhelds.
This is the November patch for Windows 11 that Microsoft just released, and it’s worth installing pronto if you caught the October preview update (released late last month).
That’s because this preview release (which was the optional beta version of this current update) introduced an issue with Task Manager. This meant that instances of Task Manager remained open after the user closed them, leading to a situation where there could conceivably be many Task Managers running simultaneously (which could happen if it was opened multiple times while trying to debug a problem).
All these background processes naturally add up to a resource drain, but the November patch has the solution to this problem.
Microsoft informs us: “This update resolves an issue where closing Task Manager with the Close button did not completely terminate the process, leaving behind background instances that could slow performance over time. This may occur after installing KB5067036 [the October preview update].”
There are also treats for handheld devices running Windows 11, as the November update fixes a battery drain issue when these laptops are in sleep mode.
Microsoft explains: “This update addresses an issue affecting handheld gaming devices. These devices were unable to remain in low-power states, causing faster battery drain.”
Another bug that has been fixed is an issue where your handheld’s on-screen keyboard might not work in apps right away after signing in; there is a delay of five seconds or so before the keyboard is usable.
Analysis: an unfortunate tendency towards oddities
There have long been complaints about hibernation in Windows 11 more widely, but apparently there is an issue with the power consumption mode going awry, which particularly concerns handhelds. And since battery life is such a valuable commodity for any portable device, it’s good to see this fixed.
It’s also nice to have the full solution for the Task Manager error, rather than the solutions you had to use earlier. This bug wouldn’t have affected many people because not everyone installs Microsoft’s optional updates. Some people do, though, and if you got hold of the October preview release and your PC has been running mysteriously slow, this could be the cause – so grab the November update if you haven’t already.
At least the solution to the performance-related issue came through quickly, but it’s illustrative of some broader concerns about Windows 11: namely, that more bias seems to be creeping in with the basics of the operating system. You have to wonder how on earth a problem like Task Manager that doesn’t actually close when you close it happens?
It’s very strange, and while it’s possible for some odd bugs to creep in with a sprawling piece of software like an operating system, it seems like far too much of this has been going on since the release of Windows 11 24H2 last year.
My personal theory is that because 24H2 introduced a new underlying engine to Windows 11 (called Germanium and required for Arm-based Copilot+ PCs), this ushered in a great deal of weirdness and unpredictability deep within the operating system. Reliability and general stability has seemed rockier ever since 24H2 came out, and while bugs are less prevalent now we’ve moved on to 25H2, weird things still happen like we see here.
Also, Microsoft still needs to fix some basic parts of the operating system that aren’t working as well as they should, such as elements of File Explorer, the basic interface through which you interact with files and folders on the desktop. The company has admitted that work needs to be done to improve performance levels, and while progress is being made in some respects, it feels like a painfully slow slog at times – especially when you remember that these sorts of issues were a problem right when Windows 11 first arrived. It is all too easy to feel that not much has changed in four years.
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