VeraCrypt / Forums / Technical Topics: Windows 11 22H2 Update Support

Damien Butt - 2022-09-21

Hi all,

Has anyone else had any problems updating to Win11 22H2?

I have tried twice now, and both times, it has resulted in a BSOD shortly after restart. Saying "Unmountable boot device". It restarts again, and eventually throws me into Win RE.

Thank god for snapshots.

My entire system drive is encrypted with Veracrypt. Just wondering if something in the 22H2 update is breaking compatibility with Veracrypt?

Thanks,

D

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Damien Butt - 2022-09-21

The first time it failed, I restored from a snapshot.

The second time, I let it rollback from Win RE.

Once logged in this message was displayed.:

We couldn't install Windows 11
We've set your PC back to the way it was right before you started installing Windows 11.
0xC1900101 - 0x20017
The installation failed in the SAFE_OS phase with an error during BOOT operation

This is a virtual machine running in Parallels Desktop on a Mac.

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Hyper.nl - 2022-09-23

!!! Do NOT run Windows 11 22H2 Setup on a VeraCrypt System Encryption encrypted partition. !!!

Decrypt first, then backup, then upgrade, then re-encrypt.
Upgrading Windows 11 to 22H2 inside a VeraCrypt system encryption encrypted disk WILL lead to a failed installation after reboot. Possibly Windows Setup uses an extra partition on the disk to do the upgrading from and when Windows Setup boots from that partition the VeraCrypt boot loader is not used so the encrypted Windows partition cannot be accessed.

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Enigma2Illusion - 2022-09-23

For Windows 11 22H2 upgrade, it is being reported on various websites that Microsoft is again creating a new Recovery partition if the original Recovery partition is too small and the original Recovery partition is before the C partition.

In the past, this issue occurred on Windows 10.

https://www.elevenforum.com/t/windows-11-messed-up-partitions.1019/

It is likely Microsoft is resizing the C partition to make space available for the new partition.

Starting with 1.25.4 version, VeraCrypt block Windows from resizing the system partition if it is encrypted with VeraCrypt.

Last edit: Enigma2Illusion 2022-09-23

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Damien Butt - 2022-09-27

Hi all,

Thanks for this.

Decrypted, updated to 22H2 with no issue, re-encrypted again.

Thanks,

D

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- Dee Ess - 2023-07-10
  
  It seems like this should be done each Windows build update anyway, at least at some feasible differentiator.
  
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Ulf Naslund - 2022-10-09

I only use VeryCrypt for external devices. After 22H2 upgrade I open encrypted files but the unit letter can't be found in explorer, not for any encrypted file. Solutions?

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petitlou60 - 2022-10-14

Hello,
when preference "use secure desktop when asking password" is set
randomly the following arise:
1) windows to enter password appears in secure desktop mode
2) after entering pasword veracrypt Windows disappears
3) but screen is now empty and grey and not responsive
4) only work around is : CRTRL+ALT+DEL then ask disconnect

so i must disable this preference but it is less secure

Last edit: petitlou60 2022-10-16

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- CVS - 2023-01-26
  
  Ditto - left comment in the other thread specifically talking about this as well.
  
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David - 2022-10-15

Hi All
Hi have a bug when clicking on "fichier / file" in veracrypt main window, to open a encrypted file.
Veracrypt freezes since the last windows update with explorers tabs activated.
The workaround I found is to copy the complete path-filename in the field...
Does anybody have this problem?
Thanks for all

Last edit: David 2022-10-15

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- Phil J - 2022-10-19
  
  Same here, but more screwed because, although I can paste in the filepath & name, I also use keyfiles for extra security and the Add Files... button hits the same problem of hanging with Not Responding. Something has changed and now seems to stop VC from launching File Explorer, even when running as administrator. For now, my VC archive is locked and I can't access it because of no option to enter keyfile paths & names manually.
  
