Microsoft acknowledges Windows 10 File system error (2147219196) & is working on a fix

According to the reports on Feedback Hub and Microsoft Community, Windows native apps, including Calendar, Photos, Calculator, Mail, and Feedback Hub, reportedly crashed with File System Error (-2147219196) after Microsoft auto-updated the native apps through the Microsoft Store on January 23, 2024.

Now, Microsoft has acknowledged the issue, and the company is working to fix the issue, once it is done, the fix will be applied.

The Windows 10 update was supposed to be a regular maintenance release, but instead, it broke the Windows apps, including Calculator, Calendar, Photos, Feedback Hub, etc.

According to forums and user feedback, they are frustrated and expressed their anger towards the company for hanging them dry.

One user on the Feedback Hub said

Once you have an update, you can’t go back. Microsoft does this, and on top of that, without warning is a dirty move.

Another one stated:

I am experiencing the same issue. Microsoft Photos worked yesterday, but it is giving the same “File System Error (-2147219196)” on Windows 10 Pro on 1 PC, but it is still working on another.

The reason behind the crash lies within vclibs framework, a crtitical package which contains libraries that help native Windows apps to run correctly.

After the update, there was a change in the vclibs framework, which made the Windows apps require SSE4.2 instructions.

SSE is not new, it has been around for decades, however, version SSE4.2 was introduced in 2011 and supports newer processors.

SSE4.2 helps your computer’s processor handle data efficiently, resulting in better performance while launching apps.

You might be thinking, if this has been around for years, what went wrong well with the update released on January 23, Microsoft mistakenly made SSE4.2 a mandate for the vclibs framework.

As a result, people who have Windows 10 computers with old processors are not compatible with SSE4.2 hence native apps crashed, including Photos, Mail & Calendar, Paint 3D, Game Bar, Photos, Feedback Hub, Calculator, and 3D Viewer.

In a statement, a Microsoft support representative confirmed that soon, there is an update fixing this issue. With the Redmond tech giant track record of backward compatibility and the fact Windows 10 will get support until Oct 2025, it looks like the issue might be a result of an accident.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.