Windows 11 24H2 now 'broadly available' ... complete with yet another 'known issue'

Azure Virtual Desktop App attach users might want to sit this one out for a bit longer

Microsoft is celebrating the milestone of Windows 11 24H2 reaching broad availability with… yet another "known issue." This time, it is related to Azure Virtual Desktop applications.

The Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) app bug was added to the Windows Health Dashboard at the end of last week: AVD apps may fail to fire up when they are using the "App attach" feature.

"App attach" allows applications from an application package to be dynamically attached to a user session in AVD. Applications aren't installed locally on session hosts or images but are rather run within containers. According to Microsoft, the approach is about making it "easier to create custom images for your session hosts, and reducing operational overhead and costs for your organization."

The images can be VHD, VHDX, or Composite Image File System (CimFS). Microsoft noted that mounting and unmounting CimFS images was faster than VHD or VHDX, but said, "We only recommend using CimFS for your application images if your session hosts are running Windows 11."

Of course many will find it neither fast nor simple if they are using Windows 11 24H2, despite Microsoft's claims about CimFS improvements.

According to Microsoft, "While attempting to start App attach applications, users might encounter an error message that displays the error message 'Element not found'."

The solution? "Users can use VHDX (Virtual Hard Disk v2) image instead of CIMFS image for packaging files."

Microsoft said the problem didn't happen in earlier operating system versions. A fix for the current, "broadly available" version is due in June 2025.

The timing of the glitch is unfortunate, considering that Microsoft is currently pushing the Windows 365 Cloud PC, which shares chunks of its technology stack with AVD.

The awkwardness is compounded by Microsoft's triumphant statement that it has "reached the last phase of the gradual rollout for version 24H2" for Windows Update users, with the "known issues" list still continuing to lengthen.

The broad availability of Windows 11 24H2 also means that devices running Home and Pro versions of Windows 11 22H2 and 23H2 will receive the update automatically, unless an IT department manages the devices. According to Microsoft, users can choose the restart time required by the update or postpone it. ®