Microsoft recently introduced the KB5029351 update for its Windows 11 operating system earlier this week. While this update, like its predecessors, aimed to bring monthly fixes and improvements, it has inadvertently triggered issues for a subset of users, particularly those employing MSI motherboards. Amidst user reports of problems, Microsoft is grappling with investigations into a “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) issue associated with an error message displaying “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR”.
Investigation Underway by Microsoft
Acknowledging the concerns raised by affected users, Microsoft’s Windows health centre has provided a support note that reads, “We are presently investigating to determine if this is an issue caused by Microsoft. We will provide an update when more information is available.” The BSOD error, attributed to the update, is prompting Microsoft’s technicians to delve into its origins and implications.
Impacted Users and Systems
The issue has manifested primarily in Windows 11 gaming PCs utilizing an Intel Core i9-13900KS chipset and operating on MSI MPG Z690 Carbon Wi-Fi motherboards. Multiple Reddit users have echoed these difficulties, reporting similar BSOD encounters following the installation of the update. It is important to note that these afflicted systems share a commonality: they are all powered by Intel chips and employ MSI motherboards with the most recent BIOS updates applied.
Mitigation Measures Employed by Microsoft
In response to the unfolding issue, Microsoft has engineered a recovery mechanism for Windows 11 that facilitates the rollback of the problematic patch, enabling users to regain system stability. In addition, Microsoft is currently removing this specific update from systems experiencing the issue. However, it is essential to highlight that the update remains available for general download. The update’s progression from Windows Insider testing to the Release Preview and subsequently becoming accessible to Windows 11 users further underscores the unforeseen nature of these complications.
The Underlying Cause
While the exact root cause has not been officially disclosed, speculation has surfaced that the issue may be linked to MSI’s recent BIOS updates. These updates were implemented in preparation for Intel’s upcoming 14th Gen desktop CPUs, codenamed Raptor Lake-S Refresh. MSI’s support documentation indicates that these BIOS updates were issued to “support next-gen CPUs.” The collective experience of Reddit users encountering the BSOD issue has revealed a commonality – they were all operating on the latest MSI BIOS update. Remarkably, one user reported that reverting to a previous BIOS version allowed the problematic Windows 11 update to be installed without a hitch.