The KB5034129 Windows Server 2022 update is leading to browser crashes such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox due to file corruption issues, causing significant problems for Windows Server 2022 PC administrators. Opening the browser results in just a blank window, as reported.
Update KB5034129 causing crashes in Chrome, Edge, and Firefox browsers
The KB5034129 update for Windows Server 2022, released on January 9, 2024, addressed various issues such as bugs impacting InTune, hybrid devices, Microsoft Excel, and Wi-Fi adapters. This update was crucial for many companies seeking to resolve these issues promptly.
After installing the most recent Windows Server 2022 update (KB5034129), some users experienced issues where browsers like Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox would only display blank pages. One administrator noted that Edge was utilizing about 50% of CPU processing power with 12 Microsoft browser-related processes, which also led to disk space being filled up.
When attempting to launch Chrome, a blank screen appears and an error related to GPU loading occurs. Despite attempts to troubleshoot using VMWare Tools or reinstalling Chrome, the issue persisted until the update was uninstalled.
Possible solutions to address the issue
Mayank Parmar, of WindowsLatest, fixes the issue by deleting the registry key “chrome.exe” at the location “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options.”
An alternative method to resolve the bug involves using PowerShell to execute a command that deletes the file.
One way to fix the issue is by changing the file name “chrome.exe” to something different, such as “chrome_test”. This will allow Chrome to function properly once more.
