Microsoft issues black screen warning to Azure Virtual Desktop users
Microsoft has warned its customers about possible black screen issues lasting up to 30 minutes. The problem is particularly linked to the Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) following the installation of the KB5040525 Windows 10 July 2024 preview update. The tech giant revealed the information in a recent update on its Windows release health page.
Additional symptoms of the black screen issue
Along with the black screen problem, Microsoft has also flagged other symptoms associated with the issue. These include failures in single sign-on (SSO) for Office apps such as Outlook and Teams, which can break connections to backend services or prevent data syncs. The company also said that Office apps may lose network connectivity while other apps like Edge continue to have internet and local network access.
Microsoft identifies cause of black screen issue
Microsoft has linked the root cause of these issues to a deadlock in the interaction between the Azure Active Directory (AAD) broker and two underlying services: AppX deployment service (AppxSvc) and Background tasks infrastructure service. The company clarified that this problem is different from the previous one where an invalid state in AppX Deployment Service (AppxSvc) resulted in a black screen. That issue was fixed with Windows updates on October 22, 2024 (KB5045594) and later.
Black screen issue more likely with FSLogix user profile containers
Notably, the black screen issue is more likely to occur while using FSLogix user profile containers, which are commonly used in virtual environments such as remote desktops. However, Windows 10 Education edition users and home users of Windows Home or Pro editions are less likely to encounter this problem. This is because Azure Virtual Desktop is primarily used in enterprise settings rather than individual or educational environments.
