Why is the December 2025 Windows 10 update causing MSMQ failures and how do I fix it?

Is it safe to install the latest Windows 10 updates given the recent driver and printer bugs?

This guide provides technical analysis and actionable solutions for known issues affecting Windows 10 version 22H2, specifically focusing on the 2022 Update and the earlier 2021 Update (21H2). While these feature updates introduce critical improvements, they occasionally present deployment challenges.

We monitor Microsoft’s official channels to track confirmed bugs, their status, and the most effective mitigation strategies for IT administrators and home users.

Active Known Issues (Investigation Underway)

Message Queuing (MSMQ) Service Failures

Status: Confirmed | Date: December 12, 2025
Affected Update: KB5071546 (December 2025 Security Update)

Administrators may observe critical failures in Message Queuing (MSMQ) services following the installation of the December 2025 security update. This specifically affects clustered MSMQ environments under load. The root cause lies in recent changes to the MSMQ security model and NTFS permissions for the C:\Windows\System32\MSMQ\storage directory.

Symptoms:

• Queue Inactivity: MSMQ queues stop processing messages unexpectedly.
• IIS Errors: Sites fail with “Insufficient resources to perform operation.”
• Write Failures: Applications cannot write to queues.
• False Positive Logs: System logs report insufficient disk space or memory despite ample resources.
• File Creation Errors: Failure to create message files in the system storage directory.

Technical Context:
The update restricts write access to the MSMQ storage folder to administrators. However, the MSMQ service requires write access to function correctly. When it attempts to send messages via APIs without these permissions, the operation fails.

Current Action: Microsoft is analyzing the impact and will release a correction in an upcoming release.

Browser Blocking Latency in Family Safety

Status: Mitigated | Date: July 24, 2025

Microsoft Family Safety uses web filtering to block inappropriate content. When a child’s account has web filtering enabled, the system requires parental approval for non-Edge browsers. However, when third-party browsers like Chrome update to new versions, there is a delay before Microsoft adds the new version to its central block list.

Impact:

• Temporary Bypass: Children may access unblocked browsers immediately after a browser update.
• Unexpected Shutdowns: Once the block list updates, launching the browser may cause it to close immediately without the standard “Ask for permission” prompt. This occurs specifically when “Activity reporting” is disabled.

Workaround:
Enable Activity reporting in the Windows Family Safety settings. This ensures the correct approval request appears instead of the browser simply crashing.

Recently Resolved Issues

The following issues have been addressed via official updates or out-of-band patches. Ensure your system runs the specified update version or newer to apply these fixes.

System Administration & Security

ESU Enrollment Failures (Resolved Nov 11, 2025): The Extended Security Update (ESU) wizard previously failed on eligible devices. This is corrected in update KB5071959.

Incorrect End-of-Support Warnings (Resolved Nov 11, 2025): Users on Enterprise and Education editions incorrectly received “End of support” notifications after the October updates. Fixed in KB5068781.

Smart Card Authentication Errors (Resolved Oct 17, 2025): The October security update introduced a regression where RSA-based smart cards failed to authenticate, often showing “invalid provider type” errors. This was caused by a shift from CSP to KSP providers.

• Fix: Addressed in subsequent updates. A registry workaround (DisableCapiOverrideForRSA = 0) is available for systems unable to update immediately.

UAC Prompts for Standard Users (Resolved Sept 9, 2025): A security change forced unexpected Administrator prompts during MSI repairs for standard users. Update KB5065429 refined this behavior to only prompt when absolutely necessary (e.g., elevated custom actions).

Hardware & Peripherals

USB Printer Corruption (Resolved Mar 25, 2025): Dual-mode USB printers printed random data (e.g., POST /ipp/print HTTP/1.1) due to IPP protocol conflicts. Fixed in update KB5053643.

NDI Streaming Lag (Resolved Sept 9, 2025): Users experienced severe audio/video stuttering in OBS and NDI Tools. Update KB5065429 restored proper streaming performance.

BitLocker Recovery Loops (Resolved May 19, 2025): Devices with Intel vPro (10th Gen+) and Intel TXT enabled entered boot loops or BitLocker recovery screens due to lsass.exe crashes. Fixed in out-of-band update KB5061768.

Surface Hub v1 Boot Failure (Resolved June 19, 2025): An invalid signature caused “Secure Boot Violation” errors. Fixed in update KB5063159.

Software & Windows Features

Windows 11 Media Creation Tool (Resolved Oct 28, 2025): The tool previously crashed silently on Windows 10. A new version (released Oct 28) functions correctly.

Emoji Panel Search (Resolved July 22, 2025): Searching the emoji panel returned zero results. Fixed in KB5062649.

Chinese IME Issues (Resolved July 22, 2025): The Changjie Input Method Editor suffered from unresponsive keys and distorted text. Fixed in KB5062649.

Linux Dual-Boot Failures (Resolved May 13, 2025): The August 2024 SBAT security update incorrectly applied to dual-boot systems, blocking Linux boot. Fixed in KB5058379.

CrowdStrike BSOD (Resolved Aug 1, 2024): A faulty driver update from CrowdStrike caused widespread boot failures. The permanent fix involves deleting the problematic C-00000291*.sys driver file via Safe Mode.

Enterprise & Virtualization

Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Black Screens (Resolved Oct 22, 2024): Users experienced 10–30 minute login delays or black screens due to a deadlock between AAD broker and AppX services. Fixed in KB5045594.

Microsoft Connected Cache (Resolved July 23, 2024): Devices using DHCP Option 235 failed to discover local cache nodes, defaulting to public internet downloads. Fixed in KB5040525.

Sysprep Failures (Resolved Mar 26, 2024): Image preparation failed with error 0x80073cf2 due to Edge package status. Fixed in KB5035941.

Installation & Update Errors

WinRE Install Error 0x80070643 (Fixed Manually): The January 2024 Recovery Environment update fails if the recovery partition is too small (under 250MB).

• Action: You must manually resize the WinRE partition to allow the update to install. Microsoft will not release an automatic patch for this specific partition sizing constraint.

HP Smart App Auto-Install (Resolved Dec 22, 2023): A metadata error caused Windows to identify various printers as “HP LaserJet” and automatically install the HP Smart App. A specific troubleshooter tool released by Microsoft corrects this metadata.