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Windows Explorer Bug Causes System Instability When Copying Video CD Content

🔄 Updated 4h ago
Aggregated by BrevFeed releases · updated 4h ago
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Key points

  • Copying Video CD content via Explorer can freeze the system.
  • Bug appeared with March 2023 Windows 11 and April 2023 Windows 10 updates.
  • Requires a hard reboot to restore system functionality.
  • Third-party copy tools or media players do not trigger the bug.

Video CD Copying Causes Explorer Failure

A specific bug in Windows Explorer leads to system instability when users attempt to copy content from a Video CD (VCD). The copying process often stalls, and subsequently, Windows Explorer enters a "broken" state. This state prevents new files and folders from being visible without manual refresh, causes UI glitches, and prevents the Explorer process from restarting normally.

System Requires Hard Reboot

Once the bug is triggered, the only way to restore proper system functionality is through a hard reboot. A soft restart initiated from within Windows will get stuck on the "Restarting" screen indefinitely, necessitating a physical press of the restart or power button.

Origin of the Bug

The bug was first observed following the installation of monthly updates: KB5023706 for Windows 11 (March 2023) and KB5025221 for Windows 10 (April 2023). Initial releases of Windows 10 and Windows 11 22H2 without these updates do not exhibit the issue. The problem can be reproduced with both physical and virtual CD drives.

Workarounds Identified

The issue specifically affects copying via Windows Explorer. Playing VCD content with Windows Media Player or extracting it with dedicated applications like VCDGear does not trigger the bug. Similarly, using third-party file copying applications such as FastCopy or TeraCopy avoids the problem, unless these applications utilize the standard Windows method for copying files.

✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →

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Primary sources

GitHub necolas/normalize.css

Reporting from

Hacker News Front Page — Video CDs Break Windows Explorer 💬 Discuss on HN 1d ago →

A bug in Windows Explorer causes system instability and requires a hard reboot when copying content from Video CDs. This issue appeared with Windows 11 update KB5023706 and Windows 10 update KB5025221, affecting file operations and UI responsiveness.