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- Kenneth Clark - 2022-11-03
  
  Hi,
  I am experiencing the same bug which you report.
  If I click the "Select File" button, VeraCrypt becomes unresponsive and I have to close it using Task Manager.
  I tried your workaround and found that it was successful.
  I normally open frequent files using "Favorites" but this is also affected by the bug. The selected file opens as normal but the VeraCrypt progress bar remains open indefinitely.
  
  The problem did not affect me when I initially installed the 22H2 upgrade but arose after I performed a clean install of Windows.
  
  I began the clean install yesterday. The installation was nearly complete when I installed VeraCrypt and the problem was immediately evident. All the installed applications were the same as used previously.
  
  VeraCrypt is an essential application so I began another clean install today. I installed VeraCrypt immediately after the basic Windows install and it originally worked OK.
  I then performed some basic configuration of Windows and added a couple of other applications. When I tested VeraCrypt again, the bug was present. I uninstalled the other applications but this did not fix the problem.
  
  After reading your post, I had reluctantly decided to wipe my disk for a third time and restore the disk image from my old installation.
  
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petitlou60 - 2022-10-15

I have found kind of workaround
when problem occurs i make the following:
1) ctrl+alt+del
2) ask start task manager
3) ask to start veracrypt
4) ask dismount all
5) exit veracrypt and task manager
6) press shortcut to mount favorites
7) all is ok

Last edit: petitlou60 2022-10-15

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David Walcott - 2022-10-28

I have been using Veracrypt 1.25 (64-bit) with encrypted file container for some time on Windows 11 following the last windows KB5019509 Cumulative update. I am getting Veracrypt Freezing on find file.
I have not been able to copy path filename into the veracrypt find field.

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petitlou60 - 2022-11-10

my workaround about secure desktop does't work after november patch tuesday

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Kenneth Clark - 2022-11-10

As described in my previous post, I encountered the same symptoms when performing a clean install of Windows 11 22H2.

Following my post, I began a third attempt at a clean install. I installed VeraCrypt immediately after the basic installation of Windows completed - it performed correctly.
I then began configuring Windows and installing applications. After every change, I re-tested VeraCrypt.

The fault occurred as soon as I configured Microsoft OneDrive. It persisted when I closed OneDrive but disappeared when I uninstalled OneDrive.

I then installed a new copy of OneDrive. VeraCrypt initially operated as normal but the problem reappeared as soon as I configured OneDrive. It again disappeared as soon as I uninstalled OneDrive.

I then installed all my other applications and fully configured Windows. VeraCrypt continued to operate as normal.

Finally, I reinstalled OneDrive.
To my surprise, VeraCrypt continued to operate normally!
I do not know what changed except that I used a OneDrive installer downloaded from Microsoft's web site rather than installing it with "winget" (the winget server was down over the weekend).

Sorry that the results are confusing but you might wish to investigate a possible conflict with some versions of OneDrive.

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Anonymous - 2023-07-13

Hi,

I have the same problem, I had to disable secure desktop also, On the latest Windows 11 version

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Mounir IDRASSI - 2023-07-25

I have published version 1.26.4 on Nightly Builds folder that fixes the Secure Desktop issue. I have modified the way Secure Desktop threads are managed and it seems to work better based on my tests. The cause seems to be a change of behavior of the function SwitchDesktop.

For the issue about "Select File", there is nothing that can be done from VeraCrypt because it is Explorer shell who causes the issue: in the past, I have encountered issues with certain Explorer Shell Extensions that are automatically loaded when using the open file dialog and which cause issues with VeraCrypt. These shell extensions are loaded into VeraCrypt memory space and there is no way to block them from being loaded. In this particular case, it is the shell extension of One Drive that causes the issue.

From security point of view, having foreign dlls loaded into VeraCrypt memory space is not good and so I advice to always use Drag-n-drop facility of VeraCrypt to mount file containers instead of clicking on the "Select File" button.

