Windows 11 Users Report Crashes and Freezes After March Update KB5079473
Some Windows 11 users report issues after installing the latest March system update. According to them, the update can cause crashes, freezes, and other stability issues with computer performance.
What is known
This pertains to the cumulative update KB5079473, which Microsoft released on March 10, 2026, for Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. After installation, the system updates to builds 26100.8037 and 26200.8037. The company noted that the package mainly contains security fixes, as well as a few minor improvements.
Among them are updates to the operation mechanism of Secure Boot certificates, improved search reliability in Explorer, and changes related to WDAC COM allowlisting policies.
However, soon after the update's deployment began, user complaints started to appear on support forums and the Microsoft QA section. Some report that their computers unexpectedly freeze or reboot.
One user wrote that his PC completely crashed three times after the update, forcing a hard reboot and losing unsaved files. Others complain of complete screen freezes, after which only a system restart helps. Some users' computers started rebooting every 10–20 minutes.
The errors mentioned include the code ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY (0xBE), as well as 0x800704b3. Some users also report that after installing the update, certain programs, such as Office or Outlook, do not start, and tools like Command Prompt or the Print Screen combination stop working.
For now, these reports are isolated and may be related to compatibility with specific hardware. If problems arise after installing KB5079473, users are advised to temporarily pause updates or remove the patch through Windows Update settings and report the issue via Feedback Hub.
Source: Microsoft QA
