Resolving the CrowdStrike Windows Update Issue

This morning, a security update from CrowdStrike caused an unexpected issue on Windows devices, leading to a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) for many users. Although CrowdStrike has halted the update rollout, immediate action is required if you encounter this problem. Here’s what you need to know and do.

What Happened?

CrowdStrike’s recent security update inadvertently caused Windows devices to hang, resulting in a Blue Screen error. The update has been paused, but users affected by this issue need to take specific steps to restore their devices to normal operation.

Steps to Resolve the Issue on Windows Devices

If you encounter the Blue Screen on your Windows device, follow these steps to resolve the issue:

1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or Windows Recovery Environment (WRE).
2. Navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike
3. Locate and delete the file matching: C-00000291*.sys
4. Reboot your device normally.

Steps for AWS and Azure Users

For those using AWS and Azure, Microsoft has advised the following steps to restore from backup files. Alternatively, you can attempt to repair the OS disk offline using these instructions:

1. Attach an unmanaged disk to a VM for offline repair.
2. For encrypted disks, follow the additional instructions for unlocking an encrypted disk for offline repair.
3. Once the disk is attached, delete the following file: Windows/System/System32/Drivers/CrowdStrike/C00000291*.sys
4. Reattach the disk to the original VM.

For detailed instructions and further reading, please refer to this Forbes article.

Need Help?

If you encounter any issues or have questions, our expert team is here to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact us.