The more secure approach would be to implement a custom file selection dialog that doesn't use Explorer Shell but this is too much work.

❤️
1

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Andre Velloso - 2023-08-12

My problem is that I cannot encrypt a USB drive. When it comes the step to select keyfiles, it freezes. And it does not allow drag and drop of key files like when mounting an existing drive. I could not find a workaround.

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Mounir IDRASSI - 2023-08-15

@ndre: Indeed, drag-n-drop of keyfiles doesn't work in Format wizard when it is run elevated (which is the case when encryting disks). I will look for ways to fix this.

Concerning the "Select File" hanging issue, I checked the code in VeraCrypt related to this part and it is following Microsoft documentation correctly: CoInitalized is called before GetOpenFileNameW to avoid issue with Windows shell by using appartment threading model (see this link). So, if there is an issue, then it is not on VeraCrypt side but rather some breaking change in Windows Insider Preview build (Issue seems to happen on Windows Insider builds).

I didn't tried myself on Windows Insider and I think Microsoft will fix this on their side before official release otherwise many other applications will suffer.

Microsoft indicates in the documentation that GetOpenFileNameW is superceded by the IFileOpenDialog interface but it doesn't say that GetOpenFileNameW is deprecated. So, it should still work without issues.

If I have a change to reproduce the issue, I will try to see if IFileOpenDialog suffers from the same problem.

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Andre Velloso - 2023-08-16

@idrassi - I have tried on WIndows insider... the only work around I found was to put my keyfiles in a folder only the files I used as keyfiles and use the option "Add Path" instead. This works, but it weakens a bit my security here. Before I had hundreds of files in a folder and the person trying to mount would have to know not only my strong password, but which folder and files from that folder to use. The next work around I was going to try would be to find if there was a command line option to mount the drive. But I did not have time to check that.

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Mounir IDRASSI - 2023-08-16

Thank you @ndre for sharing your experience and the workaround you found with the "Add Path" option. Your input is helpful.
You're right in your inclination towards using the command line. VeraCrypt does indeed support mounting volumes via command line, and this capability extends to using both passwords and keyfiles. You can find a detailed guide on this in the official documentation here: Command Line Usage.
For a quick demonstration, if you wish to mount a file container using both a password and a keyfile, you can use the following command:

"C:\Program Files\VeraCrypt\veracrypt.exe" /volume <path_to_your_volume> /letter <preferred_drive_letter> /password <your_password> /keyfiles <path_to_keyfile> /quit

For example:

"C:\Program Files\VeraCrypt\veracrypt.exe" /volume c:\Users\Name\Desktop\volume.hc /letter X: /password "pass" /keyfile c:\Users\Name\Desktop\keyfile.dat /quit

This command will mount your file container to the specified drive letter using the provided password and keyfile.
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Andre Velloso - 2023-08-16

@idrassi - Thanks, I will use this as a workaround until a solution can be found

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Andre Velloso - 2023-08-20

I still think a fix is needed. Unless I type the command line or I use the other workaround I mentioned, I can't use the UI anymore.
I already explained how the other solution would weaken the security.
The command line option is also a problem. Unless I type it every single time I need and clear my command prompt history. Saving it in anyway would weaken the security as well.

Last edit: Andre Velloso 2023-08-20

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Allan Z - 2023-09-25

I've just tried to upgrade to windows 1122H2 but firefox was unable to access my profile stored on an encrypted drive. This is odd because Thunderbird had no problems.
I tried reinstalling firefox and veracrypt with no sucess so I rolled back to windows 10.
Is this a known issue?

Last edit: Allan Z 2023-09-25

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Windows 11 22H2 Update Support

Open source disk encryption with strong security for the Paranoid

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Windows 11 22H2 Update Support

Windows 11 22H2 Update Support

Open source disk encryption with strong security for the Paranoid

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Windows 11 22H2 Update Support